Renault Megane
Renault
updates the world's first production glass roofed cabriolet
with some cosmetic revisions...
What's
New
The recently facelifted Megane Coupe-Cabriolet, has been
around since 2003 and has just been given a revision that
includes a subtly-restyled front end and new tail light
clusters. Like all good facelifts, it takes a keen eye to
spot what's been augmented. From the front, the most obvious
difference is that the front grille has been modified into
a more pronounced and dynamic 'V' shape. Mechanically, the
2.0-litre, 136bhp engine remains the same.
Its
claim to fame during its original release was that it was
the first production car in the world with a folding reinforced
glass roof. It is arguably stronger than the steel roofs
on many sedans and features a black mesh screen that can
be pulled across to keep the Renault from turning into a
glasshouse on wheels.
Its
boot can hold up to 490 litres of cargo when the roof is
up but this is reduced to 190 litres when the roof is folded.
This is done by pressing a switch on the centre console
and takes 22 seconds for the roof to disappear.
Renault
claims that the Megane Coupe-Cabriolet can seat four adults
comfortably, in reality rear passenger legroom is minimal
at best. To be fair though the interior is much roomier
than many other similarly four-seat drop tops.
How
it Performs
The 2.0-litre Megane Coupe-Cabriolet is no sports car by
any stretch. For starters, the four-speed automatic gearbox
has long gear ratios that are better suited to smooth driving.
Plus, the extra weight of the roof and its folding mechanisms
means that the car requires 11.5 seconds to reach 100km/h
from a standstill.
Being
enthusiastic on twisty roads causes the car to become slightly
unsettled, but once you get a long, clear stretch of blacktop
in front of you, the car's raison d'etre immediately becomes
apparent. On highways, the Coupe-Cabriolet is a competent
cruiser that encourages you to relax rather than charge
around at full throttle. In many ways it's a reflection
of beach life.Wind noise and buffeting is minimal with the
roof folded down, and windows up.
How
it Stacks Up
Open top cars are admittedly not the most practical of vehicles
to own, but the Megane Coupe-Cabriolet has many things going
for it if you are looking for a car that can fulfil several
roles at once. With its roof up, the car feels reasonably
solid, even roomy, and can be used as a regular daily driver.
As a load carrier, the boot has more carrying capacity than
many similarly sized sedans. The Megane Coupe-Cabriolet
also has a full five star rating in the Euro NCAP crash
tests. Its safety is beyond reproach.At just under $110,000
with COE at time of writing, the Megane Coupe-Cabriolet
is also one of the most affordable mid-sized folding tops
around.
| Technical Specifications |
|
MODEL
Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet 2.0 (A)
ENGINE
Engine: 1,998cc 16V in-line 4
Max Power: 136bhp at 5,500rpm
Max Torque: 191Nm at 3,750rpm
TRANSMISSION
4-speed automatic
TOP SPEED
200km/h
0-100km/h
11.5s
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