Why did Renault's happy Twingo lose its smile?

At its most basic level, a car is a box that, by using levers and wheels, gets you to your destination. But we humans find personality and character in everything around us, especially our automotive pride and joy. The BMW 5-series exudes a serious intent for owners who see that in their own character. The Ford Transit has the look of a no-nonsense truck ready for business. If Renault’s customer research is to be believed, half of the people who saw the thumbnail for this video thought the Twingo was hideous and should never have existed. If you’re watching then you’re either curious as to why anyone thought this car should exist, or like me, you’re the one in four who think this is the happiest, smileyest, and greatest car of the 1990s. And like the BMW 5-series and Ford Transit, maybe its our playful, carefree side that loves it so much. Whichever camp you’re in, this is a fascinating tale that spans five decades. So, join me, and Renault’s head designer and father of the Twingo, Patrick Le Quément, as we delve into the Renault Twingo Story.
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#bigcar

[@vitorleite8449]

"The car smiled to the president, and the president smiled back". This sums up the Twingo.

[@torstenscholz6243]

An old saying says "Smile at life and life will smile back." Which is the philosophy of the Twingo in a nutshell.

[@BigCar2]

We could all do with more smiles in this world.

[@RobG1981]

@@BigCar2 I still believe that the inner feeling is more important. Smiling for the sake of looking nice and happy is self destructive, at least from my experience. I stopped fake smiling and feel much better.

[@BigCar2]

@@RobG1981 Fair enough.

[@Brimstoneandfire]

How I wish they’d done them in right hand drive… I’ve loved them when I’ve seen them in France.

[@ricer34567]

First Twingo was a car we probably won’t see in the future: practical, original, efficient, different. Today we have more SUV’s that claim they have these things but in fact they are boring and too big. Twingo was an ultimate car.

[@dingdong2103]

I inherited a Twingo from my father and sold it for 50 euros lol. You know the car has depreciated when the replacement windshield costs more than the car.

[@Silvike21]

@@dingdong2103 as a person looking into a 90s small car, I'd never buy a twingo even for free

[@dingdong2103]

@@Silvike21 It's not a very sexy car but it takes you and the groceries between the shop and the house :)

[@netako]

@@Silvike21 Trust me it's far better than most small cars from that period.

[@zepter00]

@@Silvike21 we arę nóg nterested on your lack of taste at all.

[@TommyCrosby]

This car has something most cars lacks: an expressive personality.

[@ramp7857]

The Volkswagen Up also had an expressive personality, if they met, they would smile at each other

[@jh565bb]

The most expressive car was the triumph tr2/3

[@s4cells4cell7]

I'm not a big fan of car facial expression... but what about miata?

[@FEGTTTSDH]

@@ramp7857 yeah but the interior is a bit serious in my opinión oc...

[@profligatescumbag9941]

Thats not personality! The serious look of my new BMW 320i with ANGRY headlights is COOL and SERIOUS like a COOL or SERIOUS COOL GUY. Thats Personality! Huh? Y-yes, that M badge is meant to be after the i. No dont- you dont need to google it.

[@AndyZaturno]

Twingo was ahead of its time. It's design it's still show stopping today.

[@RazzFazz-Race]

The Twingo is the Beetle of the 90th‘s. A cheap reliable car that makes you smile.

[@scimatarpictures]

I loved spotting all Twingos as child when holidaying in mainland Europe, very cute car

[@BigCar2]

That's a game I played with the kids! I had Twingos, they had Smart cars.

[@onelyone6976]

I still very frequently see them in relatively good condition running around. I could definetily think of having one in the future as a summer run around vehicle

[@bluthian]

I still do it, I drive a Honda and I miss driving a Twingo, it feels like a VW Beetle in that it's just a barebones vehicle with charm

[@CodewortSchinken]

@@onelyone6976 Here in Germany first gen Twingos sold by the boatload to a primarily female customer base. Today they start to become rare. There is still ton's of them on the used market but early exaples in good or even decent condition are basically non-existent. They are cheap disposable cars by now that will be gone within the next few years. If I had the space I'd realy like to safe a goog condition one in lauch colours.

[@russcattell955i]

There was a kids game here in France, you would playfully punch your friend in the arm if you saw a green twingo. My son played it on the school bus daily.

[@25myma]

One of the best designs EVER, problem is they created an instant icon and then threw it away.

[@netako]

At least the second Twingo still shares some similarities with the first one, the current one, not so much.

[@stormybrain239]

Im daily driving a Twingo, and its quite a good car even though its already 15 years old. Autobahn is no problem- 150km/h are noisy though. Yet not a single other car can turn on a dime like this one. And where newer Audis and BMWs have reliability issues, this happy ball of car still goes strong and gets me to work every day. And everything with a smile...

[@EdgeOfPanic]

All new cars seem to have serious problems with reliability partially due to all safety and environmental rules, simple and very reliable cars like the Twingo 1 are sadly gone.

[@ApocGuy]

@@EdgeOfPanic not that, but calculated that major things starts to break down at around 200k km, "forcing you" to buy new car. my twingo had over 300k on clock, Golf 2 over 600K, scooby is still running at 342K km... al of those cars were made before 2003, so they are ancient in modern standards...

