It’s a blustery morning, and Francois Umberto Colussi is drinking coffee as he watches dog walkers stroll along the sun streamed Dollymount Strand. As the co-owner of Pure Magic watersports school, he usually spends his days amidst the fizz of the waves rather than admiring them from shore. Lately, he says, he’s been happily seeking out small moments of calm in his otherwise action-packed life.
“Can you believe how quiet it is?” he asks, “I could get used to this.” Francois is chatting from the driver seat of the all-new Renault Megane E-Tech electric, a fully electric crossover hatchback, a very different kind of hot seat to the one he’s he’s usually found in.
As a kitesurfing fanatic, Francois is eternally chasing the next high. “My objective is to spend as much time on the water as possible,” he shares. “The adrenaline rush, the sense of escaping reality, and experiencing Dublin from a completely unique perspective it’s the ultimate freedom.”
For those unfamiliar with the sport, kitesurfing involves using a giant kite to harness the power of the wind, pulling the rider across the water, at speed, on a board. It requires balance, hand-eye coordination, and a fair degree of bravery to face the elements head-on.
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“It’s exhilarating because the wind is an element we can’t see or touch,” Francois explains, “Yet suddenly you feel its power with your whole body. I fell in love with windsurfing when I was very young, growing up in Aniane, France,” Francois shares. “It was many years later that I discovered kitesurfing, but I immediately caught the bug and trained to be an instructor.”
Despite Francois’ adoration for the sport, he had never considered a career in it. “I trained as an engineer,” he explains, “I had spent time in Ireland on Erasmus as a student and loved it. I returned looking for work once I graduated in the early 2000s, but I wasn’t having much luck. I must have had good karma because I decided to give some kitesurfing lessons to make money, and that was the end of engineering!”
With a little seed investment from his brother, Francois and his business partner Catherine Etienne founded Pure Magic, a kitesurfing school and shop on Clontarf Road, overlooking Dublin’s north shore. Fast forward twenty years, and Francois and his team have coached thousands in their Clontarf and Achill Island schools which offer kitesurfing, paddleboarding and, most recently, wing foiling lessons.
“Foiling is pretty new,” Francois says. “You’re not touching the water but instead hovering just above it. It’s about following the swell of the ocean and chasing that perfect glide. The first time I tried this car, I thought, this feels just like wing foiling. I couldn’t believe how smooth, silent, and comfortable it was.”
The Renault Megane E-Tech electric is built for comfort, safety, reliability, and style. From its sculpted, sporty silhouette to its 26 driver-assistance and safety systems and automatic battery and motor temperature regulation, the new Renault offers a superior driving range and spaciousness.
“For me, a car has always been about function. I need to fit a ton of gear into a vehicle, and it also needs to be comfortable for my kids, who I collect from school each day,” Francois says.
Luckily, the Renault Megane E-Tech electric features an entirely flat floor which means even more room for wet suits, boards and schoolbags. “Once I loaded all the gear in and saw how spacious it was, I was impressed.”
The first time I tried this car. I couldn’t believe how smooth, silent, and comfortable it was
As for the driver experience, “I didn’t expect to enjoy the drive as much as I did,” Francois admits. “Everything you need is at the touch of a button, which makes the user experience really easy and stress-free. Of course, as a nature lover, an electric car is very appealing.”
The vehicle has some really smart features too, like having Google built-in, which allows you to access your music, phone and navigation without ever having to plug in. It even offers voice command for car functions like turning on the heated seats when you get back into the car after freezing in the sea.
The car is also a thrill to drive thanks to its 220 horsepower, very direct steering and its lightness of being for much of the body is fabricated from aluminum.
Most surprising of all has been the benefit of a near-silent engine, something parents who ferry kids to and from school will really appreciate. “My little one is only three, and his voice is so quiet,” Francois explains. “Usually, the car’s engine is too loud for me to hear him. In the Renault, the journey is now so peaceful that I can have a conversation with him for that hour-long commute we spend together. We suddenly have this quality time that didn’t exist before.”
While the summer will be Pure Magic’s busiest season, from kids’ summer camps to corporate group sessions, plenty of wannabe adrenaline junkies are taking to the waves in the off-season. “We welcome everyone from eight-year-olds learning about water safety to sixty-five-year-olds getting on a paddleboard for the first time,” Francois says. “As long as you can swim and you’re comfortable spending time on the water, it’s for you.”
For Francois, the mental benefits of water sports are as significant as the physical. “Gravity has restricted you your whole life,” Francois says, “Then suddenly, you can defy gravity, break the rules and jump 20-25 meters high. The rush of adrenaline when you begin to fly is freedom beyond everything. It resets your mind because you don’t think of anything else once you’re up there. I believe everyone should experience that.”
As he finishes his coffee, Francois shares his plans to hit the road to Achill, where he’ll check in on Pure Magic’s second school. While the space is closed for the winter season, he likes to visit, catch up with the team and, of course, hit the waves. “The range on this car is 450km, so I can get to the island from here on one charge,” he smiles, “Which means more time for fun.”
“The name for the business came from the fact that kite surfing is pure magic,” Francois says. “It’s a feeling that we want everyone to experience. I used to love the rough and tumble of life, but these days I’m happy to find a little luxury where I can. This car is that bit of calm magic for me.”
The all-new Renault Megane E-Tech electric is available to test drive today in Renault showrooms with prices starting from only €299 per month. For more visit Renault.ie