Renault Twingo to be discontinued, to be succeeded by new model based on Renault 5 prototype – report

The Renault Twingo will not live on beyond its current, third generation, CEO Luca de Meo said in a statement to L’Automobile Magazine. This however will not be the end of the model segment occupied by the Twingo, and instead will be replaced by a new model based on the Renault 5 prototype, Renault spokesperson Yann Chénot clarified in a response to CarScoops.

“It’s a shame to abandon this type of vehicle but small combustion-powered cars will disappear because of the rules of the game,” de Meo said earlier, who added that Renault will no longer be able to make a model such as the Twingo on its own as Renault has ended its partnership with Daimler, who make the Smart Fortwo and Forfour, with which the Renault shares many components.

“Luca de Meo’s statements in the press refer to the upcoming Euro 7 regulatory deadline. We will be among the rare manufacturers to maintain a dual thermal/electric (hybrid) offering in this segment. However, we are not abandoning the small car segment, as demonstrated by the Renault 5 prototype that we presented at Renaulution,” Chénot said.

The Renaulution plan is for Renault to introduce 24 new models by 2025, half of which will be C- and D-segment models, while 10 of which will be fully electric vehicles. A rationalising of platforms will also see the current line of six Alliance-wide model architectures halved to three, and similarly powertrains will also be trimmed from eight families to four.

The Renault 5 prototype made its debut at the unveiling of the ‘Renaulution‘ business plan, and the French automaker stressed at the time that the forthcoming production all-electric city car will not replace existing models such as the Clio and fully electric Zoe.

The Zoe’s place in the Renault line-up is secure as it is the best-selling EV in Europe, said Groupe Renault executive vice-president Laurens van den Acker, while the Clio – as well as the Captur – will continue to have market-specific roles as determined by their energy source, depending on the regulations of each market the vehicle is in, said design director Gilles Vidal.

GALLLERY: Renault 5 Prototype

GALLERY: 2019 Renault Twingo

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