Category: Affordable Sports 
Price Range: £12,145 to £12,145
Sharp drive with Cup chassis, good ride without.
Needs pricey but entertaining Cup chassis.
Misses out on the charm of Fiat's 500 Abarth, but delivers with Cup's drive.
Renaultsport has been responsible for some excellent cars recently and cars such as the Clio Cup and Megane R26 means the new Twingo has much to live up to.
Engineers started with the Twingo GT as starting point. First, they lowered the suspension by 10mm to lower the centre of gravity. At the same time the track was widened by 60mm at the front and 59mm at the rear to improve stability while the springs were stiffened by 30% and dampers uprated. Finally the anti-roll bar was thickened to reduce roll and a set of 16" wheels was fitted.
Under the bonnet the RS team has ditched the GT's turbocharged 1.2 and replaced it with a normally aspirated 1.6. To make it sportier it gains variable valve timing and a four-into-one exhaust system that looks like a work of art but actually endows the Twingo with a deep, throaty growl.
So what's it like? First off, it's a struggle to get comfortable behind the wheel. The driver's seat is set too high and the steering wheel too steeply angled in its highest position. However, road handling is grippy, safe and there's a surprising supple grown-up quality to the absorbent ride.
The steering rack has been quickened and is weightier than the regular car, but still lacks feel. It's not particularly engaging or fun, but it is... competent.
But before you give up all hope, make sure you try the Twingo with the optional Cup chassis (£650).
We have a sneaking suspicion this is how the Renaultsport engineers wanted the Twingo RS all along. The suspension drops another 4mm, the springs are 10% stiffer and 17" alloys have been added. This is more like it. Turn-in is keener: the car more alive, adjustable and more to the point, faster cross-country.
Lifting off in the standard car merely helps the car turn in better. In this version you might feel the back step out a little bit if you are cornering hard, but it's no major drama because the excellent ESP system keeps you nicely in check.
What suffers, unfortunately, is the ride. At low speeds the suspension struggles to smother even minor imperfections, but we do think it's a price worth paying particularly if you are after a car with crisp, dependable handling abilities.
The engine isn't quite the firecracker we expected, mainly because of the Twingo's comparatively hefty 1,049kg kerbweight and also the 118lb-ft torque peak is delivered at a lofty 4,400rpm. Performance is about on par with its rivals. From standstill to 62mph the RS 133 takes 8.7 seconds, but you do need plenty of gearchanges to keep it on the boil.
