Paris show: Megane hatches a slew of small cars

ONE of the Paris motor show's biggest reveals was that of Megane II, the second generation version of the largest French car-maker's second biggest selling model.

The first car to sprout from Renault's new small-medium platform, Megane II was revealed in both five-door Hatch and three-door Sport Hatch guise at Paris, but is not expected on sale in Australia for another 12 months.

Expect both three and five-door versions of the distinctive new compact French hatch to appear simultaneously around 2003 Sydney motor show time.

Megane will be available in Australia with both a 85kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder and the Laguna's 2.0-litre engine producing around 100kW.

Both engines will be offered with the choice of a five-speed manual gearbox or a new sequential-shiftable four-speed Proactive automatic transmission that's yet to appear in France.

Pricing for the Peugeot 307, Holden Astra and VW Golf rival is expected to range between $26,000 and $32,000.

The Megane II is the product of a 500 million Euro investment in Renault's fully revised Douai plant in northern France, which has been refurbished to higher Nissan-monitored standards.

The new Megane is also expected to better the original's class-leading safety rating by scoring a five-star European crash test rating.

The new car was developed in 29 months compared to the original's 42- month gestation period.

Megane II features the Renault Card ignition system as already seen in Australia in the Laguna range.

It also uses 100 per cent double-sided galvanised panels.

Megane II's new C-segment platform will be shared by Nissan's next generation Pulsar, but the Megane II name will also feature on at least five other variants based on the same underpinnings.

These will include a second generation Scenic II monospace - to be built in both five and seven-seat guise but not destined for our shores until at least 2004 - a convertible, sedan, wagon and coupe - all of which are on Renault Australia's wish list.

Renault also used its home-turf Paris motor show to reveal a Renault Sport Clio V6 based on the new Clio and the Clio-based Ellypse mono-space concept. Intended as little sister to Scenic, the Ellypse - if volume produced - is unlikely to be made available Down Under, while the V6 Clio is a definite non-starter.

One new Renault that will go on sale in Australia is the French brand's fourth generation large people-mover, the Espace IV. But do not expect to see it before 2004, partly because of the sheer volume of new models to be rolled out by Renault Oz next year, including the Trafic mid-sized commercial (early second quarter), Vel Satis luxury hatch (mid-year) and Megane range (October).