[@FonikosGazmas]

@@ApocGuy Even the old Mondeos are reliable since they were co-developed with Mazda. I met a guy who had a 2005 2nd gen with 700km and still the original motor.... Nicknamed it the "LS400E"

[@blyatifulchao7406]

GOt a Dacia Sandero from 2008, basically the same parts, really a proper reliable car. Renault was really good in cheap reliability in the 90ies

[@flori5548]

The first Twingo is one of THE best designs ever. To me it’s on par with the Beetle and Mini. It’s perfect. I love it. A shame the following generations were such a terrible letdown.

[@gabrielm185]

Instant classic, a French icon.

[@earthur715]

Actually the current one is pretty cool, but the 2nd couldn't have been worse and fucked up the legacy of the 1st.

[@DamianMarx]

@@earthur715 The 3rd gen is what a modern twingo would look like, i'm not a fan of the facelift they did in 2018

[@Janshevik]

@@DamianMarx yeah I really like 3rd gen, I own one and is very fun to drive.

[@1marcelfilms]

Except for the interior!

[@GaryJohnWalker1]

Wonderful of Patrick to give his time for the interview - always good content on here but these types of contributions turn it up to 11.

[@BigCar2]

He was amazing. Very helpful answering questions after the fact, and he contributed some of the photos you see in the video.

[@SonicBoone56]

@@BigCar2 amazing

[@markandisobel]

im sure he did not have much else to do it was hardly generous of him

[@andrewhrichardson]

Spot on

[@banik20080]

@@markandisobel Well I'm sure you don't have much to do at the weekend, so why don't you come and mow my lawn? It would hardly be generous of you, so get off your arse and do it.

[@baywesty]

As a French national (living in the UK now) I'm very impressed and pleased that you were able to interview Patrick Le Quément. Patrick Le Quément shaped the Renault of my generation. I started my mechanic career 20 years ago learning on Super 5's, Clios and twingos. Your channel is extremely interesting for me as you mix between British motoring and French motoring history. Thank you for that.

[@hughoxford8735]

The vel satis and avantime were brilliant

[@TheAndre8900]

Renault really nailed it with the Twingo. Cheap, good clean design, comfy and suited for narrow spaces a must for french roads and cities. They really knew how to make compact cars.

[@thealmightytwingo]

As the owner of a 2001 Renault Twingo, I approve of this video. Everytime I see my Twingo's face I just want to give it a hug.

[@0Thouny0]

You forgot to mention another major selling point (even today on the used market!) of the first Twingo: you could stuff an awful lot of stuff in there. Thanks to the rear seats folding to form a flat surface and its vertical hatchdoor the cargo space was surprisingly large for such a small car, especially for large pieces of furniture.

[@IntyMichael]

And you had a great sight from within. It was almost like you were sitting in the free.

[@klausbrinck2137]

That was such a huge blessing, that as long they knew what a huge bleesing it was for the people, they supposedly directly banned it... Were in a crusade to stop too much positive karma, obviously. I haven´t driven one, but had the privilege to travel on the back seats (me, 180cm, normal/blocky, not slim), and other times, to load it with lots of stuff. For me, it became the quintessential car, the one that can do everything, without even being asked for...

[@robertamoyaw1979]

MINI MINIVAN

[@JackPonissi]

Exactly. It’s astounding but I can put more stuff in my twingo than in some modern SUVs and of course good luck parking those SUVs!

[@Anonymous-sb9rr]

Don't all hatchbacks have this feature?

[@naj_z]

As a car guy, I’ve always liked cars like the twingo. When you are a real car guy, you also like the fun looking small weird cars with a personality and not only the super/luxury cars.

[@H4lminator]

That's very true. Most 'car guys', but also most car channels on KZbin shit on cheap small cars. They only like BMW and for some reason I really, REALLY don't understand, Volkswagen.

[@MJ-uk6lu]

​​@@H4lminator VW tries to play conservative, yet sophisticated card, but not Audi tier sophisticated. In the end it really ended up making cars like Toyota, just a bit nicer, yet not more reliable. Their only daring designs were Lupo, Passat CC and Up!

[@Dark_Flame_Master]

Hehe, same. For some reason, I usually don’t really care about car brands like Ferrari or Koenigsegg (even though there’s some more luxury cars that I like, for example the 90’s BMW E31). But if I see a car like a Twingo 1st gen, an Opel Corsa B or similar cars on the road, I can’t stop smiling because for some reason they make me very happy. Luckily someone nearby my house has a Twingo 1st gen, it makes me smile every time I see it. It’s probably because I can’t stop imagining cars having faces, stories and personalities in some way.

[@JorissenJan]

For me the Aygo/C1/107 was the next generation of the Twingo. Now there's nothing like it left.

[@Commentator541]

The reason why it was such a success even in the second hand market was the practicality. All the handymen that would work in the city would have one as it would fit all the tools and more all while being easy to park and cheap to buy and run, a concept that second generation Panda would adopt.

[@pierreghazarian6087]

Mine is supernaturally good at fitting giant stuff inside, even planks are easy to transport in reasonable quantities!

