"I like to think it was sex appeal - just a pity it was the car's and not mine. It was at a red traffic light outside a high school when I was approached by a gaggle of giggling schoolgirls who implored 'please just let us touch it'.
"I nonchalantly nodded and they stroked it while one exuberant girl leaned over and hugged the bonnet of the topless Renault Megane Coupé-Cabriolet."
I wrote those words at the beginning of 2005 when I was doing a road review on a previous generation Renault Megane CC. Sad to say, there were no hugs being dished out this time around while I was driving its faster sibling, the two-litre turbocharged petrol version.
This worried me initially as it could mean either A) my sex appeal was on the wane; or B) people had by now become so accustomed to the sight of the Megane CC that it no longer turned heads.
But then on a balmy Highveld evening I finally dropped the top, went for a drive and Voila! heads were turning again. The Megane CC is good-looking with the roof up but is designed to look its best with the top down.
For readers unfamiliar with the CC acronym, it stands for Coupé-Cabriolet, which offers the combined attractions of a sleek hardtop coupé and an exhilarating wind-in-the-hair cabriolet.
The transition from coupé to cabriolet needs only the press of a button; an electro-hydraulic mechanism then folds the glass roof into the boot in 22 seconds. And yes, we did time it, and 22 seconds it is.
The glass roof's only drawback is that it is shielded by a fish-net stocking-like device that's not very effective at keeping the sun out.
This may be fine for European climes, but it's no fun sitting stuck for two hours in rush-hour traffic under the Highveld sun with the rays beating down on your head while the air conditioning blows cold air at your other regions.
The turbocharged engine - the same as that in the Megane 2.0 GT five-door hatchback - is smooth and slick, with minimal turbolag. is probably the best way to describe the turbocharged engine, which is the same engine used to power the Megane 2.0 GT five-door hatchback.
The Megane CC is satisfyingly brisk with 120kW on tap at 5000rpm and maximum torque of 270Nm but while it has some bite there is little bark to provide an accompanying soundtrack.
It nevertheless provides a satisfying ride when pushed along briskly on winding roads, showing little sign of over or understeer and soaking up undulations and ripples with ease.
The coupé-cabriolet's top speed is quoted as 220km/h with a 0-100km/h sprint time of 8.7sec, quick enough considering that the Megane CC is really best enjoyed at moderately high speeds on winding roads through stunning scenery with the top down.
Classy ambience:
The cabin has a classy ambience although the colours are muted with grey leather seats and black soft-touch plastic fascia. The cruise control is mounted on the steering wheel, while satellite controls for the audio system are mounted on a stalk behind it.
As with other Renaults, a credit-card size key is inserted into a slot and the engine fired up at the press of a button.
There are electric windows and mirrors and a host of nice-to have gadgets in the cabin. The front seats can be adjusted for height as well as lumbar support and, together with the height and reach adjustable steering wheel, ensure that most people can find a comfortable position.
Head and legroom in front is ample, but rear-seat legroom is severely limited - the peanut gallery is definitely more suited to children.
The CC swallows a surprising amount of luggage - 490 litres with the roof up and 190 with it down. There's also a full size spare wheel in the boot which will please those who hate travelling at 80km/h on a space-saver spare.
The Megane CC comes with a R299 500 price tag, 15 000km service intervals, a five-year or 150 000km warranty and a five-year or 60 000km maintenance plan. - Star Motoring