Now with the launch of the restyled Renault Twingo at the start of this year, it’s time for Renaultsport to receive the new styling cues.

New Twingo R.S. will go on sale from mid-March 2012 and feature a new dynamic grille design with four lights and a front bumper incorporating an F1-style blade. This detail, which now runs across the entire Renault Sport range, recalls Renault’s recent success in Formula 1, which ended in 2011 as Renault F1 were rebranded to Lotus.

The rear end of the car features a tailgate-mounted lip spoiler, a special bumper incorporating a diffuser and aerodynamic extensions on the rear wheel arches. Also available is a Design Pack which includes Grey/Dark Gunmetal Grey door mirror housings, F1 blade and R.S. lip spoiler, plus chrome details for the fog light surrounds.

It will also be possible to specify new 16-inch ‘Emotion’ alloy wheels complete with ‘R.S.’-badged centre caps which proudly proclaim the car’s sporting pedigree. The hallmark Sirius Yellow paint finish will be available as an option from the end of May.

Trademark Renault Sport yellow stitching will feature inside New Twingo R.S. (on the steering wheel, seats and dashboard cowl), while the dashboard, radio console, rev-counter housing and lateral air vents all come with Gloss Black inserts. The top of the steering wheel, seat backs and cushions, rev-counter surround and manual climate control controls are picked out in white.

New Twingo Gordini R.S. is instantly recognisable, as before, by its twin white body stripes on either Malte Blue, Glacier White, Pearlescent Black or Vif Red paint. 17-inch diamond-effect black wheels, leather trim and automatic climate control further distinguish the Gordini from the regular Twingo R.S. and in addition to the blue interior trim, a new ‘grey interior’ can now be specified, irrespective of body colour.

The oily bits

As before Twingo R.S. is powered by a feisty, normally-aspirated 1.6-litre 16V engine producing 131 bhp at 6,750rpm, and 160Nm of torque at 4,400rpm. But Renault has managed to reduce CO2 emissions by 3.2 percent to 150g/km and fuel consumption by 3.0 percent to 43.0 mpg.

Body control is maintained with the standard Sport chassis, whilst the Cup chassis (ride height lowered by 4mm) is available as an option.

For a bit of extra fun, Renault are now offering its R.S. Monitor, first introduced on the Nurburgring record breaking Megane Trophy, that provides a series of on-board telemetry readings particularly useful for the occasional track day.

Pricing has yet to be confirmed for UK buyers, but in France Twingo R.S. will start from €16,900, whilst the higher-specced Gordini R.S. version is priced from €18,100.

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This design touch, which can now be found across the entire Renaultsport range, is a tribute to Renault’s recent success in Formula 1. The rear wheel arches, including air vents that reinforce the car’s sporty character, house a distinctive new 16-inch Renaultsport wheel design.

Customers can personalise the exterior with a design pack which sees the F1 splitter, door mirror housings and Renaultsport spoiler all finished in a dark anthracite colour.

Inside, the yellow stitching used for the steering wheel and seats matches the hallmark colour of other Renaultsport models, whilst the centre console and rev-counter housing are finished in Gloss Black. A new white interior tone has also been introduced, and is used for the upper part of the steering wheel, for the vertical stripes on the sport seats and for the rev-counter bezel. The optional Renaultsport Monitor onboard telemetry system which has proved so popular on Clio Renaultsport 200 and Mégane Renaultsport can also be ordered as an option.

Under the bonnet, Twingo Renaultsport remains powered by the same 131 bhp 1.6-litre 4-cylinder engine mated to a 5-speed gearbox.

Red Bull Racing F1 driver Sebastian Vettel in the Twingo Renaultsport 133 at Frankfurt yesterday.

New Twingo Gordini

The Malta Blue body colour and white stripes of New Twingo Gordini provide a more affordable step into the Gordini range. Its striking, instantly recognisable looks are ideal for customers looking for a chic and sporty car rather than the more performance orientation of the RS 133.

The 1.2 TCe 100hp petrol versions should deliver decent-enough driving enjoyment matched with fuel efficiency in a fun looking city car.

