Skoda 3 - The 1000 MBX De Luxe celebrates it's half century, this is the car range the kept a nation going.

• The elegant two-door ŠKODA 1000 MBX celebrates its debut half a century ago
• Construction of MBX version based on popular classic ŠKODA 1000 MB
• Brand produced total of 2517 ŠKODA 1000 MBX; more than half exported

The ŠKODA 1000 MBX De Luxe turns 50. The elegant two-door celebrated its debut at the International Motor Show in Geneva in March 1966. The spacious five-seater with rear engine and rear wheel drive was launched into series production in the October of the same year. The model represented the pinnacle of the one-litre class in its day.

"The legendary two-door ŠKODA 1000 MBX with its liberally glazed body crowned the success of the first Czech large production car - the four-door ŠKODA 1000 MB," says Andrea Frydlová, Head of the ŠKODA Museum. "This makes the vehicle an important milestone in ŠKODA's history. 

The production figures increased significantly throughout the 1960s in Mladá Boleslav. Many progressive technologies in mass production caught on, including high pressure die-casting for cylinder and crank cases, as well as gearbox casing."

The MBX was based on the mass-produced four-door ŠKODA 1000 MB, which boasted a modern monocoque body and the engine was installed behind the driven rear axle. ŠKODA built an entirely new plant in the immediate vicinity of the existing factory buildings in Mladá Boleslav for the construction of the ŠKODA 1000 MB at the beginning of the 1960s. The new production plant comprised modern facilities with more than 40 production halls and other buildings on the 80 hectare site.

The history of the two-door MBX dates back to 1960 when the two prototypes to the ŠKODA 990 Tudor were being built. The special bodywork with clearly negative-sloping rear pillars that flow into the panoramic rear window and two doors with frameless windows was created at the Kvasiny plant. The body shell retained the generous space of the original notchback with an enhanced side view. 

It was not only the driver and front passenger that could wind down the door windows, but also the passengers in the back could open the small windows in the rear. In addition, the triangular-shaped fold-out doors improved the ventilation in the interior.

The ŠKODA 1000 MBX De Luxe was first presented to the public at the opening of the Geneva Motor Show on 10 March 1966. The model delighted the visitors with the originality of its shape. 

The two-door gave the impression of not having a central pillar with its extensively glazed surfaces. In fact, the centre pillar ended in the middle of the vehicle body under the window line, and its narrower upper portion could be rolled down together with the rear side windows. 

At this moment, the occupants could enjoy brilliant views and an exceptionally airy and spacious interior.

The ŠKODA 1000 MB and the two-door MBX set standards in innovative engine and drive technology. In terms of engine manufacturing, ŠKODA was the first European producer ever to incorporate the aluminium die-casting process in cylinder-block production. 

The four-speed transmission case was also produced using this construction method. Thus, ŠKODA built on a process originally devised in 1922 by Czech engineer Josef Polák, the main advantage being significantly shorter production times.

The ŠKODA 1000 MBX was powered by a four-cylinder petrol engine with a displacement of 988 cm3 and an output of 38 kW (52 hp) at 5000/min. With an unladen weight of 815 kg and a load capacity of 375 kg, the automobile reached a top speed of 127 km/h. 

The fuel consumption was 7.8-8.0 litres of petrol per 100 km. The car was fitted with two Jikov carburettors as standard; an engine with a single carburettor was only installed in a few dozen units. 

The time-consuming assembly of the ŠKODA 1000 MBX, demanding a lot of manual labour, began in October 1966 in the standalone operation section of the Mladá Boleslav plant, so as not to slow down the main production line. The last twelve MBX models of the total 1403 of the one-litre version rolled off the production line in early 1968.

In November 1967, the brand's range was extended to include the dynamic 1100 MBX De Luxe version. The engine output remained unchanged with a displacement of 1107 cm3, the advantage being the better lugging capability - 81.4 n.m compared to the original 75.5 n.m. 

