Renault has announced the arrival of two new rallying variants of the Twingo Renaultsport. The R1 version is very close to the road-going Renaultsport 133 while the R2 has a wider range of performance parts.
The Twingo Renaultsport R1 is designed to offer novice rally drivers an affordable car in which to start their career. It is based on the
Twingo Renaultsport 133 and uses the same engine and transmission, though there are plans to homologate an alternative ECU that will improve the engine's mid-range performance. Safety equipment is fitted including a fire extinguisher and roll cage bolted to the body.
A similar roll cage is fitted to the R2 version of the Twingo but is welded to the shell. The body itself is reinforced and the car meets the FIA's standards for Group R cars. Suspension is essentially the same as the standard Renaultsport Twingo but with adjustable dampers. The engine receives a number of tuning parts to lift its output to 158bhp. Power is fed through a five-speed sequential gearbox with a steering column mounted shifter.
The R2 is offered as a kit to convert the Twingo Renaultsport 133. The parts cost about £25,200 and customers will be able to buy a Twingo at a discounted price. The kit will be available from April 2010.
John Lambert - 7 Dec 2009