Renault · 1992–2024

Renault Twingo Electric

The Renault Twingo is a city car made by the French company Renault from 1992 to 2024 across three generations. The name is said to be a blend of twist, swing, and tango in some official Renault sources, but an official Renault press release has explicitly denied this derivation. The first-generation Twingo (two door, front engine) debuted at the Paris Motor Show on 5 October 1992, receiving its formal market launch in continental European markets beginning in April 1993. Renault launched the second-generation Twingo (two door, front engine) in the summer of 2007; and the third-generation Twingo (four doors, rear engine) debuted at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, receiving its formal market launch in September 2014. Production of the Twingo ended in the summer of 2024, when the car was replaced by the all-electric Renault Twingo E-Tech.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

All Renault Twingo Electric data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years → + Compare

First generation (1993)

The original Twingo was launched in April 1993, was sold in European LHD markets until August 2007, and received intermediate restylings in 1998, 2000, and 2004. It was notably similar to the original Honda Today in design, including the overall shape and the headlamps partially set into the front bumper. Development. Designed under the direction of Patrick Le Quément, Renault's chief designer, the car derived a concept developed through the W60 project when Gaston Juchet was Renault's chief designer. The project was aimed at replacing the Renault 4 with a minivan model. Le Quément chose a Jean-Pierre Ploué design to develop the production version. Le Quément stretched the original prototype and added an unconventional front-end layout resembling a "smile". The interior equipment was mounted on a central console to free space. Renault had participated in the 1981 to 1984 'Mono-Box' ECO 2000 car project, along with PSA Peugeot Citroën and the French Government. The Twingo I's electronic, centrally mounted instrument panel had a speedometer, fuel gauge, clock, odometer, and trip recorder controlled via a stalk-located button. A strip of warning lights was located behind the steering wheel. The rear seat featured a sliding mechanism to enable either increased boot space or more rear-seat legroom. The boot parcel shelf was attached to the inside of the tailgate, and lifted with the tailgate – or could clip back against the rear window when not required. Manufactured at the Flins Renault Factory from the time of its launch until 28 June 2007, the Twingo I was also manufactured in Taiwan, Spain, Colombia, and Uruguay from 1999 to 2002, remaining in production until 8 June 2012 in Colombia, by the Sofasa conglomerate, strictly for the domestic market. Twingo I Safety Euro NCA

Second generation (2007)

After presenting an initial concept at the 2006 Mondial de l'Automobile, Renault debuted the production Twingo II at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show with French market trim levels named Authentique, Expression, Initiale, Dynamique, and GT. Using the floorpan of the Renault Clio II, the Twingo II offered improved crash protection and was available in both RHD and LHD configurations. Production began in France and subsequently moved to the Revoz plant in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. In January 2008, Renault debuted the Twingo Renaultsport 133, with a new 133 PS (98 kW; 131 hp) 1,598 cc engine, at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. In August 2013, ordering and production of the 133 model ended. In July 2011, Renault debuted a facelifted Twingo II at the Frankfurt Motor Show, featuring a design language subsequently used on their entire range and offering revised fascias, as well as redesigned front and rear light clusters. On series 14, episode four of Top Gear, presenter Jeremy Clarkson road tested the Twingo 133 on Belfast streets and barrel rolled upside down through a sewage tunnel. After numerous accidents, he raced to catch a departing ferry, instead landing in the ocean. On 16 March 2011, the Renault Twingo won the "best city car award" in the Parkers' New Car Awards. Special editions in the UK included the Twingo Renaultsport Gordini, Twingo Gordini TCe 100, Twingo Bizu, Twingo Pzaz, Twingo Renaultsport Silverstone GP, Twingo Miss Sixty, and Twingo Renaultsport Red Bull RB7. In Japan, the Twingo II was licensed by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. and sold exclusively through Nissan Store locations. Twingo II safety Euro NCAP results: Adult occupant: , score 28 (The model tested was not equipped with curtain airbags. Available as an option.) Pedestrian: , score 11 Engines.

Third generation (2014)

The third generation Renault Twingo debuted in March 2014 at the Geneva Motor Show in a five-door, rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. It was co-developed with Daimler's third generation Smart Fortwo and second generation Smart Forfour. The third-generation Twingo and the ForFour entered into production in May 2014 at in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, and were launched on the European market in September. Production ended in June 2024. Design and development. In March 2010, Renault and Daimler, as part of their existing partnership, announced "Project Edison", a collaboration aimed at conceiving a shared platform for small city cars to be used by both companies. The Edison platform was designed from the start for mounting either an internal combustion engine or an electric motor as the main power source. The first cars using the platform were the third-generation Twingo and the second-generation Smart Forfour. Renault and Daimler AG invested equally during the research and development phase, with Renault subsequently specializing in the engines and Daimler in transmissions. Both companies tried to ensure a distinctive design. Renault designers took inspiration from the Renault 5 and the first generation Twingo. This can be seen by the "smile" at the front which was a design feature of the Twingo I. The engine was moved to the rear to allow them to expand the passenger cabin forwards, and allowed the car to have a 45° steering angle which means it had a 8.6 m turning circle and was capable of making tight turns in a city environment. The car was originally launched with four colour options, as with the original Twingo. In January 2019, an updated Twingo was introduced with a new front fascia, cosmetic changes inside and out, and a new base 1.0 L engine; at the same time, d

Fourth generation (Twingo E-Tech, 2026)

In November 2023, Renault announced that the Twingo would be returning as an electric model with a price tag under €20,000. A prototype for the new Twingo was shown at the Capital Markets Day press conference, featuring retro styling heavily reminiscent of the first generation Twingo, continuing Renault's trend of retro styling for its future electric models, such as the Renault 4 E-Tech and the Renault 5 E-Tech. Efficiency figures of 10kWh/100 km were also announced. Renault Groupe CEO, Luca De Meo, stated at the conference that development was to begin immediately and the car could be expected to reach production within two years, matching the development speed of Chinese manufacturers, meaning a release date of around 2026 is likely.

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name

Renault Twingo

Manufacturer

Renault

Production

1992–2024

Predecessor

Renault 4, Renault 5

Successor

Renault Twingo E-Tech

Class

City car

Body style

3-door hatchback (Twingo I and II), 5-door hatchback (Twingo III)

Layout

Front-engine, front-wheel-drive (Twingo I and II), Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive (Twingo III）

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

• Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q112163101CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_TwingoCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1374666662 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Renault_Twingo_Z.E._IMG_4003.jpgCC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo: Alexander Migl · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.

More from Renault