RENAULT is planning a series of roadshows throughout the summer to promote its new Megane to UK fleets.

It expects company car drivers to account for about half of all Megane II sales and during its first full year hopes to sell a total of 35,000 units.

This will equal the record annual sales figure achieved by the current range. At least 25% of those sales are expected to be for diesel models.

Megane II goes on sale in the UK in October and Renault will announce prices and specifications on August 1, although it is likely to base prices on the Ford Focus.

The manufacturer unveiled the first two versions of the new Megane II line, the three and five-door sport hatch, at an international launch in France. The range will offer seven new body styles by 2004, including a convertible.

At launch, Renault will offer three petrol engines – a 1.4 16v 95bhp, 1.6 16v VVT 115bhp and 2.0 1.6 VVT 136bhp, and two diesel engines – 1.5 dCi 80bhp, which has carbon dioxide emissions of 120g/km, and 1.9 dCi 120bhp.

The cars will be built on the new C platform, which will also be used for the new Nissan Almera following the two manufacturers' alliance, and will account for 25%, about 1.8 million vehicles, of all alliance production by 2006.

Renault has already shown a pre-production version to about 50 fleet customers and brand manager Phil York told Fleet News the reaction so far was positive.