GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Renault releases Megane wagon’s silhouette

Renault has announced it will launch a new wagon version of its Megane hatch on Monday February 22, ahead of its public debut at the Geneva motor show.

For now, the French car-maker has released a single shadowy image of the car, to be called the Megane Sport Tourer.

With a rakish rear C-pillar, the new wagon clearly trades some style for practicality but should still offer significantly more load-lugging ability than the five-door hatch.

Longer, lower, wider and slightly lighter than the wagon it replaces, the Sport Tourer should share the same wheelbase as the hatch.

Built on the latest Renault-Nissan CMF (Common Module Family) architecture -- which also underpins the Nissan X-TRAIL and QASHQAI and the Renault Espace, Talisman and Kadjar (none of which are slated for Australia) -- the Megane wagon will be offered only in front-wheel drive format.

Suspension -- including a pseudo-MacPherson strut front-end and torsion beam rear axle -- is passive on all models, but the GT version gets a sports tune and larger brakes.

It’s not known if the GT hatchback’s agility-boosting 4Control four-wheel steering has been engineered for the wagon body.

Highlights of the Sport Tourer’s cabin will be the portrait-mounted R-Link 2 8.7-inch touch-screen that comes on more well-equipped models.

The same system also allows the driver to switch driving modes from eco, comfort, neutral, sport and perso (individual) settings for the engine, gearbox and steering.

Under the bonnet the wagon is likely to share the hatch range of engines with the carry-over 97kW/205Nm 1.2-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder available with either six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch transmission; an 81kW/250Nm 1.5-litre turbo-diesel that is also carry-over, but swaps its previous manual for a six-speed DCT, and the GT’s 151kW/280Nm 1.6-litre turbo-petrol combined with a seven-speed DCT.

A diesel-electric hybrid is set to arrive sometime next year.

It’s not been confirmed if the new Sport Tourer derivative will be imported Down Under, but the Megane is traditionally one of Renault’s biggest sellers here.

With the three-door hatch and coupe-convertible version of the Megane already culled, Renault Australia has already publicly announced that it is keen to add to its line-up to grow sales and has said it is keen to import the Megane-based sedan that will replace the Fluence.

If that’s the case the wagon and sedan could be on sale in Australia as soon as early 2017.

The Megane hatchback, meanwhile, goes on sale here in September.

Renault Australia sold 11,500 vehicles in 2015, representing a record for the French brand since its return to Australia in 2001. Out of those cars sold, the Megane accounted for more than 2000 sales.