[@elmafias108]

Even first generation Panda fits in this description

[@mjouwbuis]

@@elmafias108 especially the first generation as it was a very light car with removable backseats. Even better than the (also quite good) foldable backseats in the Twingo.

[@Commentator541]

Yes, the first generation panda as well, although I consider it to be very rudimentary and not interesting to look at. Second and third gen also have back doors which makes it even more practical.

[@henktulp4400]

with my first Twingo,then already 20 years old,we went on holiday......with our six dogs....and a folding caravan.....we travelled well over 4000 kilometres (across the Alps to Dalmatia) and had the time of our lives!!.....that was now almost 6 years ago.....this 500 euro car now did over 60.000 km with me and is stil a joy to drive with just regular maintenance....I love simple old cars....electronics make me puke....

[@skyhight3]

I have a soft spot for the Twingo, was my mother's car for many years and the car where i learned how to drive. Dirty cheap, low maintenance, crazy efficient use of space, just a perfect city car.

[@tastefullynerdy1161]

Same, the Twingo was my grandma's car and then my mom's. Our Twingo was in the family for almost 20 years by the time she had to sell it, I never got the change to drive it...

[@marky0071]

You’re quite possibly the only Brit who bothers their arse to actually pronounce people’s names properly! Absolutely love this channel 😀

[@AtheistOrphan]

In his last video someone (presumably a yank) criticised his (correct) pronunciation of ‘Coupe’ and told him it should be pronounced ‘Coop’!

[@Andy-sh9eq]

@@AtheistOrphan 🤣 speaking English or French was never their strongest trait. I wonder what Canadians think of the way they say coupè ?

[@rw80]

@@Andy-sh9eq Coupé

[@Andy-sh9eq]

@@rw80 sorry RW I don't speak French I see I have got that wrong thanks for advising me.

[@chumbawaumbacumpa]

@@AtheistOrphan Yup, it’s pronounced “coop” in the U.S., so most likely it was a “yank” who tried to correct him. There are ignorant people wherever you go in the world. We also say sedan instead of saloon, and we don’t say lorry when talking about trucks.

[@mafiousbj]

We really need happy silly cars like this, everything looks angry now, even the Miata! And congratulations on the interview with Patrick! The insight was fantastic!

[@BigCar2]

It was pretty cool to interview him!

[@beardedbear9901]

Awww, look at the little fella. It's just happy to be on the road.

[@ninaakari5181]

Patrick Le Quément is such a lengend! A genious and an artist, I am happy to see him here, instant like

[@casinodelonge]

what a wonderful accent he has too!!

[@MrCheesywaffles]

It's great to get these interviews!

[@davida3970]

I remember going to Spain and Portugal on holiday in the 90s early 00s and being so angry that it was never sold in the UK! Still love the mark 1

[@simonhodgetts6530]

I liked the original Twingo immensely - I even used it as an example of industrial design imbued with humanistic character for my final year industrial design degree dissertation. It’s a pity that subsequent iterations lost the character of the original. Patrick Le Quement is an underrated genius - he oversaw some terrific car designs.

[@weetikissa]

Didn't really realize how much I liked this car until now. Fond childhood memories. They were everywhere in France.

[@netako]

They're still very easy fo find in France and most of Europe nowadays.

[@AlekreSD]

Twingo is one of greatest designs from French automotive industry. A car that was efficient, reasonably cheap and had character. Its a class on its own. To bad today automotive industry is becoming more sterile, boring with loads of unnecessary equipment. Twingo deserves much more respect in car world. The thing i like most in Twingo is hazzard switch :D The BEST SWITCH in cars EVER MADE.

[@walterhenderson2155]

I love Renault cars.

[@Romiman1]

Oh yes, the hazard-tomato... There is absolut nothing Twingo-like fresh in todays desert of SUVs...

[@kevanmccaffrey8513]

Look long and hard at a Renault 5GT Turbo" then look at this thing on wheels. No contest. Sad cars went this way in the 90s.. bland and cheap. But this Twingo was hideous.

[@mrb2349]

@@kevanmccaffrey8513 it was gorgeous and revolutionary, in a time when cars had crappy, boxy designs and lame interiors.

[@H4lminator]

@@kevanmccaffrey8513 Not everyone loves phat lowered turbo cars ;)

[@sanderdejong66]

You have to admire the courage of Renault top level management: we don’t approve it, but we also don’t reject it. Lovely. Still, thanks to that we got this wonderful car!

[@christopherconard2831]

The car that smiles at you. It sounds like Chrysler tried to do an American version with "Hi!" and the Neon. Lots of people (mostly women) loved it. Unfortunately for the Neon first generation quality control was somewhere between maybe and nope!

[@CardboardSliver]

See. The Twingo 1 was a cute little jelly bean on wheels. It wasn't typical French, it was more excited happy. The Neon, well. It was just...a car.

[@salmansengul]

Haha LOL! But yes the Neon actually reminds me of the first Twingo.

