As the clouds gather, it’s time to try out that famous roof.
Intriguingly, despite its Germanic underpinnings and the obvious styling cues of contemporary Mercedes-Benz models, the party-piece roof has nothing to do with that of the R170 SLK, also launched in 1996.
Instead, the in-house Heuliez design was inspired by the firm’s earlier creations.
The convertible roof has the ability to completely change the character of the car
Like the Raffica II, it is a fully automated system: simply release the manual clips on each side of the windscreen and pull back on the switch.
Smooth as butter, the main section lifts backwards, slotting under the rear windscreen as the entire apparatus folds into the considerable boot.
If you happen to live somewhere such as the south of France you can take the roof off entirely, leaving a permanent convertible with a huge amount of luggage space.
The slickness of the convertible roof bagged Heuliez a contract to help build the folding hardtops for Peugeot 206CCs
It is probably enough for four people, if you were able to shoehorn a couple of passengers in the back – a task that would likely involve a pry bar and a tub of goose fat.
For rainy Blighty you’re best keeping your options open.
When you do lower the roof, it changes the character of the car entirely.
At a stroke you’re able to let the world in, and while it clearly reduces the structural rigidity, with a noticeable amount of extra wobble, the trade-off is worth it.
The design at the front carries more than a hint of mid-1990s Daewoo
You’re unlikely to throw the car around anyway, and with the roof down it becomes even more tempting to settle into a relaxed cruise.
For all its quirks, the Intruder is undeniably modern, and could probably pass itself off as a current model without too much trouble – all the more remarkable when you consider that at the point it was rolling out of the Heuliez skunkworks, a hapless Gareth Southgate was bungling the penalty that sent England crashing out of the Euros.
Just as Southgate went on to become the most unlikely of style icons, the Intruder has grown into its skin.
In hindsight, the Heuliez Intruder can be appreciated as something of a trailblazer
As the years have passed it has become increasingly clear not only that the design was far ahead of its time, but that it would serve real purpose.
The groundbreaking folding roof paved the way for a commission from Peugeot as the French giant breathed life into its 20Coeur concept, with the Cerizay operation partially producing 369,000 206CCs from 2000 onwards.
What was once derided as an unholy union between a sports car and an off-roader can now, with the benefit of hindsight, be seen as something of a trailblazer, preceding the Range Rover Evoque drop-top by some two decades.
I know which one I’d rather be seen in…
Images: John Bradshaw
Thanks to: DK Engineering
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Greg MacLeman
Greg MacLeman is a contributor to and former Features Editor of Classic & Sports Car, and drives a restored and uprated 1974 Triumph 2500TC