Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2011 | Page 74

MOTORING

Wind is a real breeze
It has been out and about on our roads
for a while but continues to make a
big impression.
The Renault Wind Roadster is the
small car that is making quite a big
impact in the two-seater car market.
It sits in between the Twingo and
the Clio in the French manufacturer’s
range, and after driving the Wind
Roadster, I think Renault may have
just about bridged that gap in the
market.
I picked up the car from Harwoods
Renault in Wootton and immediately
proceeded to drop the roof and take it
out on the open road. It takes just 12
seconds for the car to be transferred
into a sporty convertible with the twist
of a handle and the push of a button.
And, incredibly, the boot space doesn’t
lose any of its 270 litre space when

TEST DRIVEN ON
THE ISLAND
By Peter White

74

www.visitislandlife.com

the roof is folded. There is also an
additional 12 litres of space behind the
seats, perfect for everyday practicality.
From the outside, the Wind is quite
striking and certainly catches the eye.
From the front, the big headlights give
it a bold look and the hidden door
handles are clever.
Inside, the layout is simple but
effective and it is surprising how
much room there is. The seats have
extra lateral support and the height
adjustable steering wheel made it easy
for me to find my perfect driving
position. The dark grey interior is easy
on the eye and the chrome instrument
surrounds are a nice touch.
The Wind Roadster isn’t designed to
be a high performance car, despite its
stylish looks. The model I drove was
the 1.2-litre, five-speed manual with

Harwoods Renault
TEL: [phone] (Local rate)
www.harwoodsgroup.co.uk

99bhp, but it didn’t feel sluggish at
all. The car comes with 16-inch alloy
wheels, ESP, air-conditioning, electric
and heated door mirrors, cruise
control and fog lights and there are a
host of additional extras available.
Overall, I was very impressed with
the Renault Wind Roadster and I
would not be surprised if sales of this
stylish little car go from strength to
strength as more are spotted on the
Island’s roads.