Latest news with #citycar
Auto Express
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Car Hunter: Help! I need a small, stylish and spacious car for £7,000
If you want to get ahead in the urban jungle, then a city car should be at the top of your shopping list. Small, easy to drive and cost-effective to run, they can fit through the tight gaps and into the smallest parking spaces. The best city cars offer style, a classy cabin and are equally at home on the open road as they are on city streets. Advertisement - Article continues below Few are as funky as the Smart ForFour, which combines distinctive looks with a novel rear-engined layout and the sort of quality you'd expect from parent firm Mercedes. Or how about the MINI hatchback? Ever since BMW reinvented the British icon two decades ago, it has set the small-car standard for eye-catching style and driver fun. Taking a similarly retro-themed approach is the Fiat 500, which features cheeky looks and some of the lowest running costs in the business. For: Looks great, easy to drive, packed with equipment Against: Cramped rear seats, weak engine and handling Despite nearing its 20th birthday, the Fiat 500 still looks as fresh and trendy as ever, especially in Lounge trim that adds neat alloys and a range of funky colours. Only on the move does the car's age show, with its 1.2-litre engine being the most sluggish and least efficient here. The ride is also a little bouncy, and the light steering offers little feedback. Yet it's a doddle to drive in town. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Huge popularity when new means there's plenty of choice on the used car market, and £6,800 buys you a 21-plate Mild Hybrid Pop with just 35,000 miles on the clock. Advertisement - Article continues below The style continues inside, where a full-width body-coloured dash insert and heavily cowled dials hark back to the original 500. The light-coloured trim materials and distinctive checked fabric on the seats make the 500 feels surprisingly luxurious. This is enhanced by a generous amount of kit, including touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto, a panoramic glass roof, air-con, cruise control and parking sensors. The 500's upright driving position is comfy, but the rear seats are cramped and are best suited to kids. Its 185-litre boot matches the Smart's, but there's less space with the back seats folded. Used Fiat 500 deals For: Great fun to drive, punchy engine, refined Against: Expensive, larger dimensions, least standard kit The slightly bulbous third-generation MINI hatchback is the biggest car here, but it's still compact enough to make light work of crowded urban areas, plus it's packed with retro appeal. It's the most engaging of these three to drive, and a range of responsive engines adds to the fun. Firm suspension results in a fidgety ride, but the refined MINI is the best choice for long trips. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Strong residuals mean you'll have a higher mileage at this price, but we found a 16-plate, diesel-powered Cooper with 70,000 miles for £6,000. Advertisement - Article continues below Like its exterior, the MINI's cabin has been treated to some retro design touches, such as the large circular binnacle in the centre of the dash, some eyeball air vents and metal toggle switches. Quality is first rate, with soft-touch materials and a robust fit and finish giving the British machine a real upmarket feel. While the One is the entry-level model, you get air-con, electric windows and infotainment that features Bluetooth, DAB and USB connectivity. The low-slung driving position is great, but taller occupants will feel cramped in the back, and the three-door layout makes access tricky. But the 211-litre boot is the biggest here. Used MINI hatchback deals For: Five doors, tight turning circle and low running costs Against: Basic infotainment, not suited to long journeys If you want head-turning kerb appeal, then the quirky Smart takes some beating. This is largely down to the trademark exposed Tridion safety cage, which is finished in a colour that contrasts with the rest of the car. Despite its rear-engined layout, the Smart ForFour isn't sporty to drive, but with its narrow body and tight turning circle of 8.65 metres, it's the most agile car around town. It rides bumps well, while its 0.9-litre three-cylinder engine delivers decent urge and strong efficiency. For £5,600 you can bag a 15-plate 1.0-litre Passion with 44,000 miles. The Smart is equally adventurous inside, where you'll find a distinctively designed dash and a bold, albeit possibly controversial, two-tone colour scheme. High-grade materials and solid build quality