[@boosted_spirit]

first gen neon is literally one of my favorite cats of all time. they handle amazingly and had more power than any of the other mid 90s econoboxes

[@guguigugu]

they gave neon a cute face but everything else was still generic average

[@andrewmoorhouse687]

I love the Mk1 Twingo. We hired quite a few on our French trips in the nineties and must have covered many thousands of kilometres. They were great fun, like a modern version of the original Mini. Wheel at each corner gave great stability and handling. Proof that you don’t need lots of power to have fun. Really practical too. The sliding rear seat was brilliant. Patrick Le Quement was something of a genius in my book. Kudos to him for trying to champion the truly innovative in car design. Great to hear him extolling his thoughts on design and the creation of this marvel. I remember at the time Patrick saying car design wasn’t about pleasing everyone, because if you try to do that all you end up with is bland. Better to be creative and some will love it and others won’t.

[@Grantly]

Avantime and Vel Satis... *Chef's kiss* Such underrated cars. Always wanted a Satis but the reliability was horrendous.

[@MirkoC407]

Oh yes, 2000s Renaults and reliability. I had a Renault "3 times": the first time, the last time, and the only time. It was a 2006 Modus and that thing managed to expand every single anual inspection to a 4 digit bill due to broken spring, leaking water pump, broken valve timing (the 1.6 obviously could set the timing for inlet and outlet valves off. If that broke the car whoud run smoothly only about 1500 rpm and stall itself in idle...) and the biggest horror bill came when water leaked into a control board housing. Took the car over from my grandfather with 35.000 km and refused to pay the next big repair at 90.000 km. After driving a Honda (biggest bill beside regular inspection and wear parts a broken water thermostate for 80 Euros including work) and a Mazda (starting trouble at 220.000 km by wear of the more expensive parts like brake saddles, wheel bearings and clutch) the Renault was a big disappointment and I returned to Asia, this time to Korea for a Kia.

[@ijustfelldown]

In early 2000s no one would have trusted them but it's good nowadays. My family owns a 2013 Renault Duster (Originally Dacia car but manufactured by Renault factory here), and we've never had a more reliable car. It has been very dependable on horrible Indian roads that are 80% potholes. The company has come a long way in terms of build quality.

[@capobilotti]

You can buy Vel Satis for like 200 EUR (there are classified ads listings for 1500 EUR ... but listed for 3 years and noone is buying), fully loaded and with 3,5L V6. There's a fucking good reason for that. French can totally fuckup Spartan cars like Clio or 206, whenever they try to move into premium league, they create a total fuckup. Renault 25 and Peugeot 605 were like last French upmarket car that even work. Safrane, Laguna, Mk2 Espace, 607, ..... incredible cars to sit in, but total fuckups in terms of reliability.

[@chaimshamza5850]

clearly he was ahead of his time, the people carrier looking four seater was what people want now, more space a higher veiw and loads of equipment. the salloon also anticipated the 'first class pasenger' type thing. the fact they were not that well built was not a good look, too. funny, thats another thing the prestige brands are doing now!

[@H4lminator]

@@MirkoC407 Actually, the Twingo is a very hardy and reliable car. In Dutch we have a saying: 'what isn't on it, can't go wrong'. It is true for the Twingo.

[@liammaupin9492]

Even as a 6 foot tall 285 pound American I want a Renault twingo with all my heart

[@ZAINALI-xm8ln]

Oof, no need to flex your masculinity.

[@BigWheel.]

@@ZAINALI-xm8ln he just wants a twingo bro, why you gotta be like that?

[@ronwhite8503]

You won't regret it.

[@timcollins380]

I rented a Twingo on a 3 week trip to Spain in 1996. I drove all around Southern Spain, thrashed it and enjoyed every minute driving it. Fabulous car.

[@Klopcyna]

It was not sold in the UK for one simple reason - you drive on the wrong side of the road! Cheers

[@Fiwek23452]

I drove a twingo and the suspension was so calming and relaxed.. very good suspension for a cheap car

[@mihalybognar6775]

I love the original Twingo ,I actually own one , the later ones are nothing close to the original charm and practicality , having a e-version from the original one would be great.Thanks for the excellent video again .

[@JackPonissi]

There is a conversion kit that turns the original into an EV! I toyed a bit with the idea a few years ago, but it costs around 10000€ and the bureaucracy is bound to be hell

[@Janshevik]

I have the 3rd gen, I find it quite practical too and I like how it looks like.

[@eriktempelman2097]

Very well done! The car was cute and a packaging dream. I once used a Twingo to transport an Irish harp, three guitars, and one girlfriend across the country. None were harmed on that trip. Amazing space.

[@JackPonissi]

Three guitars…I did berlin-tourin with a Crumar Mojo Hammond Organ clone (with the full pedalboard!!!!) and a Yamaha P-45 Digital Piano plus a lot of stuff from the home I was leaving and enough space for a second person! Ah, and also a 15” FBT Jolly speaker…

[@sporkfindus4777]

"Is anybody there, there, there? ..." I think Patrick's cheery personality is in the first Twingo.

