Renault ends production of the Renault Twingo with no successor in sight

Renault introduced in the 1990s a different kind of car, with an eye-catching design and built to be extremely useful in the city. It was called Renault Twingo and it marked a before and after, which allowed it to give rise to a second generation that, in a more conservative way, carried on its legacy. Finally came its third and last generation, backed by the Daimler Group, which turned the French city car into an electric vehicle almost in the image and likeness of what has been, in recent years, its close cousin, the smart.

However, the diamond brand has decided to end production of the Renault Twingo in pursuit of more profitable projects. And while the French city car is part of Renault’s electrification plans, the truth is that it is overshadowed by other models with a similar concept and greater popularity, such as the Renault ZOE (road test).

To this reason is added another weighty one: Daimler is breaking its alliance with Renault and, consequently, the synergies between smart and the Twingo. With this premise, the French firm has decided not to continue with a project that, without the support of the German group, is not as profitable or fruitful as originally expected.

At the same time, Renault has confirmed that it has no plans, either in the short or long term, to create a successor to the Twingo. However, the departure of the French city car does open the door to other models that the firm already plans to work on under Luca de Meo’s leadership. We are referring to the Renault 5, a car that will come back to life as a 100% electric compact and will occupy a more vital position in the range.

For now, Renault has not given too many details on the matter, but everything points to a gradual electrification of its model range. The eradication of the Twingo can be seen as an investment so that other models such as the aforementioned Renault 5 can arrive and, although it is not planned, the future replacement for the ZOE could be an intermediate step between it and the Twingo.

In this way, Renault is ending a model that has always been, and will always be, an icon both in the history of the brand and of the automobile. Without a doubt, it will be difficult to find a replacement—even if it’s not a conventional one—for the Renault Twingo, but we are convinced that its legacy will live on in the brand.