Hot Renault Twingo

Twingo’s hot stuff

Is this the Twingo that will get Renault back on track?

Auto Express Car Reviews

Black masking can’t hide Renaultsport city car’s wide wheelarches

Text: Chris Thorp / Photos: Automedia

03rd January 2008

After the standard city car failed to match class-leading opponents when it arrived here last year, its reputation hangs in the balance – but this model could give it a boost.

These are the first spy shots of the Renaultsport hot hatch version. Boasting wild wheelarches and a bodykit, it looks every inch the Ford Sportka rival we have all been hoping for.

The range-topping Twingo is set to go on sale in the UK in the summer, and will be an affordable understudy for the brand’s hardcore Clio 197. So buyers can expect a highly tuned chassis with the emphasis on handling agility rather than comfort.

Power will come from the same 1.2-litre turbocharged engine as in the existing Twingo GT, although it will benefit from a mechanical makeover to improve performance. An output of around 120bhp should enable the front-wheel-drive three-door to keep pace with the likes of Suzuki’s Swift. A 0-60mph sprint time of around 8.5 seconds is anticipated.

Part of the smallest Renaultsport model’s appeal is certain to be its low running costs. Bills for both insurance and fuel will be far more accessible for young drivers than they are with the 2.0-litre-engined Clio 197.

Expect to see the hot new city car unveiled in the metal at the Geneva Motor Show in March. When it hits UK dealers in the summer, it’s likely to be priced at around £12,500.