Road test: Renault Wind Roadster
The new Wind is based on Renault’s small Twingo hatchback and comes with a choice of two engines: a 100hp 1.2 petrol or a 133hp 1.6 VVT petrol, both with 5-sp manual transmissions. Developed by the French firm’s sporting wing Renault Sport Technologies, the latter puts out 160NM (118lb/ft) of torque. This is the same engine as fitted to the Twingo Renaultsport, and, although there’s ample performance, acceleration isn’t exactly breathtaking. When pushed the motor sounds a little strained, and although I didn’t actually miss any gears, the gearshift action is by today’s standards a little rubbery and imprecise. The quoted figures for the 1.6 are 0-62 in 9.2 secs with a 125mph top speed.
The Wind rides serenely on a well-surfaced road, but on not so well-maintained rural B-roads its ride errs on the choppy side. It’s never uncomfortable as such, but you might get the impression that a little more time spent fine-tuning the suspension could well have improved things. This slight choppiness is exacerbated by slight but visible movement in the cabin – scuttle-shake is the old fashioned term for it – and if you hit a bad bump you can detect movement in the steering column and, consequently, at the wheel. Otherwise the Wind handles and steers predictably with body-roll kept in check and the onset of understeer handled by Renault’s CSV understeer control system.
Read the full Renault Wind Roadster road test
See also:
No comments yet