Further improvements included a more powerful oil pump and more efficient cooling. 1114 of the stronger version had been produced by 1969, giving a total of 2517 MBX two-door units. 

Despite the relatively low production volume compared to the mass-produced four-door 1000 MB (443,156 units), this version made a significant contribution to the popularization of the ŠKODA brand in many discerning foreign markets. 

Today, the model is among the most sought after and highly valued vintage cars with significant appreciation in value. The legendary Coupé ŠKODA 110 R (1970-1980), followed by the ŠKODA models Garde and Rapid, continued the success of the attractive two-door MBX version.

Renault to help it's customers with a brace of offers over the festive season to make a new car, more affordable.

• Festive offers make purchasing a new Renault even more affordable
• Additional £500 towards Twingo, Clio and Captur until end of November
• Payment holiday until February 2016 available for PCP Selections customers of Twingo, Clio and Captur until end of December 

With Christmas just around the corner, Renault is giving car buyers even more reason to celebrate with a duo of attractive offers on some of its most popular models.

Until the end of November, customers of selected Twingo, Clio and Captur crossover models can enjoy an additional £500 towards their new Renault – this is on top of all current offers and making the brand’s stunning small car range even more enticing and affordable thanks to a low deposit coupled with low monthly payments.

It’s also a case of ‘happy holidays’ for customers who purchase certain Renault models through the brand’s popular Selections PCP packages. Those in the market for a new Twingo, Clio (excluding Expression versions) or Captur, and purchase by 31 December will have the option of deferring the start of their monthly payments until February 2016. The payment holiday means they can change their car earlier than they might have imagined during what is traditionally the most expensive season of the year.

The payment holiday means that a customer can put down a £159 deposit on a Clio Play 1.2 16v 75 in November or December, and start their 45 monthly payments of £169 in February, after the festive period¹.

These limited festive period deals join a whole host of finance offers that are available across the Renault range. With every finance option customers enjoy the Renault 4+ warranty and Renault Assistance scheme which provide the ultimate peace of mind for four years or 100,000 miles².

The innovative rear-wheel drive, rear-engined Renault Twingo is available in four distinctive trim levels, in SCe70 and TCe90 engines. The urban runaround is also offered in either manual or automatic EDC transmissions with a whole host of personalisation options to suit the customer such as interior colour touch packs to match the exterior. The Twingo is available from £9,495.

Celebrating its 25^th anniversary in 2016, the stylish Renault Clio is available in four trim levels and with an efficient range of two petrol and one diesel engines, priced from £11,145. The Clio is available with numerous personalisation options such as the GT Line look pack, coloured 16-inch and 17-inch alloy wheels as well as exterior and interior colour touch packs.

Europe’s best-selling compact crossover, the Renault Captur, is offered with a range of two petrol and two diesel engines and is priced from £14,295. The distinctive five-seater is available in four different trim levels and offers a unique array of colour options with a high specification even on entry-level models.

For more information about Renault’s model range, current offers and full terms and conditions, please visitwww.renault.co.uk/offers 

Renault's City Car, the Twingo, wins big at the GQ car awards ceremony.

• Twingo wins Best City Car at the 2015 British GQ Car Awards
• Latest major award for All-New Twingo  

The All-New Renault Twingo has been awarded the title of “Best Answer to the City Car Dilemma” in the 2015 British GQ Car Awards. 

Renault’s recently-launched city car is one of just eight production cars to pick up an award and, at a third of the price of the base model of the next most affordable car, the stylish and practical Twingo looks perfectly at home amongst its supercar and exotica peers.

GQ said of the Twingo: “There’s more to the Twingo than the de rigeur small-car visage and graphics.  It’s powered by a frothy little rear-mounted, three-cylinder turbocharged engine; an unusual setup that improves interior space and adds a welcome USP.  Fun, in a nutshell.”

