It's not only MINI that’s set to join the speedster set, as these latest pictures prove! Poised to hit the road in 12 months’ time, the two-seat Renault Twingo CC is described as a spiritual successor to Ford’s much loved Puma, and is the French firm’s answer to the successful Peugeot 207 CC.Our spy shots also offer the first glimpse of the new model’s clever single piece hard-top, plus its dramatic face. The car – which is codenamed X33 – measures 3.70 metres in length and will offer drivers a choice of two engines. Prices are set to begin at around £14,000.
At present, the plan sees entry-level models fitted with the 100bhp, 1.2-litre TCE unit used in the Twingo GT. A flagship version is also under development, which would use the 131bhp 1.6-litre engine from the Twingo RS. But there is still some uncertainty over the engine range, due to Renault’s intention to cut the emissions of its entire vehicle line-up.
Top brass have already announced a vision to create a new range of cars with average CO2 emissionsof only 40g/km by 2012. To do this, the firm says it will supplement a new generation of electric cars with a range of ultra-efficient petrol and diesel models.
It’s not yet clear if there will be an all-electric Twingo, but options being discussed at the moment include a 900cc three-cylinder petrol and an upmarket 1.6-litre 140bhp diesel.
Regardless of the engines Renault chooses to fit, anti-lock brakes, equipped with front discs and rear drums, will be included as standard and should provide fade-free stopping power.
In keeping with Renault’s aim to be crowned Europe’s ‘safest’ car company, ESP will be offered on all models. The Twingo CC will be built at the firm’s factory in Dieppe, alongside other models in the Renaultsport range.
But there is still no word on whether all versions of the car will wear the firm’s performance badge – or if bosses intend to reservethe Renaultsport logo fortop-spec variants only.
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