9 septembre 2019
R.S. owner profile : Guillaume, a family affair
Some passions, like the one Guillaume Rollin’s father had for Renault Sport cars, are passed down through generations. That’s how Guillaume came to acquire his first R.S. at the age of 18. Now in his 40th year, Guillaume has already owned some 45 cars, most of which were Renault Sport.
The list is impressive : a Mégane R.S. phase 1, an R26 and a Mégane 3 R.S. Redbull, while he currently he drives a Mégane 3 R.S. Trophy R. “I also had a Clio 1 R.S., the Clio 2 R.S., the Clio 3 R.S., the Clio V6... I think I’ve owned almost every Renault Sport model that exists !” he exclaims. “Once I was old enough to find an affordable sports car, Renault Sport was the obvious.”
He dove in headfirst, and in addition to sharing his passion with his father, Guillaume found another, broader family – fellow R.S. enthusiasts. “I met other R.S. owners through the Mégane R.S. forum, and I went on to become the first treasurer of the Mégane R.S. club.”
Despite giving up that role, Guillaume is still an active club member, participating in outings, such as the Clio Cup Le Castellet last October. “I didn’t race, because I didn’t have my Trophy R yet, and the R.S. 18 was still being run-in,” he says. “But I drove in the parade ! We did two laps of the circuit on Saturday, and two laps on Sunday, all together... The atmosphere was incredible.” That atmosphere is what keeps Guillaume attached to Renault Sport : “There are people there that I’ve known for 10 years – and we’ve evolved together.”
Those ties show no signs of breaking. “I have no intention of selling my 3 R.S. Trophy R, nor the R.S. 18, since it’s the last Clio 4 R.S. and maybe even the last Clio R.S. I’m also waiting for the Mégane 4 R.S. Trophy R to come out to buy one, so no, I’m not going to change brands right now.”
Guillaume is such a super fan, he’s even considering buying back one of his old cars that was really close to his heart : the R26. “I’m sad that I sold it,” he says. “Every time I got in that car, I had a smile on my face. A person’s love for a certain brand isn’t always rational.”
That love continues at home : Guillaume’s wife is as passionate as he is, and they often go out driving together. As for their daughter, aged 7, she already recognises cars and likes the thrill of acceleration. “We pass on our passions to our children, I think ! She’ll do whatever she wants, obviously, but I think it definitely runs in the family… Only time will tell for sure !”
