Geneva Motor Show 2004 - Renault

Star of the Renault stand was the new Modus supermini. Although it’s officially billed as a concept car, insiders say it represents 95% of a production car that will go on sale this October after its world debut at the Birmingham Motor Show in May.

The company says it will compete with cars such as the Honda Jazz, Ford Fiesta and Toyota Yaris. As a result, when the Modus goes on sale, the range of five-door Clios will be reduced.

At 3792mm long, the Modus is slightly longer than the current Clio, and will sit above it in the Renault line-up. It should have the same engines as the Clio, apart from the entry-level petrol and diesel units, and prices will start below £10,000.

Inside, the car has an airy cabin thanks to its glass roof, while the centrally mounted instruments allow for a second glovebox ahead of the driver. The car is a five-seater, but the rear bench can be converted from a three- to a two-seater by folding away the centre section. In addition, a conventional 60/40 split allows the boot space to be extended, while the split-opening tailgate has separate upper and lower sections.

Renault also took the wraps off its Wind concept, which is a soft-top roadster to rival cars such as the Lotus Elise and Vauxhall VX220. It is powered by a 136bhp 2.0-litre engine and, thanks to its low weight of just 850kg, it reaches 62mph in 8.5sec. The Quickshift six-speed manual gearbox has an automatic clutch and is controlled by paddles on the steering wheel.

Wind is billed as a 2+1 – owners can form a saddle-like rear seat by unhooking a carbonfibre section that links the front seat backs. The front seats are fixed, while the steering wheel and pedal assemblies are adjustable, folding away automatically when the door is opened for easier access.

The controls feature an aluminium finish and Renault says they put the emphasis on ergonomics, simplicity and clarity. A circular, centrally mounted control panel provides access to each set of functions for the stereo, sat-nav and so on by means of a button in the middle of the circle, with a display screen at the top of the dash.

In the driver’s door, a push-button cylinder incorporating the air-conditioning controls swings out to display the temperature in the cabin.

Renault says the car could be made by Renaultsport, which currently produces the high performance versions of the Clio and Megane, but whose first road car project was the Spider two-seater race car which was made into a road car.

For now, the Wind is very much a concept, and Renault says we can expect to see more roadster concepts in the future. The company says it wants to enter the roadster market but is weighing up its options and could produce anything from a back-to-basics Lotus Elise rival up to a more luxurious competitor for the Porsche Boxster.