Twingo E-Tech Electric: Renault shows the interior for the first time
The exterior of the £17,000 car has also been subtly redesigned
Renault has unveiled the first glimpses of the interior of its small electric car planned for 2026. It will be on display at the Brussels Motor Show from 10 to 19 January. A design study will be shown there, the exterior of which was presented in autumn 2023. At that time, however, there were no pictures of the interior.
The exterior is an interpretation of the historic first Twingo, which was launched in the 1990s and whose semi-circular headlight eyes are probably still familiar to many. The interior was apparently intended to be as "retro" as the exterior, and it should have a spacious and functional layout. The airy and floating cylindrical dashboard helps achieve this. This houses a 7-inch instrument display and a 10.1-inch touchscreen.
At first glance, it is noticeable that the car has the same lever at the top right of the steering wheel as the Renault 5. This unusual part is used to activate the P, N, R and D gearbox modes. There are also three large rotary controls for the air conditioning below the touchscreen. To the right of this is the red button for the hazard warning lights, to the left of which is an inconspicuous start/stop button. The open storage compartments under the dashboard and between the seats can only be guessed at in the dark pictures.
Although the interior is kept in black, Renault also uses colourful accents. The seat upholstery, for example, features colourful patterns like those in the first Twingo generation. These can also be seen on the front door panelling and on the dashboard in front of the front passenger seat. Coloured cork is used for the vehicle floor, at least in the study.
Symmetrically split rear seats
As with the original, the rear seats can be folded down in a 50:50 split and moved in length. The symmetrical rear seat layout suggests that this is a four-seater, just as it was back then. Renault also remains true to the original Twingo with the hinged windows in the rear. Unlike the youngtimer, however, the car has five doors instead of three. And while the historic model had a practical fabric roll-up roof, the new model has a large glass roof.
Tester son magnetisme is labelled on the headrests: An invitation to test the magnetic area
The Renault design team has also incorporated various details that focus on everyday practicality. For example, there is a magnetic area on the front headrests to which rear passengers can attach their mobile phones. An elasticated strap serves as a map pocket and can also hold a water bottle.
The adjustment knob for the seat backrests is reminiscent of skateboard wheels
The car shown in Brussels is described by Renault as a show car or as a prototype, not as a design study. This is obviously intended to emphasise that it is not yet the final design. However, the car looks very close to series production, both inside and out.
According to Renault, numerous changes have been made to the details compared to the show car from the 2024 Paris Motor Show. For example, there is an air intake in the lower part of the front, the rear wheel arch extensions are smaller and the black bumpers have a new honeycomb pattern from the 3D printer. In addition, the front door handles no longer have an illuminated border and a small side window has been added near the exterior mirror. The shape of the rear lights has also been changed.
The rear with the new lights
Version from the Paris Motor Show
The production vehicle is due to be launched in 2026 and is based on the AmpR Small platform, which also carries the Renault 5 and Renault 4. While the R5 is available from £22,995, the Twingo is expected to be priced below the €20,000 (£17,000) mark, as Renault confirms. So far, only the Dacia Spring (£14,995) and the Leapmotor T03 (£15,995) are available in this price range.
More about the Twingo:
The bottom line
Following the exterior, Renault is now also showing the interior of the electric Twingo, which will be launched in 2026. It perfectly matches the retro look of the exterior. At the same time, it clearly sets itself apart from the Renault 5, which is based on the same platform but has a more modern display landscape. It remains to be seen whether the 10-inch touchscreen will be standard on the Twingo. It is quite possible that Renault will also install a mobile phone holder here, as in the Dacia Spring - which is perfectly legitimate. Other details will probably only be available as options, including perhaps the reclining rear seat. But let's wait and see.
Source: Renault
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