Renault Laguna Roadster, the 1990s convertible from the future

Light, technological, and roofless. In the early 1990s, this is how Renault imagined the dream sports car, as demonstrated by the Laguna Roadster. Presented at the 1990 Paris Motor Show, this concept, inspired by the speedsters of the 1950s and 1960s and iconic sports cars such as the first Alpine A110, displayed an avant-garde design and many surprising solutions to create maximum driving involvement.

The roadster of tomorrow

With a low and sinuous 4.11-metre-long silhouette, the Renault Laguna Roadster looks like something out of the future, at least by 1990s styling standards. The blue bodywork, embellished with grey details, conveys a sense of dynamism and fluidity, while the electronically controlled butterfly-wing opening doors combine technology and a nod to exotic supercars.

But the real unique feature of this Renault is the Cruising Stereo. This is a special helmet equipped with a visor and headphones that protects the eyes (given the absence of a windscreen) and enhances sound involvement thanks to a specially developed Philips sound system.

Cars you've probably forgotten:

The Fiat barchetta coupé you've never seen

Citroën designed a car in the shape of a pyramid in the 1980s

Everything you need to have fun

Under the bonnet, this Renault hides a 2.0-litre engine, derived from the Renault 21 Turbo but upgraded to deliver 210 bhp.

---

---

The four-cylinder mill guarantees a top speed of over 155 mph and acceleration from 0 to 62 mph in just six seconds. Impressive values in relation to the power, also achieved thanks to the lightweight body structure made of carbon and Kevlar.

Unfortunately, the Roadster was not followed by a production model (although the Spider produced from 1996 to 1999 shares some of its philosophy), but it would have been interesting to see how these solutions would have been applied to cars of the 1990s.

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motor1.com?

Take our 3 minute survey.

- The Motor1.com Team