RE: Renault Wind: Spotted

RE: Renault Wind: Spotted

Thursday 16th November 2017

Renault Wind: Spotted

Could you be blown away by this open-top Renault?



If you think I'm going to sink to wind based humour to get a cheap laugh, then I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. Now relax and settle down whilst I let rip with this Spotted...

Alright, wind it in with the jokes now. Oh, hang on...
Alright, wind it in with the jokes now. Oh, hang on...
Loosely inspired by Renault's 2004 Paris motor show concept car, the Wind is a two seater convertible to rival the Peugeot 207 CC and the Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe; both of which had folding metal roofs. To outdo them, the designers looked to Ferrari and the Superamerica.

Confused? Well, similar to the Ferrari, the Wind's roof pivots back through 180 degrees rather than fold like metal origami into the boot. Unlike the Ferrari, the Renault's roof is at least covered up whilst it's down to save it from collecting rainwater. Just make sure that you have the handbrake on before you try to raise or lower the roof, because safety conscious Renault doesn't want you erecting what amounts to a sail whilst driving. Mind you, that pivoting roof does look like a toupee coming unstuck in a gale.

Underneath the Wind is the chassis from the Twingo, with this one using the same 1.6-litre 133hp engine as the Renaultsport Twingo. Engineers from Renaultsport even provided final suspension fettling for the Wind. That doesn't make it a sun-worshiping Twingo R.S. But, it's still quite eager in the bends and body roll is kept in check nicely too.

Will the performance be gutsy, or gusty?
Will the performance be gutsy, or gusty?
Equipment levels are quite generous: with air-con, alloys, cruise control, stability control and an aux connection all standard across the range. Higher spec Dynamique Winds gets you climate control, automatic lights and wipers, and Bluetooth - good luck connecting an iPhone X to that, though.

The car listed might be a tad strong on price, but the weather has given you a great bargaining chip. Open top cars are always less popular in the winter months, so haggle hard, if you're interested. And doing so will save you some money for when something inevitably lets go. Then you can turn to the person at the service department, car keys dangling in your outstretched arm and tell them, "Sorry, I broke Wind."


SPECIFICATION: RENAULT WIND

Engine: 1,598cc, 4-cyl
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 133@6,750rpm
Torque (lb ft): 118@4,400rpm
MPG: 40.9
CO2: 160g/km
First registered: 2011
Recorded mileage: 25,000
Price new: 17,300
Yours for: £4,992

See the original advert here.

Max Adams

 

 

 

 

Author
Discussion

MikeGoodwin

Original Poster:

3,323 posts

116 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
Its a tragic car it really is I still remember sitting in it in the showroom before buying a Clio GT years back. Only thing going for it is that slightly juicy K4M which isnt all that. I actually saw one yesterday on the road and I dont think ive seen many about since its release.

chazwozza

724 posts

185 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
Is this pistonheads or mumsnet?

Turbobanana

6,160 posts

200 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
chazwozza said:
Is this pistonheads or mumsnet?
Not enough seats to register on mumsnet's radar.

Not enough PH-ness to register here...

IanCress

4,409 posts

165 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
Turbobanana said:
Not enough seats to register on mumsnet's radar.

Not enough PH-ness to register here...
That's probably why they barely sold any. The car didn't appeal to anyone.

TristPerrin

135 posts

177 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
I saw the article and thought "oh cool, it must have some crazy Clio 200 engine swap or something interesting going on".

Nope just a nasty hairdressers car (and this is from a serial MX-5 owner). yuck

lord trumpton

7,321 posts

125 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
I think it looks pretty fun really.`especially with that zippy engine.

Not a car I'd ever buy or desire to own but applause for an oddball car that's different from the usual VAG/Germanic dross

Uppercut

118 posts

77 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
My little sister had one. It's not deserving of the bandwagon abuse that will no doubt fill this thread.

Not going to win any awards but more interesting and rarer than a 206CC and the like. Some clever engineering and it's a decent, nippy steer. She used it as a town car, which you could put the roof down on, on the longer drives home or at weekends. Perfect for that.


culpz

4,881 posts

111 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
It's not for me, at all. I've always thought that these looked absolutely hideous from the off. When they first came out, i assumed that they were a performance 2-seater. I never realised it was the engine from the Renaultsport Twingo though, until now.

