The new third-generation Renault Twingo has been unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show
Developed alongside, the new Smart ForFour, the Twingo features styling heavily influenced by the brilliant Twin’Run concept revealed last year and also pays homage to the Renault 5 supermini of the 1970s and 80s.
The big news, however, is the Twingo’s new rear-engined setup in which the engine sits above the rear wheels, driving them directly. It’s an unorthodox setup which has largely fallen out of favour since the front-engined front-wheel drive setup became the norm in the small car segment in the 1970s; however, Renault claims it not only frees up space in the passenger compartment, but that it also aids manoeuvrability.
Whether or not this new setup will work, we don’t know. What we do know, however, is that the Twingo is a fantastic looking car which, for the first time in the model’s history, has five doors. The circular daytime-running lights and wide air intake give it an expressive face and a range of personalisation options will be on offer, as is fast becoming the norm with small cars.
Two three-cylinder engines will be on offer in the Twingo: a new 1.0-litre naturally-aspirated unit with 70bhp and 67lb-ft of torque and a turbocharged 900cc unit with 90bhp and 100lb-ft of torque.
Prices are expected to start from around £9,000 when the car goes on sale in the UK.
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