[@kyliandc9276]

These cars are amazing ! So much room inside

[@ofirs5830]

Yes. The Twingo actually had more rear legroom than an Audi 80 from that period

[@garrylawless3550]

When I saw a Twingo in the British Motor Show program for 1992, I thought what an ingenious car and why was it not coming to the UK! Little did I know Patrick Le Quement designed the two other cars I loved the design of , the Vel Satis and Avantime, I couldn't afford them at the time! Thank you for the interview with Patrick, I will watch it in full.👍🏻

[@casinodelonge]

I remember being on the continent and seeing them everywhere and thinking "why don't we have these in the UK?".

[@julienbee3467]

Maybe English people wouldn't have liked the style as it looks like a toy

[@chucku00]

RHD and Austin/Rover Metro.

[@jamesthomas3756]

I remember going on my first holiday abroad to France as a kid and being amazed at the number of Twingo's I saw on the road. Every second car I saw seemed to be a Twingo!

[@richards4456]

Yes!! Same. First time I was in France was 2003. Seen them everywhere.

[@alluraambrose2978]

It's such a shame we are all moving to SUV's we need the city cars back.

[@robertamoyaw1979]

That's also because people have no Artistic Appeal 😕

[@robertamoyaw1979]

I have an '07 Mazda 3 , which is very dependable , being a 2L 5spd manual, Miata-like drive train, but it looks like a refrigerator so I can't wait to trade up for a 2020 hard top 5spd Mata! asap !!! 🤠

[@robertamoyaw1979]

At least that Miata has some style 👌

[@angelikahiggs4628]

I will never, ever own a SUV or anything that looks like one.

[@robertamoyaw1979]

@@angelikahiggs4628 yep, you got style!

[@Timico1000]

I think the first Twingo is one of the most underrated cars ever, it is a timeless masterpiece.

[@petetube99]

Remember seeing these on holiday and wondering why they didn't make a RHD. It would have done really well in the UK.

[@chucku00]

Answer : the Austin/Rover Metro. And it might also have cannibalized "Nicole and Papa's car" sales, the Clio.

[@RC534]

Oh I am loving this, I owned a red Twingo as a student with bumpers and mirrors in the bodywork color and with a sunroof that could open all the way back. It was such a fun small car to drive. And really cleverly laid out. I even transported a full size dish washing machine in the back with the rear bench folded down :-)

[@bassybossy]

Loved my little Twingo (gen1/phase1). Cheap, frugal, low maintenance, great visibility, compact and yet sooooo roomy for both cargo and people! 2m people fitted easily, even in the back. And that big sunroof flap was amazing in the summer or for absurd cargo. After about a week it's funkiness grew on me and it stil makes me smile if I think about the little adventures we had. It's the only car I've had that I automatically talk about as if it is dear friend.

[@klausbrinck2137]

Why even walk to the back door to load something long, if u can stuff it through the roof, while standing at the driver´s door...

[@JackPonissi]

Me too. And yes, the visibility is unmatched

[@cynthiagoldman-steinway80]

WOW! Congratulations on securing this interview!! I hope that this video proves to become the springboard for much well-deserved future success of your channel! Thank you for sharing!!

[@CensorshipGenesis]

I had a 1998 Twingo, bought as a well beaten second hand umbrella on wheels. At the time I was driving mostly my motorbikes and really wanted/needed an "umbrella"! It simply grew on me. Absolutely awesome, simple economical and reliable little car! My ex/wife still has it. As a (very) cheap short commutes car. Everything I have to say about the tiny Twingo is positive. I traveled from Portugal to Norway with it. Handled it all as a champ. From the very harsh Norwegian Winters. To the scalding Portuguese hot Summers. The full throttle autobahn adventures, etc. Meanwhile on all those "adventures" I tended to be the only one comfortably resting and sleeping in my tiny car. On occasion with the canvas roof wide open and the stars as my ceiling! 🙂 Further into the past I've had a Renault 9 GTC 1.4. Nice decent family car, did everything we demanded from it. But damned, it was boring! It was a grey car. In all senses of the word. Color grey inside and out and worse "grey" design. I didn't had any particular bad things to point out. But it was not inspiring by any means. I wish Renault would make a true come back of this brilliant design masterpiece. As much as I love the original Twingo. The sad follow ups never appeal to me, not even once!

[@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge]

I never really cared for the Twingo, until recently when I met this older mechanic fellow, he used to have a w124 Merc, then an Audi 80 and he moved from that to a clapped out purple Twingo with a mismatched fender, and I'm actually impressed by the little car, very practical. He even bought another one in better shape!

[@fixedgearmad]

I cant believe this, just when im about to go and buy a mk1 twingo! Love it!

[@1701enter]

I rented one on a Greek island and loved it!

[@JakobKsGarage]

Great with the interview with Le Quement! Very interesting. Please do more of that sort. I'm a designer myself and owned a Twingo mk1 last year. Drive a Figaro now.

[@BigCar2]

The problem is finding designers and getting them to talk to me! If you have any contacts, I'm all ears.

