BLACK BEAUTY

ON a Friday evening, after a hard working week, I slipped into a sexy little black number and prepared for a weekend of fun.

I'm not talking about a little black dress, but Renault's latest hot hatch, and with a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine offering 265bhp I knew I was in for a good time.

The car may look handsome, but is it practical? A shopping trip into the city centre tested out these capabilities. It handled beautifully and the rear parking sensors came in handy for tight parking spots.

The Megane's sporty shaping makes it seem as though there would be restricted space at the rear, however this is not the case as the back seats are surprisingly roomy and when I returned to the car laden with shopping bags I discovered a decent-sized boot space.

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The real test came from the weather. After days of storms and flooding I wondered how it would perform on a little jaunt along the A38 and back across Dartmoor via Widecombe and Postbridge.

With the windscreen wipers set to automatic to deal with the varying degrees of rain I set off. As expected, with a maximum speed of 158mph and acceleration of 0-62mph in six seconds, the Megane took the A38 in its stride. With so much water on the road I was more interested in the safety features than the speed.

As well as the usual front and rear airbags there are front lateral airbags, plus ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) and brake assist. The car also has front wheel drive.

Some of the small Dartmoor lanes had not fared so well in the weather and I found myself dodging tree debris, driving through patches of gravel and worst of all, slowly inching my way through waterlogged roads.

I felt safely cocooned within the car with its comfy leather heated seats, leather steering wheel and dual zone climate control while listening to the radio, which also has Bluetooth connectivity.

My ease started to slip a little when I reached the fourth flooded lane where I could see no end to the water as it snaked around a bend, however the car never faltered and carried me safely onto higher ground.

The roads were empty and the storm debris had created an end of the world look on the moors and I knew that if I'd run into Max Mad in his police Interceptor I would have been confident of giving him a run for his money.

A couple of nice touches I liked were the red seat belt which matched the car's trim and also the sound of the engine, which is a lovely throaty growl.

Being both sporty and practical is a winning combination for me.

Prices for the Renaultsport 265 start at £26,040 and there are options to add on if you wish. These include choices for upholstery, alloy wheels, paint options and a Renaultsport Red design pack.

■ Local dealer: Vospers, Marsh Mills Motor Park