create an ambience that could generally be described as upmarket. The infotainment is fairly basic, but there's a neat smartphone cradle, plus air-conditioning and cruise control. A five-door layout boasts versatility, but while there's plenty of space up front, those in the back will feel a little hemmed in. At 185 litres, the ForFour's boot is on the small side, but the rear bench can be quickly folded flat to free up 975 litres of capacity. You can also fold the front passenger seat down to accommodate extra-long loads. Used Smart ForFour deals Now you can buy a car through our network of top dealers around the UK. Search for the latest deals… Find a car with the experts Flawed hybrid car efficiency data to stifle UK EV sales and propagate pollution Flawed hybrid car efficiency data to stifle UK EV sales and propagate pollution Half a million extra PHEVs could reach UK roads by 2030 in place of cleaner EVs due to changes surrounding the ZEV Mandate New Ford Fiesta: latest details on supermini's potential return New Ford Fiesta: latest details on supermini's potential return The Ford Fiesta could be coming back as an electric car, and here's everything we know so far Kia is returning to its 'Keeping It Affordable' roots Kia is returning to its 'Keeping It Affordable' roots Mike Rutherford thinks new cars are simply too expensive, but some manufacturers are starting to do something about it
Auto Express
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
BYD Dolphin Surf review
BYD has high hopes for the Dolphin Surf and in many respects it's right to. The car is priced to compete at the value end of the city car market, but it has the space and sophistication of something significantly larger. Maybe it lacks the design flair to lure fashionable buyers from the more trendy alternatives but a smooth, refined driving experience, low costs and a roomy, good-quality cabin will be enough for those of a more practical persuasion. Key specs Fuel type Electric Body style Five-door hatchback Powertrain 1 x e-motor, front-wheel drive Safety N/A Warranty 6-year manufacturer's warranty / 8-year powertrain Having already given us the Dolphin, Seal and Sealion, BYD's nautical naming policy was blown off course by the Seagull. The city car inexplicably named after everyone's favourite chip-stealing seaside pest on the Chinese market has been revamped and re-christened as the BYD Dolphin Surf for the UK and Europe. It was probably a sensible move. Advertisement - Article continues below The Dolphin Surf arrives as the entry-level car in BYD's expanding UK model range, sitting below the Dolphin supermini and the Atto 2 small SUV. The giant firm already dominates its home market and has openly outlined its ambitions to become the world's biggest car maker in very short order. The Dolphin Surf is BYD's entry into a small electric car sector where rival brands have historically struggled to turn a profit. The inherent cost of EV running gear and of meeting tough safety legislation in compact, affordable cars has proven to be a major barrier, yet we have still been seeing signs of life in this area of the market. With the Dacia Spring and the Leapmotor T03 at the budget end joined by more fashionable options like the Renault 5, Hyundai Inster and Fiat Grande Panda, the BYD Dolphin Surf has plenty of competition. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below BYD's effort is priced from around £18,000, splitting the difference between stripped-out econoboxes like the Spring and urban trend setters such as the Renault 5. It's also on the large side for a city car, very close to four metres long and with a 308-litre boot. So again, BYD looks to have constructed a solid on-paper value proposition with which to lure buyers as yet unfamiliar with the brand. Advertisement - Article continues below The car is strong on technology as well. The Dolphin Surf uses BYD's e-Platform 3.0 underpinnings that incorporate its trademark 'Blade' battery technology. This clever system has cells that act as structural elements of the battery, improving rigidity while saving weight and cost. BYD has also flexed its muscles as a world-leading EV component manufacturer in creating what it claims is a world first eight-in-one electric powertrain system. This combines the electric motor, charger and other units into a single module that boosts efficiency, saving a lot of the space that is so crucial in a small car. There are three trim levels on offer - Active, Boost and Comfort. All models get BYD's gimmicky 10.1-inch rotating touchscreen, LED daytime running lights, adaptive cruise control, air-conditioning and vegan leather seats. There's also rear parking sensors and a