Towards the end of 2008 a few South African motoring writers were taken on a tour of Renault's facilities in Romania where that automaker's entry-level Logan and Sandero (the latter just launched in SA) are assembled - and still bear Dacia badges for some markets.
Besides walking the factory floor and watching attractive Romanian women assembling the cars we visited Renault's international design centre in Bucharest. It's a clinically clean, funky little white building with plastic grass, cuckoo clocks showing the time at other design studios around the world and plasma screens.
The designers all looked under 25 and toiled in a cutting-edge, paperless environment on big touch-screen monitors, with some of the best design work reaching model stage (little models were scattered around work stations) but the top-secret work happens on the "sorry you can't go there" third floor.
So I looked at all of this wonderful design work (bearing in mind that I'd just been driving a Logan) and wondered: "What's the point - will any of it see the light of day?"
Well, for the past week I've been driving a little Renault Twingo here in Gauteng and within the first minute of adjusting the driver's seat I couldn't help but notice what a funky set of wheels it is. The method in the design centre's madness started to make sense
The design brief for the Twingo's cabin was obviously trendy-meets-practicality and everything the driver needs does indeed fall easily to hand. I liked the rev-counter's location (it moves with the steering wheel during adjustment) and the unusual angled radio.
The big hood over the speedometer has a cloud design and the horn button at the tip of the left stalk is novel but the main attraction has to be the rear-seat configuration - two separate seats that run fore and aft individually on rails.
Each can be dropped flat for loading or, should you need maximum space, be folded forward. That takes the all-seats-in-place 165 litres of boot space to 959 faster than Julius Malema makes gaffes in his speeches. It's really clever and solves the rear legroom issue prevalent in small cars.
In fact the rear seats can slide back until they just about touch the back window - four adults can cruise with ease.
Specs-wise, the unit was badged Dynamique, which brings in must-haves such as power-assisted steering, aircon, central locking (that for some reason wouldn't lock the doors automatically), front fog lights and power windows and mirrors.
ZIPPY URBAN COMMUTER
An extra R9000 buys the Dynamique Plus package which replaces the 14" steel rims and wheel-caps with 15" alloys and adds a rear-roof spoiler, tinted glass, body graphics and auto headlights and wipers.
The Twingo's a zippy urban commuter, even at Reef altitude. The 56kW/107Nm engine needs a down-change for the occasional climb but you can zoot through traffic, even with passengers, with no stress.
I also liked the handling, though it's not exactly kart-like, and it has some green (some manufacturers call it Blue) qualities. Renault says nine percent of the Twingo is made of recycled material and, come scrap-it time, 95 percent of the car can be recycled or put through an energy-from-waste programme.
The Twingo idles at only 650rpm - a fuel-saver - but more importantly produces only 135g/km of CO2 (the Logan, for example, quotes 173g/km).
SPECIAL TYRES
Renault says that the emission and consumption figures are thanks to a combination of reduced rolling resistance from the tyres, aerodynamics, an electric power-steering system and reduced friction in the drive train.
(One day we'll be able to measure emissions ourselves and not have to take the manufacturer's word for it).
VERDICT
As the replacement to the Clio2, the Twingo is quite a different car in a segment considered a little unexciting and appliance-like. It stands out looks-wise with its big headlights, low air-intake, and short overhangs and has some nifty interior quirks.
Even though a little expensive against competitors (listed below) it's young and fresh and should get a nod from youthful first-time buyers.
And, if you like the package but performance is worrying you, wait until mid-year when the 98kW/160Nm RS version has been confirmed for local introduction. It's a Twingo sporting a 1.6-litre, quad-valve engine that's claimed to hit 100km/h in 8.7sec (at the coast) and runs on a sports chassis with 16 or 17" rims.
Should be interesting - a sweet little Twingo but with a dark side - Star Motoring
RENAULT TWINGO SPECIFICATIONS
ENGINE
Cylinders:
Four in line.
Capacity:
1149cc.
Fuel system:
Petrol, fuel injected.
Power:
56kW at 5500rpm
Torque:
107Nm at 4250rpm.
TRANSMISSION
Type:
Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive.
SUSPENSION
Front:
Macpherson strut, anti-roll bar.
Rear:
Torsion beam with coil springs.
STEERING
Type:
Rack-and-pinion.
Steering column adjustment:
Height only .
BRAKES
Front:
Ventilated discs.
Rear:
Drums.
Driver aids:
Anti-lock brakes with electronic pressure distribution and emergency press assistance.
WHEELS/TYRES
Rims:
14-inch steel wheels with covers.
Tyres:
175/65 R14..
DIMENSIONS/WEIGHT
Length:
3600mm.
Width:
1972mm.
Height:
1900mm.
Mass:
950kg.
FUEL TANK
40 litres.
170km/h (claimed).
ACCELERATION
0-100km/h:
12sec.
STANDARD EQUIPMENT
Aircon; front power windows; heatable external mirrors; remote-controlled central locking; alarm/immobiliser; CD/MP3 player with four speakers; individual split rear seats; rear head restraints; front fog lights; colour-coded bumpers and mirrors.
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Driver, passenger and side crash bags; seat belt pre-tensioners; anti-lock brakes with electronic pressure distribution and emergency brake pressure.
MANUFACTURER SUPPORT
Three-year or 100 000km warranty.
Three-year or 35 000km service plan.
SERVICE INTERVALS
15 000km.
PRICE
R124 500.
RIVALS
Chery QQ3 1.1 TXE Luxury (50kW/90Nm) - R88 900
Chevrolet Spark 1.0 LT (49kW/87Nm) - R99 470
Citroën C1 iPlay (50kW/93Nm) - R119 000
Daihatsu Charade 1.0 Celeb (51kW/94Nm) - R107 995
Fiat Panda 1.2 Dynamic (44kW/102Nm) - R122 500
Ford Ka 1.3 Collection (51kW/106Nm) - R109 300
Kia Picanto 1.1 LX (48kW/98Nm) - R106 995
Peugeot 107 X-Line (50kW/93Nm) - R122 320
Proton Savvy 1.2 Sport (55kW/105Nm) - R114 995
Renault Clio 1.2 Va-Va-Voom (55kW/105Nm) - R117 000
Toyota Yaris T1 3-dr (AC) (51kW/93Nm) - R124 700
Hafei Lobo 1.1i Luxury (48kW/88Nm) - R77 200
Hyundai i10 1.1 GLS (49kW/99Nm) - R102 900