With that being said, i'd just buy a Twingo 133 if i wanted something similar that's small, quirky and cheap to run.

Toaster Pilot

14,615 posts

157 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
I like these getmecoat

I don’t five grand like them mind

HTP99

22,445 posts

139 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
Good fun these but hopelessly marketed and executed, it's almost as if Renault put it out for a laugh.

I remember the launch bumpf on the car at the training and the "target audience" narrative, what a joke; as well as the usual middle aged woman, Renault also targeted it at young male designers who like to be a bit different, what a laugh, they were serious too!

Anyhow I think I only ever sold one, not to a woman either.

Edited by HTP99 on Thursday 16th November 09:49

ECG1000

381 posts

141 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
I had one of these as a courtesy car when my 133 was in for warranty work.
Never driven a convertible before so thought I'd open the roof as I left the dealership. The novelty wore off after about 2 minutes when I realised how ridiculous I looked. So the next time I stopped - which happened to be at a busy roundabout - I quickly tried to rectify the problem. Little did I know that once moving again, the roof mechanism would stop working.
I couldn't stop halfway round a roundabout though! I had to carry on round to the next set of lights with the roof completely vertical like a big waving hand gesturing: "look at me I'm confused as to which team I bat for".

Took a while for my face to return to a normal colour after that episode...

sjg

7,444 posts

264 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
IanCress said:
That's probably why they barely sold any. The car didn't appeal to anyone.
To be fair, it wasn't on sale very long - I think barely 18 months from initial orders to Renault's big cull of UK models when the Espace, Laguna, Modus, etc also got culled. The Wind kept going for a while longer in continental Europe.

rastapasta

1,846 posts

137 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
sjg said:
IanCress said:
That's probably why they barely sold any. The car didn't appeal to anyone.
To be fair, it wasn't on sale very long - I think barely 18 months from initial orders to Renault's big cull of UK models when the Espace, Laguna, Modus, etc also got culled. The Wind kept going for a while longer in continental Europe.
Yeah but to be fair, you d'ont see many in continental Europe either. These cars appeal to women in their early 20's too look cool in before they get pregnant and need some back seats. Actually the lack of back seats would probably serve as a degree of birth control in the case of the renault wind.

avenger286

425 posts

102 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
Would love to have a try one of these as I have a 133. Basically a 133 underneath so should go and handle better than most people think. Much more interesting than an Mx5 that you see 30 of every day.

Butter Face

30,192 posts

159 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
We sold 5 or 6 new and a few used over the years.

The 1.6 in this car is quite good fun, wind it up and it goes pretty well. Roof is a novelty but super quick and quite entertaining.

I drove one for a while in white and enjoyed it for a bit of a laugh, interior is not that great though.


Fetchez la vache

5,568 posts

213 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
Always thought these were a massive missed opportunity.
Not driven one, but what was underneath showed great potential, it was just covered in a design that reminds me of one of my grandads slippers.

Dr Tad Winslow

52 posts

77 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
If I saw a bloke driving one of these I'd assume he needed medical intervention

andburg

7,214 posts

168 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
my other half has one of these and she loves it.

2 seats - no point adding the old+ seats behind giving her a much bigger boot than any alternatives with a hard roof.
Handles like a go kart, great fun on little twisty roads as long as they're not bumpy.
133bhp, not so fast that she puts herself in danger but quick enough to enjoy herself.
Well equipped, hers is higher spec than the spotted car. USB connectivity for her ipod, aux in, heated leather seats.

it has its downsides of course

plasticky
roof cannot be operated without being parked
low 30's mpg isnt great but i know how she drives.
noisy, especially on a motorway
ride is stiff, you feel everything

its not to everyone's taste, but she wanted a fun convertible and its lot more fun to drive than a tigra/207cc


culpz

4,881 posts

111 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
Dr Tad Winslow said:
If I saw a bloke driving one of these I'd assume he needed medical intervention
If you saw a bloke driving one of these, it wouldn't be a bloke biggrin

culpz

4,881 posts

111 months

Thursday 16th November 2017
quotequote all
avenger286 said:
Much more interesting than an Mx5 that you see 30 of every day.
I can't agree with that. Just because it's different and less common, doesn't instantly make it more interesting.

The MX-5 is a lightweight, RWD, convertible sports-car. Why you'd pick one of these over the Mazda is lost on me.