march-2013

ILLUSTRATION: SAM BREWSTER
M
on the road: Malaga to Antequera
Chris Anderson explores southern Spain in Renault’s latest budget car
alaga has certainly changed in recent years. There seems
to have been an influx of fashionable boutiques and cafés
along streets like Calle Marqués de Larios and on the main
square, Plaza de la Constitución. But the city is probably still best
known as the birthplace of artist Pablo Picasso, and the home of
the glorious Museo Picasso Malaga.
Thanks to his fierce opposition to Franco, Picasso spent much of his
life in France, home to the car manufacturer responsible for our drive
here in southern Spain. We plan to drive out of Malaga up into the hilly
region to the north of the city, taking to the countryside in a Dacia
Sandero, the latest offering from Renault’s budget brand. The Dacia
FLY TO malaga daily. brusselsairlines.com
marque originates from Romania, and was purchased by Renault in
1999, originally intended for emerging markets and Eastern Europe.
However, the rest of Europe also saw the appeal, so Renault decided
to offer it further afield – and the Sandero is the result. The Sandero
Stepway is available too: essentially the same car, but with an elevated
ride and roof bars to give it more of an off-roader look. With a starting
price of around €7,000, the Sandero is one of the most affordable cars
in Europe. We’re testing the bells-and-whistles Lauréate version, which
costs extra but gives a level of choice, kitting the car out to suit your
budget. Even if you opt for everything, the price remains competitive
with, say, the price of a Fiesta or Clio.
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