For my own reference
Renault's latest Megane Coupe-Cabriolet features a fully automatic glass roof that tucks neatly into its ample rear. SAMUEL EE has the details
THE folding metal roof may have been around for decades, but it was the recent success of one convertible with such a mechanism that encouraged other car makers to adopt it.
In 1996, the Mercedes-Benz SLK roadster showed that the retractable hardtop could be efficiently packaged and relatively inexpensive.
Since then, a rash of models have embraced the rigid folding roof with amazing dynamic and stylish results, the latest being the enticing Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet.
The double-barrell nomenclature is intended to emphasise the fact that a convertible with a rigid roof not only looks like a coupe when the top is up, but can drive like one if properly designed.
Unlike the previous Megane soft top, the new Megane roof is more practical because it is less prone to tearing than a fabric hood. It is also more stylish because Renault has turned it into a panoramic glass roof.
Unlike some rag tops which feel dark and cramped when the hood is up, the Megane's interior is bright and airy. Renault's assurance is that the 3.15 mm thick Venus 40 glass provides thermal protection from ultra violet rays, glare and heat. But for those who want extra protection, there's a retractable sun-blind.
The folding glass roof is fully automatic and the one-touch operation opens or closes it in 22 seconds, or less than the time it usually takes the traffic lights to turn green.
Another unusual feature is the large boot. There's a class-leading 490 litres of space when the roof is up, or as one Renault staff quipped, more than enough room for two golf bags and a large suitcase for that road trip to Kuantan. After all, you can always put the roof down after you've checked in and unloaded the luggage, he says.
But if you do go to Kuantan, you'll find that although there are four full-size seats, rear legroom can be a problem if the front occupant is six feet or taller.
Also, you'll discover that the Megane is more of a cruiser than a sports car. The two-litre engine with variable valve timing is admirably brisk but it can only be called adequate, not scintillating. Saddled with the added weight of a reinforced convertible body, manual shifting of the four-speed Proactive automatic transmission is recommended.
The Megane's handling, however, is much better. It helps that the convertible's wheelbase is slightly shorter than the sedan's. The result is that typically excellent French balance between dynamic handling and a comfortable ride, although the Renault is rather firmly sprung for a convertible.
Partly because of this, some body flex is discernible on rough roads when the roof is down. This improves considerably when the roof is up. The car then feels more like a fixed top without the rattling that major bumps can cause.
On long drives, the Megane's rigidity also doesn't tire you out as much as some soft top convertibles do. Another advantage of the hardtop is the cabin's better sound insulation.
Like all other Renaults, the Megane comes with a multi-level trip metre, automatic climate control air-conditioning, multi-function steering wheel and keyless ignition as standard.
But unlike the Megane hatchback and sedan, the coupe-convertible's centre console doesn't seem as classy, even though it may have the same modern design and a material that feels nicer to touch.
The only possible explanation seems to be that the additional light flooding the cabin through the Megane's glass roof must have a strange and not so enchanting effect.
