Renault Twingo RS and Gordini RS 2012

On February 20, Renault will officially present the new updates coming for 2012 to the Renault Twingo RS and Gordini RS. With somewhat more extreme changes, these two models from the brand with the diamond badge kick off the year reaffirming their offer in the compact segment with a sporty edge.

On the Twingo RS side, we are looking at the same car the French brand unveiled at the Frankfurt show. Finished in yellow, with a small spoiler above the third door and a refreshed front end, the new rounded headlights on both models seem a little exaggerated in size and out of place to me. One might think they are a nod to the headlights of the old Dauphine, but if we look further back we find a repetition of headlights on the rear door, so now we no longer know what to think.

The Twingo RS engine carries over, with the same 1.6-litre unit producing 133 CV which, according to the French maker, is more efficient than the previous Gordini RS in both consumption and emissions.

As for the Gordini RS, this version has been retained, and it is essentially just a kind of nod to the legendary R8, with its bluish details. It gets no additional power, so the petrol engine range will consist of a 1.2 16v with 75 CV and a 1.2 tCe turbo with 100 CV, while the diesel engines are two 1.5 dCi units, with outputs of 75 and 85 CV.