[@fabiodalessandro961]

My god. This is called Storytelling at it's finest. My first car was an old Renault Twingo and back than I didn't liked it, because it was kind of falling apart... now after watching this, I kind of feel bad for giving my car away. I'm driving the new Clio now. :D

[@jennydonne8946]

The mk 1 Twingo is a car I would love to have owned. I have owned a mk 3 rear engine rwd Twingo, the only car I really loved and miss, I so want that car back. I miss lulu

[@mjouwbuis]

You actually owned a Smart 44 with A Renault badge slapped on. I've driven that model and found it terrible compared to the mk1. The mk 1 has better handling, more space, less interior noise.

[@jennydonne8946]

@@mjouwbuis the mk1 was never sold in Britain so never had a chance for owning one

[@danpreston564]

Back in the early 2000s when my girlfriend’s family lived in France we used to go to Toulouse a lot. The place was absolutely crawling with Twingos. Every single one of them with dented front wings in the same place from banging in to each other when parking. I believe it was known as ‘Parking Toulousain', and basically involved ramming into the cars in front of and behind your intended space until you could fit in to it. Always enjoyed the Twingo.

[@torstenscholz6243]

Haha, that's the Italian way of parking, too. 🤣🙈 The Southern Europeans just don't care about a few dents.

[@RVREVO]

This was the best video so far. Having an interview with a car designer gives so much insight

[@Sergio_Math]

Another fantastic video! I grew up in the 90s in Colombia. This was my mom's first car (in Tango Red, which looked pink) and she loved it. I remember her taking me to my first punk, metal and hardcore shows in it. It was hilarious. Years later, I got a 16v black one which stayed with me the last years of school and most of my University years. This car was a very important part of my life, and it is fantastic to see it here. Thanks again!

[@nobodynoone2500]

I kinda wanna import a 1st gen Twingo. One of the most pleasing looking cars ever. Not all art needs to say "I'm fast and expensive" just because it is in car form. "I'm cheap and fun" is plenty, maybe even more, for most people.

[@SeatLeonMK2]

keep in mind, the 16 valve is not slow if you launch it😂

[@obywatelce]

I owned '96 Twingo and I loved this car. In your video you focused mainly on design, and while it was really original and eyecatching it only lured clients to saloons, while Twingos driving experience made them put their money on the table. Not only was it super spacious inside (it was more comfortable than my next car - frist gen Volvo S70), but it had perfect visibility in every direction and that combined with wheels on the edges of the car made it the perfect city car - really maneouvreable, capable of parking in every available spot, no matter how tight it was. Also while interior was outlandish and full of quirks and feaures that would make Dough happy, it was suprisingly practical. You could fold rear seats flat in just a few seconds creating giant cargo space putting many estates to a shame, and thanks to spartan desing it was really easy to keep it clean. Engine was really meh, nothing to write home about, but it kept a car going, and thanks to shape of the bonnet you had easy access to engine bay so doing maintenace of fixing something was a breeze. So, yeah... like i said I loved this car. Twingo II on the other hand was just a rebranded Clio and had nothing in common with 1st gen.

[@dominicrusho]

Great video! Really enjoyed this one. It’s early days, but I feel like Renault is heading down a really interesting path at the moment. I have a feeling the revived 5 will be a real hit…

[@doctordapp]

To bad the new 5 will only be electric, I prefer real engines.

[@mrb2349]

@@doctordapp sucks to be you, EVs are amazing.

[@weedmastersr]

@@mrb2349 they're really not. They have zero character, they're all the same.

[@mrb2349]

@@weedmastersr you are deliberately wrong. EVs are fun, adorable, full of features and they offer more than ICE cars. You have no idea what character means, but each EV has a character of its own. Don't be jealous, maybe one day you will be able to afford one.

[@rosenfeldclaudia]

@@mrb2349 expresive &short life&short range,

[@alamcho]

We had a bunch of Twingos down here in Argentina, I've always loved to see them on the street, they where very different from any car we've had at the time. Once in a while I see one on the street, and of course, I smile back!

[@hubabeka]

My first and most loved car ever! Thank you for it really. It was the accompanion of my best period of life. My first trip was to Rome I slept some nights inside :) We took the advantage of fully foldable seats…

[@jochenstacker7448]

I had a Twingo not so long ago. They are the greatest car ever made! At least when it comes to putting a smile on your face and of the people around you.

[@Rammstein56]

How proud and happy must one be to see a design that you made driving down the streets, because people who buy it understand what your idea was with the car. The frog eyes, the huge single windscreen wiper, the antenna on the left hand door mirror ( I know the guy who was there when this was discussed with the supplier Valeo), the hazard lights button that looks like a clown's nose and the rear seat you can move, I fell in love with Twingo the minute I saw a flock of them packed on a truck when driving down to the 24 hours of Le Mans. Today we still own one, an Initial Paris with quick shift and airco and we'll never sell it, this car makes me happier than a Ferrari ! And Monsieur Le Quemant is right, all this retro design shows a lack of imagination and bravery to push the car forward. Thank you for making Twingo possible.

[@andreapellegrino4469]

The Twingo was such a beautiful car, also quite roomy for the dimensions

[@Edders73]

I would really have loved to have bought an original Twingo. Had just sold my first car, a lovely Citroen Dyane. I would have seen the Twingo as a replacement.

