2010 RENAULT Wind 1.2L TCe 5MT (100 HP)

Vehicle Overview

In an attempt to attract more young buyers for its products, Renault introduced the Wind model in 2010. It was not a commercial success, but Renault attracted enough attention to it.

Only a few car-makers offered convertible vehicles in the supermini category. The Wind was just one of them. It was based on an older Clio platform, but with a stance of a roadster. Even though it was offered at a lower price than the Mazda MX5 (Miata) or the Peugeot 206 CC (coupe-cabriolet), its commercial success was small and it was withdrawn from the market in 2013.

The Wind started as a concept car at the 2004 Paris Motor Show and the car looked so good that the customers asked Renault to build it. Unfortunately, the series model was far from that three-seater roadster. It still featured a retractable hard-top, but it lost its appeal. The car was too tall and too narrow to look good.

Inside, there were two seats with limited headroom when the car was closed. Its materials were not that good for the price asked by Renault. Moreover, in the trunk, two cross-members needed to reinforce the bodywork were in the way and the luggage had to be carefully arranged to fit in.

The Wind was offered in two engine versions, both with gasoline. The most potent offer was named Gordini, in memory of the great engineer that brought many prizes for the French brand in motorsport. It was offered with a 5-speed manual only.