The New Megane Sport Saloon And Sport Tourer

The New Mégane Sport Tourer and Sport Saloon represent a departure from the conventional and often utilitarian character of the established models in the estate car and saloon markets. The strength of their personality reflects a consistent styling philosophy applied since work began on the design of the Hatch and Sport Hatch. The clean-cut lines, the precision of panel fit and the marked curvature of the bodies are signs of the perceived quality and strength expressed by these versions. The carefully detailed and distinctive treatment of their back ends creates a balance and a harmony in contrast with the "afterthought tail section" of the estate car and saloon versions of some competitors.

The New Mégane Sport Tourer exhibits a clear family link with the Laguna Sport Tourer, from which it inherits a "touring" aspect. With its taut lines, the slender design of its vertical rear lamp clusters, 17-inch wheels and roof rails, the car has a strongly dynamic appearance.

The New Mégane Sport Saloon presents a modern and distinctive interpretation of the saloon body shape. Its height, its cohesive and fluid style and its appearance of roominess give the model the appeal of a car from a higher market segment. Inside, both offer the same quality of finish and "Touch Design" treatment of the controls already found in the New Mégane Hatch and Sport Hatch versions.

With the simultaneous presentation of the New Mégane Sport Saloon and Sport Tourer Renault seeks to improve on the performance achieved by the models of the preceding generation, the Mégane Classic and Mégane Estate, launched in October 1996 and May 1999 (but not sold in the UK), respectively. By the end of 2002, over 650,000 units of these two models had been built in the different factories of the group. The new models will make a full contribution to Renault’s objectives of international development by achieving more than a third of their sales outside Western Europe.

These models will allow Renault to broaden its customer base, notably appealing to image-conscious user-chooser company car drivers in the case of the Sport Tourer and drivers from both retail and fleet sectors who wish to downsize from their current M2 class saloon without relinquishing any of their luxuries.