New Renault Twingo priced from £9,495 in the UK
Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the car features a rear-engined, rear-wheel drive platform developed with Daimler and shared with the next Smart ForFour. Both cars will be built on the same production line in Slovenia.
This allows the Twingo to be 10cm shorter than its predecessor, but over a 12cm longer wheelbase, resulting in 22mm of extra interior length. With the front passenger seat and half of the rear bench folded, the car can accommodate loads of up to 2.2 metres in length, with a rear passenger.
Renault will offer three trim levels in the UK. The entry-level Expression includes remote central locking, electric front windows, a speed limiter and trip computer among its standard equipment, and is priced at £9,495. Play versions cost £9,995 and are expected to be one popular in the UK, adding air conditioning and 15-inch two-tone wheel trims over the Expression.
Both the Expression and Play versions are available with a single engine choice, the 1.0-litre three-cylinder SCe 70, which produces 70bhp and returns 62.8mpg with CO2 emissions of 105g/km. These also feature the first use of the R&GO infotainment system, which displays telephony, navigation and media functions through a free smartphone app, and includes DAB digital radio, Bluetooth and USB connectivity.
At the top of the range, the Twingo Dynamique gains 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps, cruise control and a leather steering wheel and gearknob for its £10,995 start price. This can also be equipped with the SCe 70 engine, but is the only trim level to feature a stop and start system, cutting CO2 emissions to 95g/km and improving fuel economy to 67.3mpg.
The Dynamique trim can also be equipped with the TCe 90, a turbocharged 0.9-litre petrol engine, which produces 90bhp and returns 65.7mpg, with CO2 emissions of 99g/km. This adds £700 over the SCe 70. R-Link infotainment, with a built-in touch screen, is also optional, and across the range drivers can personalise their cars with styling, equipment and storage packs depending on their needs.
Alex Grant
Trained on Cardiff University’s renowned Postgraduate Diploma in Motor Magazine Journalism, Alex is an award-winning motoring journalist with ten years’ experience across B2B and consumer titles. A life-long car enthusiast with a fascination for new technology and future drivetrains, he joined Fleet World in April 2011, contributing across the magazine and website portfolio and editing the EV Fleet World Website.
