Ask anyone who’s driven the charismatic, mid-engined, rear-wheel drive Renault Clio V6, and we guaranteed they’ll rank it in their top ten drives of all time. As flawed as the poor-turning circle, cramped interior, thirsty engine and the knife-edged handling made it; it’s a cult-classic. Now Renault is recapturing the majesty of that car in the new Twin’Run Concept.
The French carmaker unveiled the Twin’Run at yesterday’s 71st Monaco Grand Prix. Styling wise, take a Fiat 500 sized car, fit a mid-mounted 3.5-litre V6 engine borrowed from the Megane Trophy, slap on a big wing, some funky Daft Punk-like rally fog lights and voila – the Renault Twin’Run Concept echoes the history of the Renault 5 Turbo and Clio V6, but in a modern guise.
The mid-mounted engine makes 235 kW at 6 800 r/min and a peak torque of 379 Nm at 4 850 r/min. Power is delivered through a sequential gearbox and limited slip-differential to the chunky rear tires, so the Twin’Run has no trouble reaching 100 km/h in 4.5 sounds and 250 km/h at the top end.
Double wishbone suspension at front and rear, and OHLINS two-way spring-damper combinations keep it on the black stuff. The car only weighs 950 kg because of its tubular steel and carbon fibre construction. It also sits pretty on some 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 205/40 front and 245/35 rear tyres. Stopping is courtesy of six-piston calipers for the front wheels and four-piston callipers for the rear.
Separated from the engine area by a plexiglass panel, the interior features bucket seats, motorsports steering wheel, racing handbrake and an aluminum pedal assembly. A 5.5-inch LCD screen positioned behind the steering wheel shows the vehicle speed, gear speed and engine speed, as well as fuel pressure, clutch pressure and oil pressure. Two red pressure gauges with centrally positioned needles show the oil temperature and water temperature, a last nod to the R5 Turbo.
The proportions of the Twin’Run are as follows: 3 680 mm long, 1 750 mm wide and 1 493 mm tall, which makes it basically the same as a Fiat 500. “Twin’Run embodies the mad genius Renault has been known for over the decades, to the delight of motor sports enthusiasts. No one has forgotten the R5 Turbo and the Clio V6. Twin’Run is the true heir of those racing cars that had so much appeal,” says Axel Breun, Head of Concept Car Design. Watch the Renault promotional video below:
