Autoblog

Click above to view high-res gallery of the Renault Megane Concept

Renault is known for doing hatchbacks, and it does them well, but that's about it. Seeking to increase its market share, Renault's range is rapidly expanding to include a more diversified line-up. Unveiled alongside the new Laguna GT and the Koleos crossover – both also divergent models from the company's small hatch mainstream – the Megane Coupe Concept aims to show the way forward for Renault.

Although what you see here is not what will hit the road when the new Megane arrives, Renault insists that its "dynamic voluptuousness" is a direct indicator of the more fluid form its upcoming Golf-fighter will take. While everyone else was scrambling to come up with new ways to reinvent the wheel internal combustion engine, Renault's new concept is powered by a regular old 2-liter turbocharged four with 200 horsepower, which frankly doesn't seem that impressive considering that the Clio Renaultsport's naturally-aspirated 2.0 produces just three negligible horsepower less. Fine, so notwithstanding its F1 cars, big impressive engines aren't Renault's thing. Meanwhile, the big gullwing doors are the most obvious element to get axed along the next Megane's road to production, but if the road car bears even a passing resemblance to what could easily be labeled as Renault's most engaging show car in years, European customers will have reason to celebrate and we'll have one more entry on our list of cars we wish we could get Stateside.

Right up until its unveiling, Renault was highly secretive on the Megane Coupe Concept, revealing only that there would be a fourth model premiering in Geneva alongside the Koleos and Laguna GT. Now that the veil has been lifted, however, we've garnered all the details in the press release after the jump and Renault's images, which join our own in the gallery below. Check 'em out to learn more about Renault's vision for the future of the automobile.

Gallery: Renault Megane Coupe Concept

Click above for high-res of the Renault Megane Coupe concept.

Koleos, Laguna GT and Twingo RS. Those are three of the four new models which Renault was anticipated to unveil at this year's Geneva show, but right up until the end of the press conference, a big question mark hung over the identity of the fourth. The wraps have been taken off and the veils have been lifted, revealing the Megane Coupe concept.

The existing Megane – along with its distinguished curved rear window – is on its way out, and Renault is assuredly working hard at a new design that will capture buyers' attention in an increasingly crowded market. But while the concept is likely a very far ways away from what the production version will end up looking like, it did grab its share of attention. See for yourself in our high-resolution image gallery below.

Gallery: Renault Megane Coupe Concept

Wildfire rumors that Renault is preparing to launch an unspecified "desirable" concept car at the upcoming Geneva show, alongside the new Koleos crossover, have had fuel added. Patrick Pelata, the French automaker's product planning exec-veep, confirmed that Renault is working on a new sportscar. "Think Mazda MX-5 or even Smart Roadster and you are on the right lines", said Pelata in a recent interview.

If previous reports hold their water, the small roadster will have more content than the previous bare-bones Renault Sport Spider, and could feature a mid-mounted turbocharged engine driving the rear wheels. Reviving the Alpine name, the new model is also expected to be just the first of a new line-up of sportscars that would capitalize on Renault's success in Formula One. Meanwhile marketing chief Stephen Norman revealed that the company is also working on a new flagship sedan positioned above the new Laguna set to target fellow French rivals from PSA Peugeot-Citroen. With just two weeks to go, we'll just have to sit tight and see what Renault has in store for us this year in Switzerland.

[Source: AM Online - free subscription required]