The Red Monkey

Renault debuted its all new Wind coupe-convertible at the Geneva Motor Show in March, and now that summer is here, it’s time for it to hit the streets. At just over 12.5 feet long, the Wind’s closest competitor is likely to be the upcoming Mini Roadster and Coupe. Like so many other European automakers, Renault has gone with a hardtop, but not the type of complex, folding multi-piece unit found on so many others. Similar to the late Ferrari 575 SuperAmerica, the roof panel simply rotates back 180 degrees and stows flat under the rear deck. 

The relatively simple top design allows the Wind to retain 9.5 cubic feet of trunk space, even with the top down. The only real downside is the huge sail panels that mean over-the-shoulder visibility looks to be all but non-existent. 

The front wheels are spun by a choice of inline-four cylinder engines. The TCe 100 is a 1.15-liter turbocharged unit that delivers 100 horsepower and 112 pound-feet of torque while the 1.6-liter normally aspirated mill cranks out 133 hp and 118 lb-ft. The two powerplants (if that isn’t too strong a word in this case) deliver 37.3 and 33.6 miles per gallon (U.S.) respectively. With a mass under 2,500 pounds this could be a fun little machine regardless of the output. 

[Source: Renault]