RENAULT'S COOL WIND OF CHANGE

Convertible purists might claim this makes the car more of a targa, like the old Porsche 911 or Toyota MR2 but the fact remains that the conversion from closed to alfresco is quick and easy via a twist grip just above the rear-view mirror and then a button on the lower dashboard.

Better yet it also doesn’t harm the Wind’s practicality either, more of which later.

Renault claims three-quarters of all small drop-top sales are cars with small engines, so the Wind will be offered with a choice of only two petrol engines: a 100bhp 1.2-litre turbo and a 1.6 with 133bhp.

Despite those sporty looks though, neither is especially rapid. The 1.2 manages the 0 to 60mph sprint in 10.5 seconds together with a 118mph top speed, while the 1.6 isn’t much faster at 9.2 seconds and 125mph respectively. But both manage average fuel economies of more than 40mpg.

Those on-paper figures don’t tell the whole story because it’s out on the road where the Wind’s real-world performance is clear.

Ironically at the wheel, it’s the less-powerful 1.2 that’s by far the better engine, feeling smoother and more suited to the car and also more eager to rev thanks to the extra help of that turbo.

By comparison the 1.6 has to be worked hard for every one of those extra 33 horses under your right foot and together with some overly-tall gearing, you can often find yourself stuck between gears with the engine screaming for mercy or bogged down in the next cog up.

This is because despite having more horsepower, both engines have virtually the same levels of grunt. A six-speed gearbox would solve part of this issue but Renault offers both engines only with a five-speed.

T hat’s a shame because the Wind feels so close to being a great car, it almost hurts. The steering is accurate and sharp enough but can feel overly heavy for such a small car and the handling is suitably predictable when you’re pressing on.

The 1,100kg kerb weight isn’t exactly light but it’s not that much heavier than the competition.

Given some of the superb cars coming from the Renaultsport stable and also the fact that the Wind feels like it’s crying out for extra power to take advantage of that sweet handling it’s a mystery why Renault wouldn’t offer more performance.

Indeed that’s the overriding thought during any drive with the Wind. You feel that there’s a future classic here in the making, not entirely unlike the original Honda CRX or Mazda MX-5. Yes, the low-speed ride can feel a little jiggly compared to that at higher speeds and there’s a little body shake over bumps from the loss of that roof but none of those minor shortcomings can outweigh the fact that you’ll have a big grin on your face after even the shortest of drives.

Better still there’s also a well-built and smart interior. For a car that’s aimed at such a fun and youthful end of the market it could possibly be a bit more interesting inside design-wise, apart from a translucent coloured plastic cowl over the dials, it can’t rival the trendier Citroën DS3 or Mini.

We’d also like to have had reach adjustment on the steering wheel rather than just height, which can make for a slightly awkward driving position for taller drivers.

On the practicality side though, the Wind scores full points with sizeable door pockets and a huge boot whether the roof is up or down.

With a starting price of £15,500, the Wind is very competitively priced, especially so when you consider the long list of standard equipment which includes alloy wheels, air-conditioning and electric windows together with that electric roof.

However the baby Renault’s most crucial piece of equipment can’t be found on the spec sheet: it’s the feeling you get behind the wheel during even the shortest of drives.

The Wind isn’t perfect but above all else it’s fun and at this price it offers unbeatable smiles per mile, something that’s too often lacking at modern accountant-run car manufacturers.

If we drive a better value drop-top this year we’ll eat our hats. All you need to do is ignore that name.