How you view the Twingo GT’s performance depends upon what you expect from it in the first place, which sounds obvious but, in this instance, it's a key factor; if you’re expecting some kind of junior hot hatch, forget it. It is nothing of the sort. If, on the other hand, you regard it as no more than a slightly perkier version of a small car with no sporting intentions, the GT will come as a pleasant surprise.
Zero to 60mph takes 9.6sec, 0-100mph takes 33.7sec and the top speed is 117mph. Broadly speaking, that means the GT is quick enough to stay ahead of the flow, but rarely fast enough to set the pace.
But it is appealingly torquey in the mid-range thanks to its light-pressure turbo engine, and the five-speed gearbox enables you to access a well chosen set of ratios without having to try too hard.
What’s less than wonderful is the engine’s refinement above 3000rpm. Admittedly the test car had fewer miles on it than the left-hand-drive car we drove on the launch in June. Even so, you’d sooner change up a gear than hold on and listen to the mechanical thrash.
The Twingo GT's suspension is surprisingly soft, but the lack of weight allows it to do things that heavier rivals cannot. Only the similarly lightweight Mazda 2 is more agile.
The electric power steering allows you to place the car accurately, but the level of body movement is off-putting until you realise that nothing odd happens beyond this point, and then you can enjoy the Twingo for what it is: one of the most enjoyable small cars on the road.
It rides well, too, although again we were surprised by the wind and road noise the test car generated compared with the cars we drove on the launch. Maybe the 185/55 R15 Continental tyres don’t get on well with British roads.
Either way, the Twingo GT is happier spearing along a B-road than it is rumbling along a motorway. Which is either a bad flaw or a slight disappointment, depending on how you plan to use the car.
