Renault Twingo Gordini RS (2010) first pictures

This is the new Renault Twingo Gordini Renaultsport, an upmarket version of the brilliant Renaultsport Twingo.

And if you’re confused, let’s start at the beginning. Renault make the Twingo, but its tuning arm Renaultsport also tweak the city car to give us the excellent Renaultsport Twingo. And now Renault has revived the Gordini brand and will use it on posh versions of Renaultsport products – we’ll call this one the Twingo Gordini RS.

The Gordini cars sit above the Renaultsport models, and in the pipeline is a Clio Gordini RS due next spring. A Megane Gordini is expected too, but Renault is also expanding its 'GT' range below the RS cars.

Externally the giveaways are the blue paint and white racing stripes, but look closer and you’ll also spy gloss black front and rear bumper sections, white surrounds for the fog lights, door mirrors and rear spoiler, plus 'Gordini Series' badging. The 17-inch alloys also come with a polished finish, plus the option of the inner rim finished in black or blue.

The seats are now trimmed in blue and black leather, and the steering wheel is covered in the same stuff but with two white stripes to indicate the centre point. Blue leather is also used for the door panel inserts, and there’s a blue gearlever surround, blue rev counter and a leather-trimmed dashboard cowl.

And to make it posher still, the Twingo also gains climate control, auto wipers and lights, cruise control, tinted rear windows and MP3 connectivity, while on the options list is the lower, stiffer 'Cup' chassis and a panoramic sunroof.

But although Amédée Gordini developed some special Renaults over 20 years, the Twingo Gordini RS is mechanically unchanged - under the bonnet is an untouched 131bhp 1.6-litre while the suspension hasn't been tweaked either.

European sales start in March 2010, and although prices have yet to be announced, expect the Twingo RS to cost around £14k. 

By Ben Pulman