Renault and Rip Curl and teamed up to release a new car - the Rip Curl Clio. How’s this for a spiel on the car - “Open the door of the Rip Curl Clio and enter a world of fun and freedom. Renowned surf and snowboard specialist Rip Curl has added its trademark styling to the Clio’s attractive, dynamic lines and the Rip Curl Clio features special Iceberg Blue paintwork and, optionally, 16-inch alloy wheels.” Does it make you want to go out and buy it?

And what exactly have Rip Curl brought to the table as far as making it the ideal car for surfing?

Well I read right through the press release, and they seem quite proud of this feature as it’s mentioned a couple of times - “The Rip Curl Clio features equipment that is 100 per cent designed for beach or piste: the special rubber flooring and rigid boot box are impervious to sand or snow.”

That’s it. Yep, I’m not kidding.

They seem to have forgotten the bleeding obvious - roof racks?!? What a novel idea.

Well I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t exactly call this my ultimate surf car. You would think if a multinational company such as Rip Curl decided to give their brand name to a car they would do with a car that would actually appeal to surfers? Maybe the Subaru Outback, hell any Renault stationwagon would do. But maybe it’s not about surfing (or the Snow) anymore - seems as though it’s all about big business branding…