Commenting on the award, Ken Ramirez, Managing Director, Renault UK said: “All-New Twingo represents a bold innovation in the city car category with its clever rear-engined layout.  We were always confident that our latest Twingo would prove to be a hit so everyone at Renault is thrilled to see our newest city car recognised at the 2015 GQ Car Awards, especially alongside such sports cars and exotica.”

All-New Twingo has now picked up several major awards including ‘City Car of the Year’ in the 2014 TopGear Magazine Awards, ‘City Car of the Year’ in the UK Car of the Year Awards and ‘Best City Car’ in the Daily Express 2014 Motoring Oscars.

The All-New Twingo went on sale in the UK in September 2014 winning critical praise for its charm, looks, clever packaging and innovative rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive layout.      

The Twingo, now in its third generation, is available with a choice of two efficient petrol engines, three trim levels, including many personalisation options and is priced from £9,495.

Renault expects to produce between 3,000 - 5,000 Alpine sports cars per year.

A Renault executive today revealed the output expectations for the automaker's Alpine-badged sports car.

"In terms of scale, on average [annual production] volume will be about 3,000 cars, with a peak of 5,000 initially due to the novelty factor," Alpine head Bernard Ollivier told Reuters in an interview.

Renault plans to launch production of the sporty brand at the end of 2016 and start selling Alpine models in Europe and key emerging market economies the following year, Ollivier, interviewed on the sidelines of an auto festival in Paris, said.

No further details were revealed, but a spokesman told Automotive News Europe that the project is "on schedule," adding that the automaker is "on track to deliver the model to customers in about two years."

Alpines have not been made since 1995. The new sports car will have a rear-mounted engine and be built at Renault's plant in Dieppe, northern France.

News of the revival coincides with Renault's celebration of the Alpine brand's 60th birthday. To mark the occasion, Alpine has created the Alpine Vision Gran Turismo, a virtual racing car that will feature in the Gran Turismo 6 video game.

REPORT HERE

Renault announces pricing and specs of the new Twingo.

• All-new third-generation model
• Rear-engined, rear wheel drive and five doors – all Twingo firsts
• More compact, more spacious, more agile and more nimble
• Three trim levels with a huge range of personalisation
• Innovative new R & GO^® smartphone connectivity system
• 4 year warranty, roadside cover and servicing – Renault 4+
• Available to order now.  Customer deliveries from late September.
• Priced from £9,495.

Renault has today revealed UK pricing and specifications for the all-new, third generation Twingo, which was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March and goes on sale from late September. Prices start at less than £9,500 for the entry-level Expression SCe 70, while the Play SCe 70 – which is expected to be one of the most popular models – comes in at less than £10,000.

There are three versions of All-New Twingo – Expression, Play and Dynamique, powered by a choice of two engines – the new 1.0-litre 70 hp SCe three-cylinder normally aspirated engine and a Dynamique TCe 90 with a 0.9-litre 90 hp three-cylinder turbocharged unit. Dynamique models have Renault’s Stop & Start system, which cuts the engine when the car is stationary in traffic to reduce emissions and improve economy.

Connectivity comes as standard on every All-New Twingo through the new smartphone-operated R & GO^®system. Thanks to the radio, a universal cradle and a clever, free-to-download app, owners have intuitive access to a variety of navigation, telephone, multimedia and trip computer functions as well as internet radio and a host of other practical features.  Dynamique models offer the option of the R-Link multimedia system with a seven-inch touch-screen, voice control, TomTom^®navigation and 3D sound by Arkamys. DAB radio, Bluetooth^®connectivity and USB sockets are standard on every version.

All versions of All-New Twingo come with body-coloured bumpers, door handles and exterior door mirror shells, a rear spoiler and LED daytime running lights.  Comfort and convenience are provided with electric power steering, electric front windows, remote central locking, a speed limiter, a height-adjustable steering wheel, a trip computer and gearchange indicator, a lane-change function for the indicators and the automatic activation of the rear screen wiper when reverse gear is selected. 

