RENAULT Twingo Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Renault first introduced Twingo in 1992 as a four-passenger city car with a turning circle of only 4.30m.

The new Twingo, launched in 2019, comes with a loading length of 2.31 meters and 3 available engines. The SCe 75 engine provides the best balance between fuel consumption and driving joy, helping to reduce gasoline consumption and cut CO2 emissions (this engine is available with a manual five-speed gearbox), whilst the TCe 95 (which can be combined with the automatic transmission called Efficient Dual Clutch), allows you to quickly escape from the city.

There are two new colors available, Mango Yellow, and Quartz White and six available shades to choose from, Starry Black, Flame Red, Lunar Grey, Crystal White, Pistachio Green, and Pale Blue.

In regards to the safety of the car, Renault Twingo protects its customers with programmed deformation zones around the survival cell, four airbags and seat belts with pre-tensioners. Electronic driving assistance includes hill start assist and lane departure warning.

Also, the new Renault Twingo comes with a system based on a 7-inch touchscreen tablet, with two multimedia systems, R & Go app and Easy Link that you can connect to Apple and Android smartphones and allow you to use Waze or Google maps for navigation.

Renault tweaked the Twingo to provide more fun in a small package and introduced it in a GT trim level in 2016.

Renault developed the third generation of the Twingo together with Mercedes-Benz. The German carmaker introduced it under the SMART brand, while Renault continued its supermini saga with a four-door vehicle, which was something new for it. Moreover, the return of the rear-wheel-drive system, with a rear-engine, was something that the French carmaker didn't have in decades. But things didn't stop there. With some help from Renault Sport, the GT version promised to be more fun to drive.

Like any other GT version from the Renault range, the Twingo received a specific package. At the front, the car featured a black, wider grille at the bottom which incorporated two fog lights. Its ground clearance was lowered when compared to its non-GT siblings. From its sides, the 17" light-alloy wheels were striking since usually, the cars from that segment wore 15 or 16 inches alloys. At the back, a roof spoiler and a twin exhaust completed the sporty package.

Inside, the Twingo GT received new bucket seats with incorporated headrests. The upholstery was designed with stripes that matched the car's exterior color. Like its siblings, it featured a digital instrument panel with an analog speedometer around it. On the center stack, the infotainment system offered Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity.

Behind the cabin, under the rear trunk, Renault installed an inline-three turbocharged engine. It provided 110 hp, which was more than enough to transform the tiny car into a mini hot-hatch.

Renault introduced the third generation of the Twingo in 2014, and this time it was a major change for the mini segment vehicle.

The French automaker developed this new model together with Mercedes-Benz. The German automaker invested in this project for its Smart brand, which used the same underpinnings for the FourFour/FourTwo models. Another major evolution for the Twingo was the addition of rear doors. Its predecessors were only available as three-door hatchbacks.

But despite being offered with four doors (five if we count the tailgate), the 2014 Twingo was actually shorter than its predecessor. At the front, the automaker installed a pair of corner-mounted headlights with integrated turn signals and a wide and narrow grille where the carmaker's badge took center stage. On the bumper, the Renault installed the fog lamps, while lower, on the apron, it placed a second grille. Since the rear doors were very short, the automaker couldn't install roll-up windows, so it placed pop-out ones instead.

Depending on the trim level, the Twingo offered unusual amenities for its class, such as a power-operated folding sunroof. Yet, the entry-level grade didn't provide an AC unit, which was a shame. Another unusual feature of the car was a dash-mounted phone holder. Customers could install a dedicated app and use their own smartphones as a control panel for an infotainment system. The roomy interior was fit for four adults, although the rear seats were suitable mostly for children.

Despite being shorter than its predecessor, the third generation of the Twingo featured a longer cabin was longer, thanks to the rear-mounted engine. This was possible thanks to the rear-mounted engine, which also happened to reduce the trunk's volume. But still, it was enough for a daily. The base version didn't provide an AC, but the range-topper was available with a power-operated fabric roof.

Renault brought its inline-three engines to power the little Twingo. These were with or without turbochargers and provided 90 PS or 70 PS, respectively, and were mated to manual transmissions. Still, the automaker offered an option for an automatic gearbox for the lower-powered engine.

After four years on the market, the second generation of the Twingo received a well-deserved update and regained some of its customers.

While the first generation of the Twingo was more or less an experiment for the French carmaker, the second generation was a hit among the supermini vehicles. This time it had the correct dimensions to accommodate four people inside, and not just four skinny dwarfs, and it showed something more about its customers. It was a "tres chic" car.