rear-view camera for a belt and braces approach to parking. Boost models get a larger battery, 16-inch wheels that are an inch bigger than those on the Active, electric front seats and auto wipers. In Comfort spec there's a 360-degree camera, full-LED headlights, heated seats and a wireless charging pad for your phone. Not to mention a more powerful electric motor. The BYD Dolphin Surf is a conventional front-wheel-drive city car that incorporates some clever powertrain tech under its skin. BYD says it's the world's first mass-produced eight-in-one EV powertrain with the motor, reducer, charger, DC power converter, power distribution box, battery controller, motor controller and vehicle control unit all combined into one module. What it means for those of us who aren't electric vehicle engineers is savings in space and cost. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below On the move there's only the slightest whine detectable from the electric motor at low speeds, and the Dolphin Surf settles down to prove extremely quiet in town driving. Even under hard acceleration, the motor stays hushed, with only the increasing wind noise really audible in the cabin. The suspension is on the noisy side but it deals with rough surfaces very well, cushioning vibrations. The ride only became jarring over the most serious potholes that our central Rome test route threw up. The steering is light, just as you would want in a city car, and consistent in the responses it brings from the car. It's not particularly direct, though, and the Dolphin Surf lacks that darty feel that makes a small car really enjoyable to punt about town. The brakes are powerful enough and predictable but the effect from the dual-mode regenerative braking system is very slight. Even in the strongest setting there's little noticeable slowing when you lift off the accelerator and if you like the feel of a strong re-gen system or even one-poedal driving, this isn't the car for you. The exact powertrain you get in the BYD Dolphin Surf depends on your choice of trim level. The base Active cars get a 30kWh battery and the others get a larger 43.2kWh unit. While Active and Boost trims offer an 87bhp motor, the Comfort range topper has a punchy 154bhp and 220Nm of torque, making it one of the most powerful models in the class. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below None of the BYD Dolphin Surf versions are what you would call blisteringly fast, especially by modern EV standards. The Active model manages a 11.1-second time for the 0-62mph sprint but the bigger battery and extra kit of the Boost make it 76kg heavier and a second slower at 12.1 secs. Even the Comfort model only manages 9.1 secs, despite its extra power and a 1,390kg kerbweight that is just 20kg up on the Boost. All of the Dolphin Surf models have a 93mph top speed. Model Power 0-62mph Top speed BYD Dolphin Surf Active 87bhp 11.1s 93mph BYD Dolphin Surf Boost 87bhp 12.1s 93mph BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort 154bhp 9.1s 93mph BYD's Blade battery and e-Platform 3.0 chassis technology help the Dolphin Surf deliver a driving range of up to 200 miles, a very strong showing for the city car class. Even the base model can manage close to 137 miles on a full charge in the official WLTP tests, fractionally below the Dacia Spring's 140-mile range. The batteries in the Dolphin Surf are Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) units, chosen for their low cost and durability. You've got the choice of a 30kWh pack on the Active and a 43.2kWh one in the Boost and Comfort. The maximum charging speed for the smaller battery is 65kW but the big one can charge at 85kW. It means that in either case, the Dolphin Surf can be boosted from 10 per cent to 80 per cent in half an hour. That's faster than the Dacia Spring (34kW) or Leapmotor T03 (48kW), but the Renault 5 wins out with its 100kW maximum. Rapid DC charging, of course, should really only be for quick get-me-home top-ups and all the Dolphin Surf models support 11kW AC charging, which will allow a full charge to 100 per cent in 3.5 hours (Active) or five hours (Boost and Comfort). Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below All models also have V2L (Vehicle to Load) capabilities so you can plug-in and run various devices. BYD suggests a coffee machine or an electric grille but we're not sure how convenient these would actually be in a modern urban setting, where you're never more than 20 yards from a Greggs. Model Battery size Range Insurance group BYD Dolphin Surf Active 30kWh 136.7 miles N/A BYD Dolphin Surf Boost 43.2kWh 200 miles N/A BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort 43.2kWh 192.6 miles N/A Like all electric cars since April 2025, the BYD Dolphin Surf is liable for road tax. The bill will amount to £195 per year but at least the little BYD dodges the expensive car supplement for cars over £40,000. For company car drivers, the car slots into the three per cent zero-emissions bracket for the 2025/26 tax year, rising to four per cent in 2026/27 and five per cent in 2027/28. We don't have residual value predictions for the Dolphin Surf yet, but BYD will be hoping that it follows in the tyre tracks of the large Dolphin supermini that holds on to around 52 per cent of its value after three years and 36,000 miles. That's a couple of percentage points better than the Renault 5's average. BYD hasn't exactly set the car design world alight with any of its products to date, employing a largely safe and inoffensive strategy. The BYD Dolphin Surf doesn't deviate too far from this, but it has at least got a splash of sporty character about it. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below It's a chunky-looking little thing with the wheels pushed right out to each corner to boost cabin space - a trait of BYD's e-Platform chassis. There's a strong line down the flanks that rises diagonally from the front wheelarch to the C-pillar. Lower down you'll spot an unusual contrasting trim section that juts upward from the sill only to duck down out of sight again ahead of the rear wheelarch. There's a sizeable roof spoiler at the rear, and at the front, the sharp nose and quadrilateral headlights might even have the vaguest hint of Lamborghini about them. Make of it what you will, but it's one of BYD's less forgettable European efforts so far. Interior quality is good for a city car at this price, but the likes of Hyundai's Inster, the Renault 5 and MINI Cooper are ahead in terms of the special feel they manage to generate in their cabins. The central touchscreen is the main focus but there is a row of shortcut buttons below that give easier access to the ventilation system and the stereo volume. We could live without the little squelchy sound effects that accompany the car's shifts from neutral to drive and reverse though. There's an interesting mix of different materials in the cabin. The vegan leather seats and the soft suede-like fabric lining the upper doors and the centre console add a touch of class. There's not the same wow-factor that you find in a MINI, Renault 5 or Hyundai's Inster though. BYD's rotating touchscreen might be of dubious practical benefit but it certainly brings the potential for impressing your friends. The 10.1-inch unit in the Dolphin Surf will gently ease itself around from portrait to landscape configuration as required. More useful is the standard Android Auto and Apple Car Play connectivity. Some of the areas you need to press on the screen are quite small and we remain unsure about the practical benefits of the spinning screen. Generally though, the menus are logically laid out and the information seems to be presented clearly enough. In a way, the BYD Dolphin Surf straddles two classes, but whether you view it as a big city car or a small supermini, it does a decent job of making the most of the space it's got. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below There are only four viable seats in the car but rear legroom is impressive, helped by the flat floor. At just over six-feet tall, I was able to sit comfortably behind my own driving position with a decent amount of knee room and space for my feet under the seat in front. Headroom in the front is plentiful but those in the back will be rubbing the headlining if they're much taller. The 308-litre boot is large for the class. There's a big loading lip to drop items over and no dedicated storage for the charging cables but the thin rear seats fold down to create a large 1,037-litre load space. Dimensions Length 3,990mm Width 1,720mm Height 1,590mm Number of seats 4 BYD is confident of getting a four-star score when the Dolphin Surf undergoes Euro NCAP crash tests. The e-Platform 3.0 uses 68 per cent high-strength steel and the Blade battery tech is inherently rigid and safe in the event of a crash. BYD is very proud of the fact that its innovative battery design passes the 'nail penetration test' – which you can probably imagine the mechanics of – without its surface temperature exceeding 60 degrees. In practice, it means that if the battery is damaged in an accident, the chance of a fire is very slim. Advertisement - Article continues below Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Safety kit runs to front and side airbags for the front-seat occupants and automatic emergency braking. There's also a suite of other driver-assistance features