Don't Expect A Faster Renault Twingo Any Time Soon
One car we’re really looking forward to driving this year is the Renault Twingo GT. With 108bhp propelling not a lot of weight, it should be brilliant fun. But even with the Twingo’s sub-tonne weight figure, 108bhp still isn’t much to write home about.
“Ah,” you might say; “But there’ll be a Renaultsport version eventually, right?” Wrong: speaking to Autocar, RS big cheese Patrice Ratti had the following to say about the possibility of a hotter Twingo:
“An RS would need around 150bhp, which presents all sorts of challenges. There’s not much room for a four-cylinder engine - which would be the cheapest way to get 150bhp. To get a three-cylinder engine to 150bhp would mean redesigning the engine, and at that point the project becomes very expensive - probably too much for an A-segment hot hatch.”
In fact, Ratti went so far as to label the prospect of an RS Twingo as “almost impossible.” The ‘almost’ bit does give a little wiggle room for hope, but it certainly sounds very, very unlikely thanks to the car’s rear-mounted, underfloor engine position.
I’m sure you’ll all joining us in saying: boo.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
The Happy Twingo will not be happy anymore
Looking for a fast twingo? There is no, but at least you can buy a Abarth 595
oh hey, cool, another news from… Autocar…
And im just here in America like
“Can i have a twingo?”
WE NEED MORE BOOST
Well Ford got 120 horsepower and fit it through airport security…
http://jalopnik.com/5961187/ford-built-an-engine-so-small-they-were-able-to-send-it-through-airport-security
I don’t think a new twingo rs would be as fun as the old one. 150bhp in a very short wheel based rear wheel drive car could have quirky handling to say the least… I have a feeling it would be very snappy and could end with owners/journalists going backwards through hedges wondering what happened. They could solve that with an esp system that can’t be turned off.. but does anyone really want a hothatch/warmhatch that they can’t push to, and occasionally past, it’s limits
Don’t get me wrong, but wasn’t that article on a few months ago?
Probably because people would turn it into dragsters - or 911s
it’s not really a matter of how do able it is , it’s a lack of funds to do it , it’s not like they couldn’t get some 3 cylinders engines from the minis and upgrade the power , bmw did it with their i8 , they could easily make it but they lack the ressources to do it