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Renault unveiled a racing version of its concept Twin'Z supermini at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend. Dubbed the 'Twin'Run', the concept is set to continue where the original R5 Turbo and Clio V6 racers left off.

Exterior

With the design based on the Twin'Z, it is certainly a compact car. The wheels find themselves right at the corners of the car to leave very little in the way of overhang. Up front there is a gaping lower grille with four LED spot-lamps built into the bumper. Moving rearwards the slim door mirror design is mimicked by vents in front of the rear wheels. At the back, you'd be hard pushed to miss the massive rear wing, diffuser, and epically-cool exhaust design. The blue, red and white theme is found on every aspect of the bodywork including the alloy wheels; while the '5' emblem on the side pays homage to the original R5 Turbo.

Interior

Being a racing concept, the interior holds little in the way of creature comforts. Inside the full roll cage the Sparco racing seats do at least have some padding and are upholstered in Alcantara. The racing sequential gear lever and handbrake are mounted high and close to the motorsport steering wheel, behind which a 5.5-inch LCD display can be seen. The red and blue screen shows all the information a racing driver needs to know; and the aluminium pedals have been positioned for quick heel-and-toe manoeuvres.

Mechanicals

Behind the front seats sits a 3.5-litre V6 engine, developing 320hp and 380Nm of torque - big numbers for a very small car. This is fed through a six-speed sequential transmission with a racing-sourced twin clutch. The power and gearbox setup results in a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 155mph. Corners shouldn't be a problem either thanks to its limited-slip differential, double-wishbone suspension, Ohlins shocks and racing anti-roll bars.

Anything else?

Placing his knowledge into the final tuning setup for the Twin'Run was rally champion, Jean Ragnotti. After his first drive he said, "This is a sound car. It's easy to control, the gearbox is smooth, it's got good brakes, and surprisingly good vertical comfort. This concept car is a worthy heir to the Maxi 5 Turbo."

James Giddings - 27 May 2013