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Renault models, news & reviews
4
Handling
Performance
3
Usability
Feelgood factor
Readers' rating
3.5
By Chris Chilton
First Drives
29 August 2008 15:18
Renault has just unleashed the Twingo Renaultsport. It's the £11,500 little brother to the Clio 197, so it's a bargain, but is it any good? A new-to-the-range 1.6-litre engine provides decent grunt, but the base car is boring to drive - let's find out if Renaultsport has worked a miracle.
We’ve criticised the Twingo for looking bland before but it’s really come into its own in Renaultsport guise. A bold and thoroughly modern riposte to the cuteness of the Abarth 500, the hot Twingo’s deep front bumper, side skirts and purposeful stance lend it real impact. You can choose lairy graphics as an option and maybe it’s just the latent boy racer in us, but they actually look great.Inside, the lack of steering wheel reach adjustment disappoints and the A-pillars ruin forward visibility but there are soft but supportive buckets, a pod-mounted rev counter ahead of you and standard air conditioning. And that’s before you start with the options.In fact there are all manner of ways to personalise your Twingo including the amusing ‘Power Pads’ in the footwell which cover the three pedals, displaying the pause, stop and play symbols you get on a DVD player on the clutch, brake and accelerator respectively.
No, there’s not a turbo in sight. Renault is committed to using naturally aspirated engines where possible for its performance cars, believing that the easy power of a turbo engine often doesn’t give the right character. So the hot Twingo uses a tweaked 1.6 with variable valve timing on the inlet cam that revs to 7000rpm and delivers 132bhp at 6750rpm together with 118lb ft of torque at 4400rpm.
Click 'Next' below to read more of our Renault Twingo Renaultsport 133 first drive
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Renault Twingo Renaultsport 133 (2008) CAR review
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Batty says
RE: Renault Twingo Renaultsport 133 (2008) CAR review
Yes I'd buy one over the Mini. But then I think that they are aimed at different markets. The Renault for the younger person (not me), with fun and enthusiasm. The Mini for the fashion tragic (again not me). The Mini is a fine car hidden under a exterior that is so retro it is offensive. I suspect I'm in the minority, but I find the Mini's styling totally, and utterly, unappealing. The Twingo is far better.
01 September 2008 08:12
Archibold says
Only 1049kg! That is one fat little hatchback, compared to a 500 anyhow, definately needs to eat out less and more fresh food, the Twingo starts out dull so it isn't ever really going to be any great shakes though, is it?
30 August 2008 18:31
-Joe- says
Remault once again shwoing us whos king of the 'Stciker Machine'.It is true Resis especially with cars with only a small range of models, exactly like this and the TT. It is true it would sell so much more. but it does look quite good, but he pictures we saw oringinally shown before the car came outshowed an amazing little cra with massive bumbers and wheel hugging arches and slightly difertent lights(it was in your mag the other year). This one look so much more sportier than this. The lights need to taper nearer the lower grilles like on the new Vectra concept
30 August 2008 08:50
JohnnyBimmer says
This Twingo looks a hoot to drive so I hope Hertz have it as a hire car option sometime
29 August 2008 19:19
resis says
Surely if they made ALL Twingos look like this they'd sell more and make more money? I've never understood the logic of releasing a boggo standard model that looks crap and makes the owners feel like second class citizens, then only selling the good looking model to those in the minority that can afford it! Yes the reply will be "so they can sell options for vast profit" but look at the Mini - I personally hate them but most love it's standard look, and people still customize it - it sells by the hundreds of thousands! Then the TT - the basic model looks just as gorgeous as the top end one, it basically just varies in interior options/wheels and power outputs. Again, a big seller!
29 August 2008 17:24
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