Drivers looking for a more subtle design can opt for the new grey interior trim and one of the alternative body colours: Glacier White, Pearlescent Black or Capsicum Red. And those who want even more from their car will soon be able to discover Twingo Gordini 133 with the same 1.6-litre engine as the Renaultsport 133, a version which packs all the sporting DNA of Renaultsport but with the Gordini’s visial flair.

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The new Twingo’s face receives a more aggressive (less jovial) look with Juke-like oversized fog-lights together with a larger Renault badge.

The Twingo retains the same bodyshell and will most likely continue with the engines used in the current model. No news yet on the Renaultsport variants, but Renault traditionally use this mid-life facelift to introduce some engine or chassis upgrades in its most sporting models.

So when we heard that Renault was applying its Gordini touch to the diminutive little Roadster, we immediately knew it was bound for success.

Following the Twingo and Clio Gordini models, the exclusive new Wind Roadster Gordini will be presented at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show from 1 March 2011.

Renault claim it’s a true driver’s car – shod with 17-inch black diamond alloy wheels, it features Malta blue bodywork with trademark twin white stripes, Glacier white door mirrors, grille trim and rear wing, and a gloss black roof. A badge marked with a “G” completes the Gordini look.

The Wind Roadster Gordini also places particular emphasis on interior design. The cabin features special “Gordini” black and blue leather upholstery, blue and white door straps and a blue leather steering wheel with the signature white stripes on the centre-band. A leather gear lever gaiter and polished metal gear knob bearing the Gordini name complete the look.

But first and foremost, the Gordini name expresses a spirit that has travelled down through the years. Just as Gordini drivers of the 1960s and 1970s flashed their headlamps as a sign of recognition when they met each other on the road, so the modern Gordini community meets up on social networks. In an innovative move by Renault, its community members were the first to receive news of the Wind Roadster Gordini with a teaser posted on the Gordini fan page on Facebook this past Monday.

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When Renault announced the Gordini brand earlier this year we wondered how it would fit alongside their existing Renaultsport range – thoughts of even higher performing models entered our minds, bearing in mind the rich competition success of those R8 Gordinis which finished 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th in the 1964 Tour of Corsica rally.

But the clue to Renault’s revival of the Gordini brand lies in the presentation of the range on their own microsite:

The Gordini Guide to Style

The very essence of French chic comes to the UK with the arrival of the Gordini range. First with Twingo and then Clio, Gordini is about more than just a car – it’s a style. The distinctive Gordini white stripes and finishing touches invite you to enjoy the very best in elegance and class from us. With a leather interior, full connectivity and beautiful looks, Gordini shows off at the top of our range. The car is not all. With merchandise worthy of a Paris catwalk, you can add a touch of glorious Gordini style to more than just your journey. Gordini is confident good looks with personality, but how does it drive? Try it.

Oh dear.. Has the cheeky French brand lost its va, va, voom..?

The Clio Gordini 200 follows on from the recent Twingo Gordini 133, and is expected to appeal to drivers who are looking for a luxurious and sporting small car, mixed with the flair of an iconic French name.

Clio Gordini 200 features a Renault i.d. Malta Blue metallic finish with twin white racing stripes on the bonnet, roof and tailgate, in keeping with the Gordini style. The front bumper is enhanced with a gloss black centre section and white F1-style ‘blade’. The door mirrors are also highlighted in white. This exclusive exterior styling package is completed by 17-inch Gordini alloy wheels with a polished face and black inner rim. ‘Gordini Series’ badging finishes the exterior design.

The same Gordini spirit continues inside thanks to Renaultsport seats in dark grey leather with blue details and Gordini-embossed logo. Blue detailing continues on the gearlever gaiter and Gordini-badged gearknob. The steering wheel is finished in blue and dark grey leather with two white stripes to indicate the centre point. The fascia features a white rev counter and the effect is completed with black gloss finish to the centre console, fascia inserts and air vent surrounds.

An exclusive plate will show the build number of the 500 exclusive examples that will come to the UK.

