Not a lot of people, aside from patriotic Italians, actually think about buying Fiats these days, the only exceptions being the 500 and Panda that are doing quite well – the two models came first and second in their segment in Europe last year, followed by the VW Up! and the now-defunct front-wheel drive Renault Twingo.
However, with a radically different incarnation of the latter, the Rhombus manufacturer would like to see its smallest offering come second to the invincible 500, beating the impressive Panda. In order to achieve that, its annual sales figure would have to be double what it posted in 2013 (~78,000 units).
The team at AutoNews Europe managed to sit down with the man in charge of Renault’s European affairs, Stefan Mueller. He was the one who announced this as a goal, though he did say, “We won’t do anything just for the sake of volume.”
I think it’ll have to be a case of people getting over the Twingo’s practical foibles (small boot, no front trunk) and acknowledge it for what it is: a stylish, fun and very maneuverable city car (its rear-engined nature will allow it to turn its front wheels at an extreme angle, promising a very, very tight turning circle).
However, it will face competition stiffer than ever before and reaching the number two spot is by no means certain.
The car goes on sale later this year and has yet to be priced; the latter will be in and of itself a crucial factor for the car’s market success.
By Andrei Nedelea
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