Renault Wind
Your correspondent had the task of interviewing Renault UK’s very French boss, on his last day in the job, while we shared a car on the Renault Wind launch. He couldn’t understand why all the UK journalists sniggered each time the car’s name was mentioned.
The Wind was not Renault’s first attempt to do a fun coupe-roadster, and not its most successful either. The concept was revealed in 2004, but not until 2010 did it enter production.
The first examples hit UK roads in July of that year, described as “stylish yet practical” with a quick-folding roof, and hoping to cash in on UK drivers’ love of convertibles.
It might well have done so, had not Renault itself been in trouble at the time. Little over a year later drastic surgery was deemed the answer with a savage pruning of the model range. With mainstream cars such as the Laguna biting the dust, the Wind’s fate was very much sealed.
Thankfully, with the new Alpine coming this year, Renault has since proven it can do a small sports car properly…
Next page: Nissan thinks inside the box
