Renault has unveiled the Cup version of its tiniest hot hatch, the
RenaultSport Twingo 133. Following the blueprint drawn out by the
Clio 200 Cup, the Twingo ditches weighty luxuries like air conditioning, automatic wipers and individual rear chairs and, unlike Porsche, passes the cost saving on to you.
Power remains the same, but the price drops to £11,795 - a saving of £700 - and the optional Cup suspension pack is fitted as standard. That's usually a £650 option that drops the ride by 4mm, stiffens the springs by ten percent and recalibrates the damping for better body control. The car rides on 17-inch black alloys that can be glossed up for £175 and are shod in low profile Continental Sport Contact tyres.
Other changes include the eschewing of the two individual rear chairs for a lighter single bench, and extra dark tinting for the windows. White paintwork with gloss black trim for the mirror caps, rear spoiler and front bumper trim is your only other option, priced at £150. Order one from 1st October and expect to get it in November.
Mark Nichol - 29 Sep 2009