The tuning division of the French car maker has built its reputation – and a loyal following in Australia – on the race-bred strength of its high-performance hatchbacks.

But the company's Vice President in charge of Sales, Marketing and Communications, Regis Fricotte, says it is exploring opportunities that will increase its range and reach, including a powered-up SUV and potentially, in the longer term, a tough truck based on the French brand's upcoming Nissan Navara-based Alaskan four-door ute.

"We don't ignore that, and we are looking at what we can do," Fricotte told Australian journalists at the launch of the fourth-generation Megane hatch in Portugal.

"We want to develop Renault Sport and it has been confirmed by Mr Ghosn that Renault wants to develop motor sport activities globally so we will be looking at other potential opportunities to develop the Renault Sport brand.

"It is not only limited to Clio and Megane. To tell you which project is being looked at, that is internal and I cannot tell you about anything more."

The options for an RS-tweaked soft roader are broader than ever before, with Renault recently introducing its Clio-based Captur, mid sized Kadjur (which isn't earmarked for Australia) and the upcoming replacement for the ageing Koleos, which is expected to be revealed early in 2016 ahead of its local arrival late next year.

Even still, and despite sister brand Nissan promising to wave its Nismo wand over every variant in its range, Fricotte said Renault Sport will be more selective to maintain its credibility.

"The selection is fairly straight forward; it is market demand, technical feasibility and economic viability," he said.

"If it has those three conditions then we will look further into it, but it has to have those three elements first. We are not going to go and do crazy cars that will not succeed.

"We are a subsidiary that is here to develop the business and we look at almost everything," he added."

When quizzed on whether it would apply its treatment to the Alaskan pick-up, potentially cashing-in on the booming popularity in high-end activity-focussed variants such as the Ford Ranger Wildtrak, Fricotte said "it is not out of the question."

"That is the same answer as before. [But] there is a bit more time for us to consider things like that.

"Today sports performance is our area of expertise, so naturally we look more at that kind of sportiness rather than other kinds like big 4x4. But never say never as this segment is growing."

"First of all we still have a lot to do with what is on our plate right in front of us."