Fun, Funky And Flexible

The Age

Saturday November 22, 2008

Steve Colquhoun

BRAZILIANS and Australians are said to share the same laid-back attitude and love of the sun, beach and outdoors. So it was interesting to see what sort of concept cars popped up at the recent motor show in Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city.

One that caught our eye was the Renault Sand'up Concept, a fun, funky and flexible 2+2 coupe that, according to its makers, transforms "from coupe to cabriolet to pick-up on the whim of its passengers".

The Sand'up is based on the Renault Sandero Stepway, a jacked-up soft-roader version of the Renault Sandero sedan sold in Brazil. The Sand'up, like the Stepway, is about the same size as a Nissan Dualis and described as an "urban sport" vehicle that has been influenced by "sport chic", an important trend in Brazil.

The theory goes that the purchase of a pick-up vehicle, or ute in Aussie-speak, is an emotional rather than rational decision for the Brazilians, who want to buy vehicles that express a sporty, urban and young attitude.

The key to the Sand'up is the two distinctive aluminium roof rails that stretch from the front of the roof to the tail lights. Unadorned and with the rear bench seat folded down, the Sand'up becomes a pick-up, albeit one with only 170 cm of space - enough for a couple of surfboards or a bike, although we're less sure about Renault's claim that a jet ski will also fit.

Folding up the rear seat results in a true 2+2 convertible experience - read: tiny back seat suited to short trips only - or fit the hardtop to the anchor points on the roof rails to create a distinctive and weather-proof coupe.

And, like any good concept, there are the futuristic and fanciful touches we can only hope to see carry forth to future production models. There are the two small cameras that replace rear-vision mirrors and the electro-hydraulically operated, gullwing-style tinted glass doors. And, of course, the 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine can run on petrol or biofuel.

Reflective grey paintwork underlines its sophisticated and robust nature, says Renault, while an array of red inserts accentuates the Sand'up's sporty side.

-- STEVE COLQUHOUN

© 2008 The Age

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