Renault Twingo Renaultsport 133

AMID all the gloom that surrounds the car industry, with falling sales, job losses and halts in production, it comes as something of a welcome relief when a manufacturer pulls out all the stops on a fun car.

On one of those cold mornings this month when getting into work meant a liberal spraying of de-icer on the windscreen, a warming sight greeted me in the office car park.

It’s called the Renault Twingo Renaultsport 133, quite a mouthful for a city runabout, and if this car does not put a smile on your face then you should be auditioning for the next series of One Foot In The Grave.

Renault’s decision to move the cheap and cheerful Twingo upmarket raised a few eyebrows. No longer a bare bones car, it’s now a premium runabout. Quirky styling inside and out, surprisingly spacious interior, the option to customise it and a lively character combine to make this an immediate favourite.

And with a price tag of a little over £11,000 it should find favour among those looking for performance and affordability.

Tuned by the magicians at the Renaultsport division – the experts who performed tricks with the acclaimed Clio 197 and Megane R26 – this Twingo is much more than a cosmetic update, although the special bumpers, wider front and rear wings and sculpted side skirts might give that impression.

It was launched towards the end of last year and boasts big wheels and a roof spoiler, and manages to look pretty, mean and pretty mean, depending on the viewing angle. And the car’s lower than standard ride height and increased track does much to convince you of its potential.

There’s are two Twingo Renaultsport 133 models – the standard car and one fitted with a Cup chassis. This latter version provides suspension that’s been further tuned and stiffened, plus an even lower ride height, and it comes with 17-inch wheels rather than the standard 16-inch variety.

Factor in an ESP system that can be completely switched off, supportive sports seats, a chunky sports steering wheel and a rather naughty exhaust note similar to that of a sports car and you’ve got a feisty junior to the Clio 197’s fun-loving adolescent character.

The component that makes the Twingo 133 whole is its engine, a specially tuned 1.6-litre normally aspirated four-cylinder petrol motor. Its signature 133 horsepower is complemented by a healthy 118lb/ft of torque to provide punchy performance.

A zero to 62mph sprint time of 8.7 seconds means this is “warm hatch” rather than “hot hatch” car, competing against the likes of the Suzuki Swift Sport and the Ford Fiesta Zetec S.

Thanks to its modest size, the Twingo – available only as a three-door – can be hustled along at a dashing pace, and it handles changes in direction well.

Supportive and attractive seats hold you in place when darting from corner to corner, with the Twingo’s willing engine urging you on.

The standard suspension settings do a fine job of dealing with surface imperfections, and keen drivers will love the car’s willingness to entertain. There’s an absence of any obvious compromise leaves you feeling refreshed.

But this is the best bit: opting for the Cup variant costs a miserly £650 extra. That’s right, for the chassis tweaks plus the 17-inch wheels and tyres you pay only £650. And remember, that’s on top of the Twingo 133’s already modest asking price.

The ability to customise the Twingo with Renaultsport-themed stickers, pedals, colour co-ordinated key fobs and other such cosmetic items is another plus point, but you are unlikely to be disappointed by the standard cabin.

With MP3 connectivity, radio and CD player, a central instrument binnacle, aluminium pedal facings, pod-style rev counter and leather gear knob, there’s plenty on offer to entice the driver. Blood orange safety belts match the contrasting stitching on the upholstery, while the air conditioning system dials are neat and tidy.

There are four individually sliding seats, with those in the rear shifting forward to create the biggest boot in the small car class. With all four seats in place it has a capacity ranging from 165 to 285 litres, and with the rear seats folded flat it can swallow 959 litres of luggage.

Elsewhere, this Twingo’s accessible performance means its limits are closer to yours and you can have fun at any speed.

This is a great all-rounder if you like your performance served warm with a side order of affordability.

At a glance

Price: £11,308

Engine: 1.6-litre petrol developing 131bhp

Transmission: Five-speed manual driving front wheels

Performance: 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds; top speed 125mph

Economy: 40.4 mpg

CO2 emissions: 165 g/km