Currently reading: Twingo Gordini RS launched
Full details of the first modern Gordini model

The historic Gordini name is to return with this car, the Twingo Gordini Renaultsport.On sale next March, the model is based on a standard Twingo Renaultsport 133 and gets a series of styling additions to earn the Gordini name. No prices have been released yet, but the car is expected to cost around £14,000, around £1600 more than the standard Renaultsport Twingo Cup.

A brief history of Gordini

See more pictures of the Twingo Gordini Renaultsport here

The Gordini modifications include metallic blue or black paintwork, two white racing stripes, gloss black front and rear bumper sections, and a white finish on the fog lamp surrounds, exterior door mirror housings and rear tailgate spoiler. Buyers also get 17-inch alloys, with the inner rim finished in blue or black.

Gordini Series badging either side refers back to the 1960s heyday of the Gordini Cup in France, when the qualifying heats of the different race meetings were known as "series".

Other changes include sports seats, blue leather door panel inserts, a blue and black leather steering wheel, a Gordini badged gearknob and a leather-trimmed dash cowl.

Extra equipment over the Renaultsport 133 includes automatic climate control, automatic headlamp activation, automatic wiper activation, cruise control, a speed limiter, fully disconnectable ESP, extra-tinted rear windows and individual sliding rear seats.

As with the standard Renaultsport, buyers can specify a Cup chassis for a lower ride height and stiffer springs and dampers, curtain airbags, an electrically-operated panoramic sunroof. A Gordini key fob and Gordini carpet mats are also options.

The return of Gordini is being masterminded by Renault Design, and future Gordini models are not expected to be based on Renaultsport models.

A Clio Gordini is expected to be revealed at next year's Geneva motor show, based on the Renault Clio GT. Following that, a Megane Gordini is the next model under discussion, although even if it is given the go-ahead, it is not expected to be launched until 2011.

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jerry99 25 November 2009

Re: Twingo Gordini RS launched

But the 70s Gordini was a type R of its day and the new one is not, so why bother with the name for just a pair of go faster stripes?

Even the Escort RS1600i was a better effort than that.

Mini1 25 November 2009

Re: Twingo Gordini RS launched

I like it, and I know it's just extra kit and fancy paint, but does the Twingo really need to be any faster? Yes, Fiat have Abarth, but Renault have Renaultsport to compete with that. Maybe they'd have been better naming their sporty models 'Gordini' from the word go. Still, I like the blue two-tone alloys :-P

Peter Cavellini 25 November 2009

Re: Twingo Gordini RS launched

Yes, Gordini may have died in the 70's, but so what?, lots of names from the past have come back RS being just one of them, i'm sure you could name more, and plus i'm kind of getting bored with "R" getting stamped on the rear of every special edition, it's type R this or R32 that, a name from the PAST does no harm.