Practicality is ensured by the unique-in-segment folding front passenger seat and a split-folding two-seat rear bench as well as numerous cabin storage areas, three cupholders and a boot light.  The safety equipment includes Electronic Stability Control, Hill Start Assist, Emergency Brake Assist and four airbags as well as front and rear headrests and a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System.

The Play version adds to that core equipment with air conditioning, a height-adjustable driver’s seat and steering wheel, and 15-inch black two-tone wheel trims in place of the grey ones with Expression.

Dynamique versions add 15-inch alloy wheels, pinstripe shoulder-line decals, front foglamps, electric heated door mirrors, cruise control, a lane departure warning system, a leather-trimmed steering wheel and gearshift knob, white instrument backlighting, a folding key and storage pockets in the rear doors.

Dynamique versions also benefit from Stop & Start engines that cut emissions and improve fuel economy.  The Dynamique TCe 90 is fitted with Variable Gear Ratio power-assisted steering, making the vehicle more agile and reactive at lower speeds.

Personalisation, personalisation, personalisation…

An extensive range of personalisation options will allow customers to create a very bespoke Twingo.  These include an interior style pack (a choice of colours for the interior upholstery, doorcards and cabin storage), interior touch pack (a choice of colours for the instrument and air vent surrounds and steering wheel inserts), exterior touch pack (alternative coloursfor the grille strips, side protection strips and door mirror shells) and a choice of different alloy wheels and side decals.

The Sport Pack is available to order on the Dynamique TCe 90 version and adds on 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, part-leather red and black upholstery, side decals, aluminium pedals, the red interior touch pack – which adds further colour to the steering wheel, centre console and airvents – and the exterior touch pack, which adds colour to the front grille insert, door mirrors and side door protectors for an even more personal look.

Key options, depending on model, are an electric panoramic fabric sunroof, rear parking sensors, a choice of premium sound systems and the ‘Seats’, ‘Techno’, and’ Convenience’ packs, which offer themed items of extra equipment at lower prices than if bought individually.

The Seats Pack adds heated front seats and an ISOFIX three-point mounting on the front passenger’s side.  The Techno Pack consists of the R-Link connectivity, infotainment and navigation system and a rear parking camera; while the Convenience Pack introduces automatic lights and wipers and climate control.

Smaller but roomier – and easier to manoeuvre

All-New Twingo is a clean-sheet-of-paper car. For the first time its engine is mounted at the rear to drive the rear wheels, and there are five doors instead of three. The rear-engined layout permits significant improvements in packaging – the new Twingo is 10 cm shorter than its predecessor at 3.59 metres, but has a 12 cm longer wheelbase (2.49 metres) and 22 cm more cabin room.

Having the engine at the rear allows the front and rear overhangs to be kept short, which helps to endow the All-New Twingo with a best-in-class turning circle of only 8.59 metres. This outstanding agility makes the All-New Twingo much easier than the majority of cars to manoeuvre into kerbside parking spaces or end-on parking bays.     

Packaging the engine so as not to intrude into the luggage area and to offer maximum protection in a rear-end collision was a significant challenge. Renault’s engineers have overcome it by tilting the engine by 49 degrees and re-engineering 50 per cent of the parts. This ensures that the engine is pushed beneath the passenger cell if the car is hit from behind, and that it takes up 15 cm less space than if it had been mounted vertically.

All-New Twingo is incredibly versatile. As the only 5-door car in its segment with a folding front passenger seat as standard, All-New Twingo’s cabin is long enough to take a flat-pack Swedish book case or a double bass thanks to its load length of 2.31 metres.  Luggage capacity is 219 litres and can be extended to 980 litres by folding the 50:50 split rear seats. There is also 52 litres of personal storage space within the cabin, including a removable 2.6-litre compartment at the bottom of the centre console, 29 litres of space beneath the front seats – with nets available to hold items in place – and a 6.4-litre glovebox.

