Renaultsport Twingo 133 | Spotted

One thing the new Twingo won’t be, however, is very fast. Because that is of course not necessary, but also because 81 hp can only achieve so much when shunting 1,200 kg. It feels fast enough, as EVs always perform above their performance metrics, and the power sounds ideal for cruising city streets. But hey, this is PH, and speed is important. It wouldn’t be PistonHeads if we weren’t already thinking of a small Renault that is Twingoes (sorry) a bit faster. Especially since the A290 has already launched the race so memorably. And because of course there is the Renaultsport 133 in the Twingo archive.

Believe it or not, the 1.6-liter Twingo is now 17 years old; If a teenager could insure themselves on a 133, it would be a perfect first fast car. Because children like to drive everywhere, full of energy, strength and enthusiasm; the Twingo enjoys such treatment and never feels better than when it’s on the limit. Light, agile and vibrant, the Renaultsport was a great throwback to simpler times even in the late 2000s. Nearly twenty years later, it will feel fantastically raw. I remember testing one before I bought my Mini Cooper S; the Twingo felt like a radio-controlled car in comparison, so direct and exciting.

Very many Twingo 133s were never sold. The 2.0-litre Clios were, to be honest, even more exciting, and not much more expensive. A Swift Sport was probably a more rounded junior pocket rocket proposal. And the Abarth 500s were more stylish. Combine all that with the way they liked to be driven (i.e. like a tarmac rally car) and it’s easy to see why there aren’t many left. Like a whole host of cheap, fast(ish) French cars over the years, one or two Twingo 133s will surely have met their maker backwards somewhere.

That’s why this one is quite exceptional. Since 2009, it has been kept by just two owners and not passed on overnight as an overzealous new driver moves on to the next. In that time it has also traveled less than 30,000 kilometers, which is almost unheard of. And it’s the ideal specification: a pre-facelift car with the Cup chassis, but retaining air conditioning and sliding rear seats.

Bear in mind that this was also a £13,000 car 16 years ago, and it looks quite good. You’ll have to make peace with acres of gray plastic, even though it seems to have proven to be quite durable. The sun hasn’t faded the red paint and the 17-inch wheels look in good condition. Against all odds, we have a 133 that made it through the 2010s undamaged and unmodified – hurray. You want to know when the timing belt was last done, because that is just as big a job here as with more valuable Renaultsports, and you must of course include the work for a new MOT in an offer. But it’s hard to imagine a good 133 ever being worth less than £5,000 again, with the Twingo being talked about again and again. And imagine the excitement when Renault does the right thing and brings the fast back to life…

Engine: 1,598, four-cylinder
Transfer: Five-speed manual transmission, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 133 at 6,750 rpm
Torque (lb⋅ft): 118 at 4,400 rpm
MPG: 43.5
CO2: 150g/km
Year registered: 2009
Registered kilometers: 29,522
Price new: £13,165
Yours for: £4,995