The Rebooted Renault Twingo: Comme c’est adorable

The original Renault Twingo has always held a special place in my heart. Launched in the fall of 1992, it was front and center on the Renault stand at the Geneva Motor Show the following spring--the first international auto show I ever attended, and the start of a three-decade career on the global auto show circuit. I already owned a 1972 Mini, so the bright colors, the simple and clever design, and the tiny but efficient footprint made me an instant fan. And although the third-generation rear-engine model (2007-2014) made a valiant effort to recapture the original's magic, it never quite succeeded.

BRINGING TWINGO BACK

In November 2023, Renault announced a third-generation, all-electric Twingo, to launch in 2026. They showed an exterior-only model, targeting a price of 20,000 euros and an efficiency of 10kWh/100km (or more than 5mi/kWh). Initially, Renault had discussed developing this with VW, who had already announced the similar ID.1 EV hatchback--but those talks collapsed last May. Renault decided instead to collaborate with a Chinese supplier to reduce costs and time to market--but we have yet to hear who that supplier is.

THE STORY SO FAR

The new Twingo shares many cues from the original, from the overall profile and proportions to the uniquely shaped door handles, headlamps, and taillamps. The updated prototype shown at the Brussels Motor Show now appears a bit more production-ready, with new front quarter windows, 3D-printed honeycomb bumpers, and a new front air intake. And, for the first time, we now see the interior, which features a floating cylindrical instrument panel, full-width parcel shelf, and physical climate controls (hooray!). And, although this is an inexpensive car, they've avoided the traditional array of matte-black plastic and cloth and added a variety of interesting textures and colors (and even skateboard-wheel-inspired seat adjusters), echoing the fun character of the original Twingo.

WILL THIS WORK?

The new larger and also retro-inspired Renault 5 E-Tech--with which the Twingo will share both a platform and quite a bit of hardware underneath--has gotten off to a strong start in Europe so far, with Automotive News noting it was the 11th best-selling EV in Europe in November, with sales 4x that of October. And, this week, the 5 was named Europe's Car of the Year, adding critical acclaim to early market acceptance. That suggests the combination of retro-inspired design and affordable electrification might just work for Renault, at least for Europe