from lane-departure assist to auto-dipping of the headlights. Key standard safety features Euro NCAP safety ratings Automatic Emergency Braking Lane-departure assist Intelligent high-beam headlight control Tyre pressure monitoring Intelligent cruise control Euro NCAP safety rating - N/A Adult occupant protection - N/A Child occupant protection - N/A Vulnerable road user protection - N/A Safety assist - N/A Best buy: BYD Dolphin Surf Active No version of the Dolphin Surf is poorly equipped. You get the same infotainment system, keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control, parking sensors and vegan leather trim on the base model as on the others. That makes us gravitate towards the entry-level Active spec as the pick of the range. The only caveat is the shorter range and inferior charging speeds. If you plan to use your BYD Dolphin Surf as a city car for short urban trips, go with the Active. If you need more from it, stepping up to the long range Boost probably makes sense, even though it is the slowest model. Small, low-cost electric cars are becoming more commonplace and the obvious alternatives to the Dolphin Surf for those prioritising low costs are the Dacia Spring and the slightly pricier but also more sophisticated Leapmotor T03. If you're happy to pay more for a small car with a bit more style about it, there are a lot more options. The Renault 5, Fiat Grande Panda, Hyundai Inster, Fiat 500e and even the MINI Cooper Electric are all options in this space. Citroen's e-C3 is another candidate, offering a lot of comfort and cabin space for the money. All BYD Dolphin Surf models get a generous warranty package with six years of manufacturer cover and a total of eight years cover for the battery and electric motor. Share this on Twitter Share this on Facebook Email
The Independent
15-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
New Renault Twingo confirmed for UK at £17,000 or less
We've already had the reinvention of the Renault 5, a reborn Renault 4 is on the way, a reboot of the Renault 4 van is being evaluated and now Renault has confirmed that another retro revival is on its way to the UK in the shape of the new Renault Twingo. The original Twingo was designed an affordable city car and launched in 1992, the name being a combination of dance styles twist, swing and tango. It wasn't until the second generation arrived in 2007 that the Twingo came to the UK, but by then it had lost some its charm and had grown in size. The third generation was something different again, being rear-engined and rear-wheel drive, sharing its platform and layout with the Smart ForTwo and ForFour. The new Twingo was previewed by the Twingo E-Tech electric prototype show car shown at last year's Paris Motor Show with the production car expected to look very similar. As with the latest Renault 5 and Renault 4 models, the new Twingo's design harks back to the original, with round shapes and lines including a new LED take on the first Twingo's semi-circular headlights. The rear lights follow a similar theme, with the new Twingo getting an update to the original's iconic upright rear window. However, with the market moving away from small three-door cars, the new Twingo will be a five door, although the design of the rear doors makes them difficult to spot in the side profile. What you can see is another nod to the original with a circular recess for the front door handles, while the three plastic strakes on the bonnet pay homage to the air intakes on the old car. The inside is similarly retro with the dash in a cylindrical shape with a digital driver display embedded in it and an infotainment touchscreen sitting prouder. Renault CEO Fabrice Cambolive has been in the UK visiting dealers and talking about the new Twingo at the Financial Times Future of the Car Summit. "I'm pleased to confirm Renault Twingo will launch in the UK,' said Cambolive. 'I put all my attention on the challenge to launch Twingo in right-hand drive, because I believe a car under €20,000 (£16.800) equivalent has huge potential in the UK as well as Europe, both for opening up the segment because of its design, technology and dynamics as with R5 and R4, but also because it brings a new level of versatility for the class that I believe customers will respond to. Accessibility to EVs is critical for the future, and Twingo offers something new for Renault, and for all car buyers." Nissan will for the new Micra. That could mean batteries of 40 & 52kWh with ranges of between 200 and 250 miles. Cambolive didn't mention when the new Twingo would go on sale, but we'd hope right-hand drive production would follow left-hand drive production pretty quickly sometime in 2026.