Up to 14 miles further from every gallon  

The three-cylinder 12-valve engines offer up to 14 mpg greater fuel economy with as much as 35 g/km lower CO₂ emissions than the power units in the previous Twingo, culminating in official figures of 67.3 mpg and just 95 g/km for the Dynamique SCe 70 with Start & Stop. All versions exceed 60 mpg in mixed use and 50 mpg on the urban cycle.

Made at Novo Mesto, Slovenia

Rear-engined cars are far costlier to produce than conventional front-engined, front-drive models. Renault has overcome this obstacle by collaborating with Daimler during the development of the All-New Twingo. Daimler’s next-generation Smart models will be built off the same platform, bringing cost savings for both groups. Renault will build the All-New Twingo and Daimler’s Smart forfour at its Novo Mesto plant in Slovenia, where more than £350 million has been spent on upgrading the facilities.

Recapturing the spirit of the first Twingo

All-New Twingo recaptures the spirit of the original model of 1993 and the Renault 5 of the 1970s and 1980s, and this is echoed in its design, which embodies the ‘play’ petal of the company’s design strategy. It also incorporates aspects of the 2013 Twin’Run and Twin’Z concept cars.

The expressive front end reflects the fun-to-drive character of the car and features Renault’s familiar design cues, including a bold version of the company logo set into a black background. At the rear, wide shoulders which stretch from the sides are a throwback to those on the Renault 5 Turbo. Disguised rear door handles lend the car a coupé-like appearance.

The interior is characterised by a commanding driving position offering outstanding all-round visibility. The standard interior colour scheme is Java Grey upholstery with white dashboard embellishments, but Java Blue and Java Red finishes are also available, depending on model and exterior body colour, and there is the option of a Sport Pack for the Dynamique TCe 90.

Peace of mind for four years: Renault 4+

As with all new Renaults, All-New Twingo is covered by a four-year warranty which offers unlimited-mileage cover in the first two years and then two further years of protection up to 100,000 miles.  Four years roadside assistance cover is provided.  And, when bought on Renault Selections Finance, four years (or 48,000 miles) servicing is also included.  Alternatively, a four year servicing package can be purchased for just £299.

Servicing is required only once a year or every 12,500 miles.  The timing chain is maintenance-free which helps to reduce servicing costs.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Model	Power (hp @ rpm)	Torque (Nm @ rpm)	0-62mph (sec)	Top speed (mph)
Expression SCe 70	70 @ 6,000	91 @ 2,850	14.5	94
Play SCe 70	70 @ 6,000	91 @ 2,850	14.5	94
Dynamique SCe 70 S&S	70 @ 6,000	91 @ 2,850	14.5	94
Dynamique ENERGY TCe 90 S&S	90 @ 5,500	135 @ 2,500	10.8	103

OWNERSHIP INFORMATION

Model	MPG	CO2 (g/km)	BIK (band %)	VED (band)	Insurance group
Expression SCe 70	62.8	105	14%	B	2
Play SCe 70	62.8	105	14%	B	3
Dynamique SCe 70 S&S	67.3	95	12%	A	3
Dynamique ENERGY TCe 90 S&S	65.7	99	12%	A	8

RANGE PRICING

Model	Price (On The Road)
Expression SCe 70	£9,495
Play SCe 70	£9,995
Dynamique SCe 70 S&S	£10,995
Dynamique ENERGY TCe 90 S&S	£11,695

PACK OPTIONS

• Seats Pack – £250.  Available on Play and Dynamique
• Techno Pack – £600.  Available on Dynamique
• Convenience Pack – £500.  Available on Dynamique
• Sport Pack – £850.  Available on Dynamique ENERGY TCe 90 S&S
• Interior Style Pack – £100.  Available on Play and Dynamique
• Interior Touch Pack – £100.  Available on Play and Dynamique
• Exterior Touch Pack – £100.  Available on Play and Dynamique

MAIN OPTIONS

Available on Play and Dynamique:

• Electric panoramic fabric folding sunroof – £850.
• Rear parking sensors – £150. 
• 16-inch ‘Emblem’ diamond-cut alloy wheels – £275.