Renault Twingo

Next Twingo Hits The Road

It's Zoé exciting! In a world exclusive, Auto Express has driven the future of Renault, including the new Twingo. With two new small cars and a host of hatchbacks, saloons and 4x4s due in the coming years, Renault's designers have been working flat out to prepare a range of cars every bit as dramatic as the current line-up.

Auto Express Car Reviews

By Chris Thorp

29th March 2005

The first to arrive will be the next Twingo - called Zo΃© in concept form - and the Clio, which will be quickly followed by an evolution of the recently facelifted Laguna. The projects are still top secret, but to get a feel for what to expect, Renault invited us behind the wheel of the Zo΃© and Fluence, two fully functional show stars that reveal the design direction the firm is about to take.

While the two-door Fluence hints at a Laguna coup΃©, it's the next-generation Twingo that designers had in mind when penning the Zo΃©, star of the company's stand at the recent Geneva Motor Show. Aimed at providing a cheap alternative to the MINI, Renault has concentrated its efforts on maximising its baby's character to appeal to buyers who want to stand out from the crowd.

With its bulging rear and cuddly curves, it's immediately clear that the Zo΃© is a Renault design. The short nose is punctuated by sharp headlights and detailed air intakes, while the rear features simple round tail lamps.

Inside, the designers have been given even more artistic freedom. Citing the argument that the average supermini driver carries 1.4 people, Renault has fitted the Zo΃© with only three seats. This allows the one rear chair to be mounted further back to maximise legroom, with space beside it for luggage. Great in theory, but bosses admit the unusual layout is unlikely to make production.

Once out on the road, the concept also showcases a brand new powerplant and gearbox combination - and this will go on sale in future. Under the bonnet, the Renault has a new 1.2-litre turbocharged engine developing 98bhp and 145Nm of torque. Power is fed through a five-speed sequential manual gearbox controlled via Citroen SensoDrive-style paddleshifters.

It's obvious the powertrain has a lot of potential. Still at the prototype stage in the Zo΃©, the four-cylinder engine is yet to be fine-tuned to improve noise levels and refinement. But performance is brisk, and there is plenty of torque to give punchy acceleration to go with the unit's low emissions.

The next-generation Twingo will be based on the all-new Clio platform, and promises a sharp driving experience. The Zo΃©'s sporty bespoke chassis already provides accurate handling, and shows engineers' intentions to make the Twingo more entertaining than many rivals.

Prices are yet to be announced, but when the Twingo goes on sale in the UK for the first time in 2007, it will be cheaper than the Clio. That means entry-level models are likely to cost less than ΂£8,000. At that price, the Zo΃© should cause alarm bells to ring at MINI - anyone who loves the cute lines of this concept is bound to fall for the Twingo.

With an upmarket feel and plenty of innovative design touches, the Zo΃© has raised our hopes for the French firm's upcoming new range of superminis.