[@anthenning]

I've always loved the look of the original Twingo, it's a pity it never came to South Africa. The Twingo 2 did though, and I had one! Apparently one of 20 or so imported to SA to test the waters. I loved my Twingo very much, but sadly it was written off by an idiot in a Citi Golf. I still get excited when I see one on the road now.

[@Darkest_matter]

Do they have car insurance and road tax in South africa

[@mauritsvw]

@@Darkest_matter Car insurance is not compulsory in South Africa.

[@anthenning]

@@Darkest_matter road tax and car insurance is something we have here, and were required to renew our driver's licenses every 5 years. As for insurance being compulsory, I've never not had car insurance and every car I've bought was only released to me once I had proof of insurance. Unfortunately, there are those who choose to cancel it once they've got their car and that's probably why car insurance can be so expensive here, paying for all the uninsured drivers.

[@Britva83]

The King of cars. My mom owned one for 15 years. I drove it a lot. It was amazing. Thanks, Andy.

[@rodintoulouse3054]

Love the way you tell your stories and how you do your homework with impressive research.

[@BigCar2]

It takes an age, and I had to ask Patrick on a couple of points (and he actually went and asked someone else)!

[@numbereightyseven]

Who else rewinded (rewound?) to hear that "carte blanche" again, as beautifully spoken by a native?

[@paveloleynikov4715]

For French styling of the era, this is pretty conservative design. Also, it is retro and current (for that day) in same time. And it is really cute.

[@nikolaikrustev1159]

Thank you, fantastic material as always, a big fan. Would love a video about Bristol or some of the other less known British brands like Alvis.

[@alext8828]

Great idea. Just Googled it. Could be very interesting. Let's vote it up.

[@mystisith3984]

Seeing this in 2024. We should have the ⚡🔌 retrofuturistic version of the Mk1 in 2 years (2026). I loved seeing the intervention of someone who helped creating this original icon. Love those old ads too. The "Why so serious?" trend today kills me.

[@Brera011]

As always loved this episode. The LEGO Technic car was one of my really challeging Tecnic builds, and many more Technic and Creator cars followed. Great to see so many of them in the background!

[@minusED]

Thank you - great as always! With you that the car is fun and has character and is beautiful! Interview was great - thanks and wish you (and us) more!

[@BigCar2]

Glad you liked it! It was a LOT of work to put together.

[@tomaszproblem2684]

Why in the UK it wasn't RHD?

[@BigCar2]

@@tomaszproblem2684 Likely cost.

[@tomaszproblem2684]

@@BigCar2 Thank you.

[@BOABModels]

I have vivid memories of seeing bright Twingos during family holidays to France in the '90s. They really stood out and made me wonder why they weren't sold in Britain. The second generation was too mundane.

[@tastefullynerdy1161]

The Twino 1 is just absolutely goated. amazingly cute design, ridiculous amounts of space for its size, fantastic open room concept, spirited engines even at their low horsepower, great handling, easy maintenance, relatively low fuel consumption... it#s one of the greatest cars ever.

[@ijaen]

This gets added to a long list of brilliant videos on your channel. As a lifetime Renault follower and almost a Twingo owner (got a Clio instead) I loved the Twingo back then and actually looking at it again as London is a great example where a compact city car is all we need. Congratulations.

[@BigCar2]

Glad you liked it Ivan!

[@robertwestinghouse4098]

Good to have the designer give his insights. For me I like to Original Twingo. Thank you for making the video

[@BigCar2]

You're welcome Robert! This was one of my favourites to do.

[@dcrasta]

I rented a Twingo II in London back in 2012 or so. I loved it it as a rental. I found it nimble, thrifty, and feisty as I drove it back and forth from London to Wales. It spent a few hours flat out on the motorway and didn't miss a beat. Thank you for this broadcast, it was really nice to learn about the Twingo

[@Compmaniac]

I've been waiting for this moment for 1.5 years just to tell you. Thank you. It was thanks to this video that I fell in love with Twingo and now, 1,5 years later, I bought it. 2002, 16v, ragtop, silver color (not my favorite, but in Ukraine it's a very rare car) Thank you

[@BigCar2]

That's wonderful to hear! If I were to get another car it would be a Twingo. Did you hear there's a new one that will be launched soon? Looks very close to the original.

[@Johnacles]

I'm in the happiest, smiliest camp. I love Twingo!

[@alexg7417]

That was a super cool story! Thank you for making it and sharing it with us :) My first experience of a twingo was with a french friend in his 60's who had a house in the savoie and loved driving in snowy weather. He'd throw it around the corners in the mountains and it felt like it was on rails. Maybe that was his driving

[@williammurphy3766]

Although the Mark 1 Twingo was made only in right side drive versions, I dimly recall some British drivers who privately imported them. Its charm was irresistible and it combined chic appeal with practicality - space and economy.

[@peterjohns2941]

A real classic. I loved it. Belongs with the other classics - 2CV, R4, R5, Ka, Beetle etc. Why do manufacturers not realise when they have a classic? The later versions always seem to lose the very thing that made the car a success!

[@JackPonissi]

The “new beetle” wasn’t that bad

[@williamfence566]

Always thought the avantime was amazing and would love today's designers of everyday cars to take that leap and not just produce a grey crossover SUV.

