Category: Convertibles 
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Arguably the best looking of the hardtop/convertible brigade, the Megane Coupe-Cabriolet really does offer a two-in-one car for our changeable weather. And the diesel version makes a great company car choice
Creating one of these means adding lots of extra weight and sacrificing some body stiffness - this is the least fun Megane to drive
Approach it as a cabriolet that can turn itself into a snug and refined coupe at the touch of a button, and the handsome Megane is about as good as it gets. Approach it as a sportscar and you'll wish you'd gone for a Mazda MX-5.
The Megane Coupe-Cabriolet is one of a growing line of solid-topped convertibles. It's also the latest in Renault's burgeoning range of Megane spin-offs, which now includes three and five-door hatchbacks, a saloon, estate and a short-wheelbase MPV; a long-wheelbase people-carrier will follow in 2004.
The Megane family look is evident here, but the Coupe-Cabriolet is the most individual of the Renault clan. In fact, just the bonnet, front grille and headlamps are carried over from its hatch siblings. Otherwise, all of the panels are new, even the front wings - Renault has gone to great lengths to give the Coupe-Cabriolet a sleeker, more 'grown up' look than pudgy competitors such as the Peugeot 206 and 307 CC.
No question, the Megane is the best of a compromised bunch - designing a gorgeous coupe-cabriolet is always going to be easier if you first don't have to figure out how to fold a solid roof into the boot. That's why there tends to be something slightly odd about the styling on this latest crop of hardtop convertibles, especially around the back end. So while the Megane Coupe-Cabriolet looks quite elegant from the front or rear 3/4 view, it looks a bit dumpy side-on. That's partly because of the bottom-heavy boot and the pronounced overhangs front and rear; even though the Megane Coupe-Cabriolet has a shorter wheelbase than its hatch siblings, it's actually longer overall.
But the really special bit about this Megane is that glass folding roof. It takes just one push of a button and 22 seconds to raise or lower the roof, which scissors neatly into the boot. When folded down, the rear of deck of the car is covered with a smooth boot cover, giving a clean and uncluttered look. When the roof is up, light floods into the cabin through the glass, which has been designed to filter out infra-red rays and absorb most of the sun's energy.
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