Clio Gordini 200 is based on the Renaultsport 200 and as with its Renaultsport sibling can be specified with either the standard ‘sport’ or Cup chassis. In addition, Clio Gordini 200 features climate control, curtain airbags, anti-submarining airbags, automatic headlight and wiper activation, cruise control, speed limiter, ESC, 4x20W radio-CD with Bluetooth hands free system with fingertip remote control and multifunctional TunePoint with USB connection, heated and electrically folding door mirrors, double optic headlamps with additional cornering lights, Renault hands free card for automatic unlocking and engine start, height and reach adjustable steering column and extra-tinted rear windows.

Customers can personalise their Gordini 200 with a choice of two other exterior colours. Pearl Black is available with white Gordini stripes or Glacier white with anthracite Gordini stripes and anthracite for the door mirrors and front blade. Should a customer wish, the Gordini stripes can be deleted. Customers can also choose from Gordini wheels with a blue inner rim (£100), Cup chassis (lower ride height, stiffer springs and dampers, red finish to the Brembo brake callipers, quicker steering rack – £410), Carminat TomTom satellite navigation (£460), rear parking sensors (£310) or electric panoramic glass sunroof (£615).

Clio Gordini 200 is available to order now at £19,650 on the road with first deliveries arriving in July, and whilst it’s a stylish little number we can’t help thinking that Renault might have missed a trick with the revival of the Gordini name.

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The launch car is currently on display until January 10th 2010, at the L’Atelier Renault on Champs-Elysées in Paris, as part of the showroom’s ‘Christmas in Blue’ exhibition.

Before we get too excited, the first thing to realise is that this Gordini model is a restyling and rebranding effort – it’s the same underlying car as the regular Renaultsport 133 Twingo. No bad thing, since the RS 133 is already one of the most fun and accomplished small cars on the market, but nevertheless a little dissapointing to discover after all the pre-launch hype.

The Gordini Renaultsport features a gleaming Malta Blue metallic finish, plus two white racing stripes, in keeping with the tradition founded by Amédée Gordini. The front and rear bumpers are enhanced by gloss black centre sections, while the fog lamp surrounds, exterior door mirror housings and rear tailgate spoiler are all picked out in a contrasting white finish.

‘Gordini Series’ badging either side harks back to the 1960’s heyday of the Gordini Cup in France when the qualifying heats of the different race meetings were known as séries.

This exclusive exterior styling package is rounded off by 17-inch alloy wheels with a polished face and a choice of the inner rim finished in either blue or black.

Inside the Gordini spirit continues, the Renaultsport seats are present but this time with extra lateral support, blue and black Gordini-embossed leather upholstery, blue leather door panel inserts, blue and black leather-covered steering wheel with two white stripes to indicate the centre point, blue gearlever gaiter and Gordini-badged gearlever knob, blue rev-counter with white surround and a leather-trimmed dashboard cowl.

So you’d better like the colour blue then.

This Gordini version is quite heavily specced as standard with two choices of exterior paint colour – Malta Blue or Pearlescent Black metallic paint, automatic climate control, tinted rear windows, automatic headlamp activation and cruise control. This is not a ‘Cup’ version then, which continues within the Renaultsport range, however as with the standard RS 133 it’s possible to choose the ‘Cup’ chassis (lower ride height, stiffer springs and dampers) although this might be at odds with the quilted leather upholstery of the Gordini package.

Prices have yet to be announced – Renault will reveal these nearer to its UK launch in March – however we would expect the Twingo Gordini Renaultsport to be slightly more expensive than the standard RS 133 at around £13,000.

Renault’s Twingo RS Gordini becomes the first new model to be revealed in the range, presented under the cheeky strapline “The little blue bombshells with two white stripes are back”.

Further details on its specification and pricing will be revealed as we receive them, but in the meantime you can visit the official Gordini page on Facebook to view further images.

The Gordini brand will be positioned just below the current Renaultsport range, providing customers a greater range of options from which to personalise their cars. A wide range of paint schemes, body stripes and alloy wheels will be offered following the formula that’s been such a success with BMW’s Mini.

First model is likely to be a Twingo Gordini appearing in 2010, followed by hotter versions of the Clio and Mégane Coupe. The famous Gordini blue paintwork will be an option along with the trademark white stripes and contrasting black alloys.

If you have any questions then feel free to post them and we will pass them along to Renault.

The French press are understandably getting very excited about this news, so we will bring you further information when we hear it.