Renaultsport Wind
It's no secret Renault is searching for a sports car to make the most of its recent success in Formula One. And as the French company pulled the wraps off the Wind roadster at this year's Geneva Motor Show, it looked as if just such a machine had blown in.
The Wind looks a real winner. It neither sounds nor handles like an out-and-out sports car, but Renault wants something that's fun rather than intimidating. And with its three seats, this machine does manage to bring something new to the roadster segment.
It's no secret Renault is searching for a sports car to make the most of its recent success in Formula One. And as the French company pulled the wraps off the Wind roadster at this year's Geneva Motor Show, it looked as if just such a machine had blown in.
To prove how serious it is about the model, Renault let Auto Express take the wheel. Make no mistake, this is no concept, but a showroom-ready roadster that can carry three people at speed thanks to the practical layout.
Based on the Nissan Micra's chassis - which will also underpin the next-generation Clio - the Wind has a compact design. However, thanks to 19-inch wheels and the low, flowing lines of the bodywork, it boasts much greater road presence than the Japanese supermini.
And it needs to stand out - as it's entering a hotly contested sector of the market. Set to cost between £14,000 and £18,000, the Wind gets a 2.0-litre engine, giving a top speed of 120mph and a 0-62mph time of 8.5 seconds.
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But while the claimed performance is similar to that of rivals such as the Mazda MX-5 and MG TF, the Wind's design and layout is a breath of fresh air. The cockpit has sensual, rounded edges, and what at first appears to be a bit of plastic trim between the front seats cleverly slots into place in the rear to form a third chair. A soft roof lurks behind the third passenger, beneath a solid tonneau, and there's a 232-litre boot - only slightly smaller than the Clio's.
Other neat touches include carbon fibre-framed leather seats and an electrically adjustable steering wheel and pedals. There's an analogue speedometer and LED rev counter, plus a far simpler take on BMW's iDrive control system, with a circular dial allowing you to choose between entertainment, ventilation and communication functions.
The 136bhp engine fires at the push of a dash-mounted button. It doesn't sound great, but with only eight months to build the car, tuning the exhaust note wasn't a priority. The race-bred semi-auto box is fast, positive and smooth.
Once up to speed, the Wind slides through the air with minimal discomfort to its passengers. The steering and brakes both need tweaking, but as this is a working prototype, they give an interesting hint of the future. Finding customers for the production machine should prove to be a breeze...