Top Gear
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Confirmed! The bargain new Renault Twingo will be sold in the UK
Confirmed! The bargain new Renault Twingo will be sold in the UK Renault boss Fabrice Cambolive has confirmed the £17k city car will be sold on our shores Skip 7 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures. 1 / 7 Big news about a very small car: the reborn Renault Twingo will be sold in the UK after all, and it's still on track to cost less than £17,000. 'I'm pleased to confirm Renault Twingo will launch in the UK,' said boss of the Renault brand Fabrice Cambolive earlier today. Advertisement - Page continues below 'I put all my attention on the challenge to launch Twingo in right-hand drive, because I believe a car under 20,000 euro equivalent has huge potential in the UK as well as Europe, both for opening up the segment because of its design, technology and dynamics as with R5 and R4, but also because it brings a new level of versatility for the class that I believe customers will respond to. 'Accessibility to EVs is critical for the future, and Twingo offers something new for Renault, and for all car buyers.' Of course, the newly electrified Twingo does actually lean on the 1990s original (which never officially made it to the UK) for its style and its funky seat patterns. Underneath it'll be very 21st Century though, with an as-yet unnamed electric powertrain that's targeting 6.2 miles per kWh. Interior images released in January this year also showed off a 7in digital dial display and a 10in infotainment screen. That's about all we know so far, but now we know we'll definitely be getting a right-hand drive Twingo we'll be sure to bring you any further updates. Advertisement - Page continues below Top Gear Newsletter Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox. Success Your Email*
Auto Express
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
New Renault Twingo 2026 preview: striking EV confirmed for the UK
The uncertainty is over: Renault's all-new electric Twingo WILL come to the UK. The 2026 city car, which reinvents the utilitarian but charming nineties original for the electric age, will be engineered in right-hand drive. That was a privilege the first-generation car wasn't granted, because Renault didn't want to risk the engineering resources on an unproven concept. 'The UK needs a right-hand-drive Twingo,' Renault brand CEO Fabrice Cambolive told Auto Express on the fringes of the Financial Times' Future of the Car Summit. And it's all down to a tempting consumer proposition, says Cambolive: 'a very compact car but with an interior roominess which could be [from a bigger supermini] – at a really accessible price'. Advertisement - Article continues below While the second- and third-generation Twingos did make it to the UK, the 1992 original was so 'out of the box', reckons Cambolive, that Renault wouldn't gamble on a concept with such 'diversity'. Ironically Renault's reduced complexity is helping fund the business case this time. 'Now Renault has a line-up with quite reduced diversity in terms of engines – either hybrid or pure BEV – so I think we can afford this additional diversity from Twingo, [to have] right-hand-drive to access strategic markets like UK. It will be very important for us.' Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below The production Twingo is due to be revealed later this year before hitting the streets in 2026 sporting a price tag of just 20,000 Euros – which equates to less than £17,000, for those of us on the other side of the channel. And for context, the new Renault 5 starts from a whisper under £23,000, while its sister SUV, the Renault 4, is set to cost from £27,000. Renault CEO Luca de Meo described the new Twingo as a 'silver bullet for sustainable mobility,' and said it 'will be a game changer once again, like [the original Twingo] was 30 years ago. This is a fit-for-purpose urban vehicle, state-of-the-art EV without compromise.' We saw the first concept of the new Renault Twingo in November 2023, and we're told its incredibly quirky and totally retro design won't change too much for the road-going car. The design is a modern interpretation of the original bug-eyed Twingo, which was launched in 1992. The distinctive rounded headlights are present and correct, as well as a short bonnet, wheels pushed out to the very edges of the car, vertical rear end, and soft, rounded edges. Advertisement - Article continues below The three air vents on the bonnet are also a nod to the Mk1 Twingo and will feed the EV's air-conditioning system. There are some differences to the original of course, for instance the new model will have five doors, with the rear door handles hidden in the C-pillar as with a Renault Clio. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below It's going to be very affordable, but that doesn't mean the new Twingo will scrimp on the interior. It's set to feature a pair of large digital displays on the dashboard, plus a small bank of physical buttons and rotary dials for the climate control, and sliding and folding rear seats for extra versatility. We know that the new Renault Twingo will sit on the same AmpR Small platform as the reborn R5 and R4, plus the next Nissan Micra. De Meo has also promised the budget electric city car will deliver 'best-in-class efficiency' of up to 6.2 miles per kilowatt-hour, however details about its powertrain are yet to be confirmed. The Renault 5 offers up to 193 miles of range, powered by a 118bhp e-motor and a 40kWh battery. But the Twingo is set to introduce a cheaper, lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. Although this chemistry doesn't pack as much energy as the NMC batteries powering the R4 and R5, clever design means more cells can be packed into the wheelbase to deliver sufficient range – maybe up to 200 miles. Advertisement - Article continues below Assuming the Twingo gets a 40kWh pack and the same 80kW maximum charging speed as the base R5, a 10 to 80 per cent top-up will take around half an hour. When the Renault Twingo concept was unveiled in 2023, de Meo boldly promised it would go from concept to production in just two years to match the speed of Chinese car makers, and bring the budget EV to market in 2026. To help achieve this ambitious timeframe, and reduce the cost of the project, the Twingo is being developed with help of a Chinese engineering partner. In an exclusive interview with Auto Express, sales director of Renault France and former managing director of the brand in the UK, Guillaume Sicard, revealed: 'We have our engineering over in France in the Techno Centre that is working in partnership with an engineering consultancy firm in China so we can work 24/7. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below 'It also means we double the forces working on the project because we have two engineering centres, and the Chinese have a very speedy way of iterations and fixing issues. They go extremely quickly to take decisions, they force their process to go quickly and are a bit ahead of us in terms of technology on many aspects.' Advertisement - Article continues below He continued: 'The Techno Center in Paris will be in charge of all the coordination, and will be in charge of some aspects, specifically everything that is related to the brand's fundamentals, such as the design and so on. Then after that the Chinese consultancy firm will be in charge of some specific developments for the battery, the motor, the software.' But while Ampere is still the MC, or 'master of ceremony', on the Twingo according to Sicard, one benefit he sees in having a Chinese engineering consultancy firm involved is 'it's discovering new suppliers that can propose on-the-shelf solutions. I'm pretty sure we will have some on the shelf solutions that have proven to be efficient for a BYD, human horizons or whatever. We will probably have a few.' He added: 'It's an open world and we have to bring the best to our customers. Our customers want the best of technology at the best price.' The Renault Twingo will have a starting price of under €20,000, which equates to roughly £17,000 at the current exchange rate and would make it one of the cheapest electric cars on the market. Thanks to its low list price, Renault claims the Twingo will also be available from less than €100 per month (under £90). How does the Twingo compare with its chief rivals? Prices for the new Renault 5 start from exactly £22,995, while the Citroen e-C3 – the most recent recipient of our Affordable Electric Car of the Year award – is available from less than £22k. The cheapest EV currently on sale is, of course, the £15k Dacia Spring. Click here for our list of the cheapest electric cars on sale... Find a car with the experts Not bothered by MoT advisories? That may be about to change Not bothered by MoT advisories? That may be about to change The number of MoT failures caused by worn tyres is on the rise, and experts are calling for mandatory follow-ups on advisories Confirmed: New VW Golf GTI will be electric – and it's a 'monster' Confirmed: New VW Golf GTI will be electric – and it's a 'monster' VW is taking the iconic hot hatchback brand into the electric era with the new Golf GTI EV already in development… Mazda MX-5 goes electric: the iconic roadster's radical future Mazda MX-5 goes electric: the iconic roadster's radical future The next Mazda MX-5 roadster is set to be offered as a pure EV, and our exclusive images preview how it could look