For the second generation, the facelift worked like a charm removing all the wrinkles that showed on the older design. Its new auxiliary lights installed inboard of the main headlamps transformed the little Twingo into an easy to recognize vehicle in its class. Like its predecessor, it was available only in a three-door version. Its door handles remained the same, half-buried behind the rear side of the doors. At the back, the taillights marked another unique design element, with an additional set of lights on the tailgate.

Inside, the car sported a fresh design with the instrument cluster placed on top of the center stack, tilted toward the driver. In front of the steering wheel, the carmaker put a storage compartment excellent for a phone or a small purse. Another significant improvement was the new phone-holder installed instead of the audio system. That transformed the owner's phone into a navigation system or an MP3 player via a dedicated app.

Under the hood, Renault installed a choice of three gasoline and two turbo-diesel engines. A particular version, named Gordini, paid homage to the genius engineer that built race-versions for Renault in the late '60s and early '70s, with blue cars and two white stripes over the bodywork.

We can probably all agree that the Twingo was not the most stylish small car out there.

Along the years, the Renault Twingo was mostly sold for its modularity. The sliding rear bench was very practical and the Twingo had built reputation on interior space.

For 2007, Renault decided to bring a sportier version of the regular Twingo, the Twingo GT.

The new model didn’t sport the already known roundness of its predecessor and used the styling from the then-new Modus and Clio.

The Twingo GT was better equipped and more solid and it was the Renault’s first attempt at building a sporty version of the regular vehicle.

With the GT version, the exterior design featured its own specific front bodywork, chrome tail pipes, 15-inch alloys, a roof spoiler and sating grey side mirrors.

While the overall look wasn’t all that attractive, the front was more appealing than the rear end.

The Twingo GT was available with a new 1.5-liter DCi unit or a 1.2-liter powerplant with 100 hp. Renault stated that the small 1.2-liter unit offered the torque of a bigger 1.6-liter one.

Inside, the materials’ quality was greatly improved and the everything looked well put together.

Even the driving position was optimised to make the driver feel safer while driving more aggressively.

The second generation of the Renault Twingo came on the market in 2007 and it offered a good solution for the urban mobility at an affordable price on a car-market that was sinking.

While the first generation became famous after picturing two sumo fighters aboard and out through the folded rooftop, the second generation came without that option. But it came well-equipped and with a better safety package.

The look of the car was enhanced by the addition of two fog-lights mounted up on the front bumper, mixing with the main headlights which were swept-back. The short hood was continued by the greenhouse, which was short. The entire car was short and with its flat and straight tailgate looked like someone cut the end of it. But that was the idea: a short car for the city with great rearview visibility to ease-up parking.

Inside, the 2007 Twingo carried-over the idea from its predecessor, with rear sliding seats. That allowed an increase for the trunk or legroom. Due to the high greenhouse, the headroom was not an issue even for adults over 6 feet (1.82m). The center-mounted instrument cluster looked funky and visible for all the passengers on board. There was an option for a tachometer mounted on the steering column, behind the steering wheel.

For the engine compartment, Renault offered a choice of two engines: a diesel and a gasoline, each of them in two power outputs. The only tranny available was a 5-speed manual.

The Twingo was unveiled by Renault at the 1998 Paris Motor Show and became the smallest vehicle in the automaker's lineup.

Designed for crowded cities and small parking lots, the Twingo offered a vast interior and fuel-efficient engines that made it a favorite for urban drivers, especially for those who had to do the school runs. In addition, it tried to fit the car with a wide variety of options that transformed it into one of the best in-city vehicles. And it could do well on highways, too.

With its unibody design the front fascia was penned so that the hood was continued by the wide windshield. The Twingo was quite an appearance on the market. Its headlights resembled a pair of wandering eyes, and the smiling grille installed in the lower bumper confirmed that Renault didn't want to threaten anyone. The car was available exclusively with two wide doors and a tailgate. Despite its size, the mini-MPV featured very wide windows. On top of that, the automaker offered a canvas top as an option.

The interior was very roomy for the car's size. In addition, the rear bench could slide back and forth, thus creating even more legroom for rear-seated passengers. At the front, the low-mounted seats and the almost flat dashboard featured a tiny instrument cluster fronting the driver. The speedometer, on the other hand, was mounted on top of the dash panel in the middle. Even though the base trim level featured cranked windows and no AC, the top trim level was provided with more features, including the panoramic removable roof.

Under the hood, Renault installed an older generation of 1.2-liter engines, which were upgraded later on with newer versions. Power went to the front wheels via a five-speed manual only.