Automotive

Renault spices up the Twingo with punchy GT

Renault spices up the Twingo with punchy GT
The Renault Twingo GT gets more power and a unique suspension to set it apart from regular Twingos
The Renault Twingo GT gets more power and a unique suspension to set it apart from regular Twingos 
View 12 Images
The Renault Twingo GT gets more power and a unique suspension to set it apart from regular Twingos
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The Renault Twingo GT gets more power and a unique suspension to set it apart from regular Twingos 
The car's styling is defined by unique stickers and paint
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The car's styling is defined by unique stickers and paint
Power is sent to the rear wheels
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Power is sent to the rear wheels
The Twingo's paintjob draws on airplane design, according to Renault
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The Twingo's paintjob draws on airplane design, according to Renault
The Twingo GT is a handsome little car, even if it's a bit cutesy
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The Twingo GT is a handsome little car, even if it's a bit cutesy
The Twingo punches out 110 hp
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The Twingo punches out 110 hp
The car sits on 17-inch wheels
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The car sits on 17-inch wheels
Renault shares the Twingo platform with Smart
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Renault shares the Twingo platform with Smart
The Twingo GT is still a small, tall car, but it's got a bit more presence about it than most little hatchbacks
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The Twingo GT is still a small, tall car, but it's got a bit more presence about it than most little hatchbacks
The Renault Twingo GT
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The Renault Twingo GT
The Twingo's rear end is its best angle
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The Twingo's rear end is its best angle
The Twingo gets a little power bump compared to regular Renault hatches
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The Twingo gets a little power bump compared to regular Renault hatches
View gallery - 12 images

There's something intrinsically right about a quick, cheap hatch. On a deserted back road they'll keep up with anything short of McLaren or Ferrari's finest, but you don't have to worry about sky-high insurance premiums and expensive carbon panels in an accident. It's a potent recipe, and one that Renault has almost perfected over the years, so it's with great excitement we welcome the little Twingo GT into the world.

The Twingo might be tiny, but its rear-engined, rear-drive layout certainly carries some serious credibility in the world of sports cars. Power comes from a turbocharged, 900cc three-cylinder engine pumping out 110 hp (82 kW) of power, and a chubby 170 Nm (125 lb.ft) of torque.

Okay, so those figures aren't exactly going to set the world on fire, but they do represent an improvement over the 90 hp (66 kW) and 135 Nm (100 lb.ft) you get in the regular version. The boost comes courtesy of an ECU remap and revised air intake system, while drivers are able to keep it on the boil with sportier gearing designed to accentuate the motor's revvy nature.

The car sits on 17-inch wheels
The car sits on 17-inch wheels

Of course a good hot hatch is defined by the way it attacks a bend, so Renault has fitted the car out with a revised suspension, tweaked ESP calibration and variable rate steering. We're not convinced that's turned the Twingo into a rear-drive rally star, but the tweaks should free up some of the potential lurking within the car's 911-aping underpinnings.

On the outside, Renault has gone all out with the stickers and paint. The car also sits on unique 17-inch wheels, and its lowered ride height works also gives it a more imposing stance. Down back, there are twin exhaust tips to signal the GT's extra intent.

Renault hasn't released details about pricing, but the Twingo GT will be on sale from the start of Northern Hemisphere winter. It will make its first public appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, kicking off on June 23.

Source: Renault

View gallery - 12 images
2 comments
2 comments
Steve Jones
That looks fantastic, but it will have to drive a lot better than the standard Twingo (so I'm told) to be a good hot hatch. I'm glad they changed the steering and the ESP, because reports suggest the standard set-ups of those components in particular are very poor.
Tom Lee Mullins
I think that is a really neat little car. It looks similar to the Smart Forfour.