Currently reading: All-electric Renault Twin-Z concept revealed
New electric Renault supermini concept to influence next Twingo

The new Renault Twin-Z concept will influence a production car next year, thought to be the next Twingo

An electric supermini, the Twin-Z is described as a sister car to a three-door, rear-drive hatch concept that will appear next month. The Twin-Z is also rear-drive, but uses an electric motor instead of a combustion engine and has five doors.

It isn’t hugely powerful or quick - 67bhp and 167lb ft, for a top speed of 81kph - but at 3623mm long it is small and with a weight of 980kg, which is fairly light. 

It also has a sophisticated suspension set up for a car of its size, with double wishbones at the rear and adjustable Ohlins dampers, while the wheel-at-each-corner stance gives the car a more planted look. Moving the wheels and associated suspension components to the car’s corners also frees up interior space. 

The car’s design is a collaboration between Renault and British designer Ross Lovegrove, who has worked on projects from a bicycle made from bamboo to the interior of Lufthansa’s first class cabins. Lovegrove also designed the wheels, and Michelin developed a bespoke set of tyres for the car. 

The car has powered suicide doors, which allow the central pillar to be dispensed with, opening up the cabin. The entire interior is covered in lights which follow the contours of the cabin, and the seats have been made as thin and as light as possible. They’re covered in a waterproof, fire-retardant material, and the seat frame is visible through the fabric to further lighten the cabin. The infotainment system is controlled from a tablet mounted in the middle of the dash. 

Much of the Twin-Z's detailing is purely conceptual, but expect the next Twingo to be available as a five door as well as a three door. Renault also wants the car to have a high degree of customisation, to compete with the likes of the Fiat 500 and Mini.

Dan Stevens

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MikeSpencer 8 April 2013

I've seen some far-out concepts...

...but that has to top them all. You wouldn't lose it in a carpark though, would you? That interior is even more outlandish.  Apparently the designer also styled Lufthansa's first class cabins. Wow, they must look like nothing else on earth!

supertax 8 April 2013

Surely that should be 81mph

Surely that should be 81mph restricted top speed, not kph.

67bhp would eaily go over 100mph.

 

 

haz 8 April 2013

Suicide doors

Why do a lot of conecpt cars have suicide doors, when they hardly ever make it to production? Its not amazing engineering, its just putting the hinges on the other side...

pcws 8 April 2013

@haz. Suicide doors are used

@haz. Suicide doors are used on concept cars so that the interior can be clearly seen.