[@timothyhh]

I always thought the first gen looked more "stoned" than "happy"

[@davidcrowney1872]

I’m in the camp that when I first saw one in Fuerteventura in 1997 as a fourteen year old. Thought to myself why don’t they sell this in England it’s a perfect first car.

[@Arc0w]

Drove a Twingo as first car, it was fun, the sunroof was amazing in summer, it was just the perfect city car for the time I had it. Would love to have a car like that as electrical car in the future again.

[@KyrosTheWolf]

I really appreciate the effort that goes into these videos. Growing up in the UK I never saw the Twingo out and about, but I remember going on holiday to france and they were everywhere

[@BigCar2]

Me too! I loved seeing them when I went to France.

[@nigellamaccini6091]

Same here that’s why I like this channel

[@dumptrump3788]

0:26 "The BMW Exudes..." I'm a mug who pays wwwaayyyy too much for a car that isn't as good as the adverts claim......and everyone looks at me as an a-hole.

[@owenshebbeare2999]

You seem to be a political mug too. I don't even like the Orange Man, but Creepy Joe is a total failure. Good luck with that!

[@nivesvj]

I still have my Twingo from 2006, no issues with it NEVER. I like all my cars but i love only Twingo. It was always a statement. It was original, it was a happy car that made you happy. I never felt that for any other car.

[@PetrolHeadBrasil]

The designer of the Twingo, Patrick Le Quement, was the same designer of the Ford Corcel II, that was a HUGE success in Brazil! Twingo was sold in Brazil, first from France and then from Uruguay!

[@KubikCv]

Twingo 1 was great ! So much space inside....for travel, sleep , carrying cargo. Almost same big interior space in tiny car was later Renault Modus :) PS: Twingo folding roof perfectly fits to my Trabant 601 :D A lot of "tuners" get Twingo roof from scrapyard to their cars :D Patrick Le Quément just made iconic Renault cars :)

[@joshbacon8241]

The reason why the original Mk1 Twingo was never built in right-hand-drive was because of two reasons: Firstly, at the time, Renault was in the middle of a cost-cutting exercise in the 90’s, after suffering great financial difficulties in the 80’s. Secondly, Renault apparently didn’t want it stealing sales from the Clio in the UK.

[@Rammstein56]

3 they thought the Twingo would not last verg long as a fashion design. 4 this is the biggest mistake they made with the Twingo, the British would have embraced it as the successor for the Mini and they would have taken it to the race track.

[@julienbee3467]

@@Rammstein56 I see expensive cars every time I go to your country, not cars like the Twingo

[@Potatofarmer1898]

I still remember driving a brand new 2001 Twingo in Italy. 1.2 16v. 193 km/h on the autostrada in that little box was something special. 20 years later and counting 5 years till I can bring one to the USA. That car just makes you feel happy.

[@soulassassin0g]

If I had this car I would never trade it, not even for a Ferrari.

[@Federico84]

I love Twingo, is incredibly spacious inside, way more spacious than most bigger cars and eve two over 1,8 cm dudes can sit in the back without any problems

[@pdcichosz]

Awesome video! I love the original Twingo to the bone, even today it can surprise people with the amount of space inside and the practicality. It's a pity you did not mention the pre-facelift Modus, that car was the spiritual successor of the original Twingo. Le Quement might have taken too many chances with Avantime and especially VelSatis but on the other hand, if you're trying to compete with the Holy Trinity of German luxury sedans without having a luxury sedan brand, you might as well take those chances. It's a pity the build quality was not yet there, Renault has gotten a lot more reliable later on but design-wise, the post- Le Quement years were dark.

[@CheekyCultured]

Always love the Twingos. They're just adorable, really appreciate the fact that you've pulled up a photo of the Panda 100hp instead of the standard ones!Cracking motorings they're I've had 2!

[@panagiotissoundias8173]

I would like to add a personal story. Sometime in 2005, I was in a tavern having good time with friends. Night. The place was open, the tables were under a tent, the building was small enough to accomodate only the kitchen. Rain came in, it was pouring down a lot. We saw rain come down into the plates we were eating from. The tent disintegrated under the weight of the rainwater falling. The structures started collapsing. We all panicked and went under the kitchen roof. The place was out of town, there were no public transportation around. Most of us had come by taxi, now they were not available under this torrential rain. A friend in the company had come with his personal Twingo, a mark one in light gold colour. It was the only car around. We went into the car, 6 or 7 persons every time, and he took us to the nearest bus station. He did the round trip several times, so as to evacuate all the customers from the tavern. The Twingo performed admirably. It did not seem to be strained with 6 or 7 persons on board. Everything seemed normal.

[@JackPonissi]

I confirm cramming 7 persons in my first 1992 twingo once. We were young, we were crazy

[@nigellamaccini6091]

Interesting watch and fantastic work as ever, to be honest I had never heard of this car before which made it even more interesting.

[@sushiboxchris]

how did you comment a week ago

[@nigellamaccini6091]

@@sushiboxchris Panteon donations to Big Car we get his amazing videos a week before