Au Revoir RenaultSport twingo 133, but not for long !

With a new Twingo being readied behind the scenes for launch next year, Renaultsport’s entry model is preparing to hang up its road and track boots. All is not lost just yet though. As, like little puppies chomping at the bit, six of the little wonders are currently in UK stock awaiting new loving homes. So, eager pocket rocket aficionados had better be quick off the line to secure one, before this country’s allocation runs out completely.

The halo model in the iconic Twingo range first launched to Brits back in July 2008, with a total of 1,203 Twingo Renaultsports having found cherished homes in the UK since.

Right from the get go, it didn’t take long to see that the Renaultsport arm’s crack performance team had worked their chassis and performance magic on the baby of the range. To stunning effect some might say, given the car’s humble city car origins.

Critically acclaimed from the outset, not just by the way it drove and handled, but also for its sporty looks and cheeky character, its departure, be it temporary or otherwise, is sure to be sorrowfully noted.

With its peppy, naturally-aspired 133hp 1.6-litre engine, revving to 6,750rpm at full tilt, and powering only 1050kg, its endeared itself to a whole host of admirers. Track or road, the Renaultsport 133 left smiles on the faces of everyone who got behind the wheel.

Its cute, but racy looks set the scene for a focused driving experience even before you got behind the chunky Renaultsport leather steering wheel. The flagship Twingo still bore a strong family resemblance, but with plenty of visual drama added into the mix. Among its bespoke touches were a unique tailpipe, plus beefed up bodywork, including extended side sills and wheel arches, and a rear spoiler. Striking 16- or 17-inch alloy wheels and an F1-inspired front blade completed the purposeful look.

Once inside, the performance theme continued with an array of sporty touches. Several of its highlights being the Renaultsport rev counter and front sports seats, plus brushed aluminium pedals. Hardcore trackdayers and gadget fans weren’t forgotten either, with the onboard telemetry system, Renaultsport Monitor, recently made available too.

Whichever version buyers opted for, be it the standard version with Sport chassis, the even more sought after Cup chassis versions, or exclusive Gordini or Silverstone GP limited editions, in any guise, it offered a bucketload of smiles. In fact, with a great foundation to work with, the road car even spawned successful rally versions, R1 and R2.

Entry into the hallowed realm of Renaultsport ownership world didn’t come too steeply either. The single run out version, simply Twingo Renaultsport 133, is priced at £13,955, excluding the optional Cup chassis, making it one of the simplest, but most effective and affordable ways to learn the delights of hot hatchery. Unsurprising then, that it was consistently hailed as the benchmark pocket hot hatch for the money, racking up multiple awards along the way, including Best Hot Hatch under £15,000 What Car? in 2010 and 2011.

Its hidden talents didn’t end there either. Belying its compact footprint, the top-of-the-range Twingo, like the standard range, was eminently practical. Top billing going to its individually sliding and folding rear seats. This meant that bootspace or rear legroom could both be juggled around at will, whether it was for a four-up trip with some mates to an adrenalin-fuelled track day at Spa, or a zen-scented romantic break with a loved one to a slightly more tranquil type of spa.

So, what’s in store for a future performance Twingo? Officially, there’s been no confirmation of a replacement sporty version of the eagerly-awaited new city car. However, speculation’s rife. Not least as Renault’s Chief Operating Officer, Carlos Tavares, only recently shook the streets of Monaco over the Grand Prix weekend in the jaw-dropping 320hp V6 mid-engined and rear-wheel-drive Twin’Run concept car. Style and powertrain-wise, its bigger brother, the Clio Renaultsport 200 Turbo EDC has also recently ushered in a chic, five-door bodyshell, plus a downsized turbocharged TCe engine to deliver the same power as its preceding 2.0-litre. Whatever happens, one thing’s for sure, it will be sorely missed.