New Twingo has plenty of street cred
Truth is though that many so-called ‘RR’ — rear engined, rear drive — cars have been lower down the automotive food-chain than such exotica. None of such as the Hillman Imp, a variety of diminutive Fiats, or any number of Skodas, Simcas and NSUs, would have made the blood flow quicker in the same way as the 911 or the Alpine.
But that is not to say that such little cars have not had their day in the sun; the original Fiat 500 is, of course, an automotive legend while the Hillman Imp was even a rally star thanks to pioneers such as Ireland’s Rosemary Smith.
Renault has a bit of history here too, some of its’ Gordini models were rear engined, but latterly ‘RR’ cars are something of a rarity. However, Renault’s latest version of the Twingo micro-mini city car is the first affordable modern day car to come in this configuration. And what a delight it is.
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The original Twingo was first seen in 1993, a chic, modern little car. Sadly it was not engineered for right hand drive, it was a fantastic little car and popular too, with more than two million of them sold across Europe.
The Twingo II was introduced in 2007 and while it continued to give Renault a serious player in the segment, it was never really as cute or cuddly as its’ predecessor. The face-lifted version which arrived in 2011 put it bang in contention with the raft of modern style-led city cars such as the new Fiat 500, the C1/108/Aygo trio from Citroen, Peugeot and Toyota respectively or the Mii/Up!/Citigo triplets from Seat, VW and Skoda, the Ford Ka, the new Opel Adam and the Korean twins, Hyundai i10 and Kia Picanto.
Designed in co-operation with Daimler, the Twingo will share much with the new Smart Forfour. The Twingo has something of a confusing design — it looks like a contemporary stylish compact city car from the outside, but once you’re aboard, the level of interior space suggests something much bigger. Renault’s clever use of the space available to it, allied to its’ choice of colour and materials, all trick you into believing you’re in a much bigger car.
A relatively high driving position and the five door layout give the impression of a mini MPV. The whole thing is really clever — and well appointed too.
Too their credit, Renault has not gone down the road of utilising cheap materials inside to keep costs down. Their stylists have done splendid work in producing a car which looks and feels much greater than the sum of its’ parts.
The décor is modern, fresh and practical too, although rear legroom is not great and adults will struggle to find comfort on long trips and the boot space has been compromised by the positioning of the engine. But, as a city car or second car, space is far from being the sole focus or priority of potential owners.
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The plus sides of the design mean that the front wheels are unencumbered by driveshafts and all that stuff. This means the Twingo has a fantastic turning circle and can be manoeuvred into the tightest of parking spots without any difficulty. In this regard it is more of a city car than many of its rivals.
But that is not to say it is a solely city car and when taken out of that oeuvre, it will behave admirably in terms of handling and grip levels. In fact, when you get it up to speed, it is quite a lively companion and is quite capable of delivering a pleasing driving experience on B-roads.
It does have to be said that that the one litre SCe 70 normally aspirated engine is not the most powerful you’ll come across. The output figure of 52 kW (71 bhp) at 6,000 rpm means you have to work it hard to extract the maximum from it, but it is ever-ready and ever-willing.
The top speed of 151 kph (94 mph) and the 0-100 kph time of 14.5 seconds highlight the engine’s limitations but, with judicial use of the five speed ‘box you can keep things ticking over at a decent level. It may be that you have to apply in writing if you want to pass anything out but in general it is not a hard engine to live with and enjoy.
It is a car which makes you think about the way you drive it and you do have to be conscious at all times of the engine’s limitations, but once you keep momentum up, then passing moves and lane changes are not the chore they might otherwise be.
The other side of the equation is the 4.5 l/100 km (62 mpg) consumption potential and the 105 g/km emission levels.
As a lover of small cars, I was immediately drawn to the personality and character of the Twingo. Sure it is not a flawless car, but its’ many plus points by far outweigh its negatives.
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COLLEY'S VERDICT
The Cost: From €13,990 — €14,590 as tested.
The Engine: Not the perkiest unit you’ll every drive, but it has a nice mix of character and gumption — and it’s economic too.
The Specification: Standard kit includes ABS/ESP, two tone 15” alloys, DAB radio, roof spoiler, manual air con, cruise control and speed limiter. Not bad at all.
The Verdict: the original Twingo was chic and stylish. This one adds greatly to that character.
