For the first time in over 30 years without Twingo
For the first time in more than thirty years, the automotive world has to do without a Renault Twingo. Production of the third generation has stopped and that means that the countdown to the arrival of the new Twingo can begin.
One hundred sixty-eight thousand eight hundred and eighty. That’s how many Twingos have been delivered in the Netherlands since 1993. A huge number, but not many more will be added for the time being. The third generation Twingo, launched at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, is out of production. The small Twingo, which has always been electrically powered in its final phase of life in the Netherlands, is still available from stock. When the last copies are sold, the automotive landscape will no longer be graced by a Renault Twingo for the first time in more than three decades. The space will not remain without filling for very long.
The first generation Renault Twingo in all its cheerfulness.
Although the last Twingo will probably not go down in the history books as the nicest – enthusiasts seem to have the warmest feelings for the original Twingo – it was an interesting one on a technical level. Renault developed the third generation Twingo together with Daimler, so the Frenchman had a real twin brother in the form of the Smart ForFour. The last Twingo was not front-wheel drive like its predecessors, but had rear-wheel drive. The little Renault had its engine under the loading floor of the luggage compartment. The big advantage: an enormous maximum steering angle, resulting in a tiny turning circle.
The rear engine and rear-wheel drive: the last Twingo in a nutshell.
The original Twingo perhaps appeals most to the imagination with its cuddly appearance. Renault clearly has that suspicion too. The brand has caught the retro fever and is not only launching electric reinterpretations of the 5 and 4, but also an electric reincarnation of the first generation Twingo. It recently looked ahead to the next generation of the Twingo with a warmly received study model. It will probably only come onto the market as an EV, although you will have to wait until 2026. Renault aims for an entry price below €20,000. The last Renault Twingo for the time being started life with combustion engines and later also received an electric Electric version. In its final phase of life, the Renault Twingo was only available as an EV.
The next Renault Twingo will be completely retro and should cost around 20 grand.
Since 1993, Renault has sold 168,880 units of the Twingo in the Netherlands. This makes it – counting from 1983 – the most popular Renault in our country after the Clio and Mégane. In 2011, the Twingo had its absolute top year in the Netherlands. At the time, the second generation Twingo was eligible for a favorable additional tax rate (14 percent) in two variants – as a 1.2 16V Eco2 and with a 1.5 dCi diesel engine. The third and for the time being last generation was never able to match the sales numbers of its predecessors in the Netherlands.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl