Twingo made her first public appearence in 1992 to great critical acclaim. In 1993, she began rolling off production lines in Flins in France (formerly the home of the Renault 4) and Valladolid in Spain.

Available as a single model with no options, Twingo began her life as the distinctive and attractive little carthat she remains today, featuring 'MPV' style bodywork and movable rear seats giving Espace-like flexibility in a package little bigger than a Mini.

Another novelty copied since by a very small number of cars is a digital dashboard display in place of the traditional 'dial' instruments.

The success of the Twingo quite quickly to a range of options, including electric windows, electric mirrors and central locking (Pack model), air conditioning (Alizé/Wind models - depending on market), ABS brakes, automatic gearboxes and the innovative 'Système Easy' clutchless manual transmission.

Special limited editions also began to appear, including collaborations with big names in fashion and design; including Kenzo, Benetton and the Elite Model Agency.

From 1996, the 1236cc engine was replaced by the more powerful and economical D7F unit from the Clio.

1998 saw the introduction of Twingo2, featuring revised body-coloured bumpers, combined headlamp/indicator units, new tail lights and dual air-bags as standard. New features available on some models were remote-controlled stereo systems and electric panoramic glass sunroof.

This year also saw the concept car, jointly developed with Initiale, that would eventually become the Laguna2. At this time the Initiale name became the pinnacle of the whole Renault range, and even Twingo gained the ultimate in leather-trimmed, air-conditioned luxury.

The current Twingo range was launched late in the year 2000, featuring a small number of interior and exterior revisions (most notably clear headlamp lenses and 14" wheels), and a new model lineup. The base model became the Authentique, and the Twingo Pack was replaced by two new trim levels: Expression and Privilége. The ultimate model remains the Initiale.

New for Twingo in 2001 were the introduction of the more powerful 16-valve version of the 1149cc D7F unit, and the new robotic 'Quickshift' transmission giving the option to choose between manual and automatic depending on the driver's mood. Twingo's innovation never ceases to stay ahead of the game, and her charm remains unequalled.