Renault have pulled the wraps off a hot little pocket rocket in the shape of a funky Twingo called the GT. The mismatched name aside (not for Grand Touring at all), the Twingo GT has been fettled by Renault Sport to create what is quite the unique hot hatch – one that’s rear driven and rear-engined.
That layout is usually reserved for buyers lucky enough to afford a certain iconic German sports car, but now you can have it in a cute little Renault city car. What’s more is that, much like other RS models, it is fitted with a five-speed manual for that pure driving sensation.
The Twingo’s usual 898cc 67kW/135Nm turbocharged TCe three-cylinder engine had no business being in a car affiliated with Renault Sport, at least in its standard tune. And since there was wasn’t much room for a larger one, it has been tuned up to produce 82kW and 170Nm.
That’s enough for an 8.5 second sprint time from rest to 100km/h, aided by new gear ratios to improve acceleration and engine response. RS have also lowered the ride height and helped to tune the Twingo GT’s chassis and variable ratio steering to maximize the car’s agility.
The car’s styling is certainly funky and Renault say they’ve taken cues from their Twi’run concept from 2013, with the extra LED lamps sandwiched between the headlights and fog laps, twin exhausts, roof striping and side decals. But the most obvious addition would be the new set of 17-inch alloy wheels.
The hot Twingo will be offered in four paint finish choices: Diamond Black, Crystal White, Lunar Grey, and a special colour dubbed Piment Orange that’s unique to the model.
Renault are considered among many an enthusiast to be the definitive maestros of the small and fun (and fast) small car – it’s a history that dates back to memories of the Renault 5 Turbo, the Clio V6, and most recently the Megane RS 275 Trophy R.
For more on Renault vehicles, including pricing and specifications, check out our Showroom.
