First pics: Renault Twin'Z concept
French brand releases the first images of its rear-wheel drive electric microcar conceptThese are the first images of the Renault Twin'Z concept, which is believed to provide an indication of future baby-car offerings from the French brand, including the next-gen Twingo.
Unusually for the micro-car class, the electric-powered Twin'Z is rear-wheel drive, with the motor also housed in the car’s rump.
Co-designed by Renault and British designer Ross Lovegrove, the Twin'Z is said to “bring together two worlds where design plays an important role: the world of furniture and that of the automobile.”
Lovegrove’s resume includes some eclectic projects that range from a bamboo bicycle to the interior of Lufthansa’s first-class cabins.
In addition to his role in designing the Twin'Z, Lovegrove also designed the wheels, which are shod with special tyres developed by Michelin.
Among the car’s surprise-and-delight features are powered suicide doors, negating the need for a B-pillar and thereby making for easier entry/egress.
The interior is festooned with LED lights that reflect the contours of the cabin, while the seats have been made ultra-light and ultra-thin, with the frame visible through the waterproof and fire-retardant trim they’re upholstered in.
Befitting its futuristic design brief, the infotainment system can be operated via from a tablet housed in the centre of the dash.
Lovegrove says his personal vision of automotive design takes its inspiration from the world of nature, which helps explain the organic theme that features both inside and outside the Twin'Z.
Although the concept is more blue-sky vision than potential real-world vehicle, the Twin'Z is believed to provide clues to the next-gen Twingo, among other future Renaults.
The electric motor puts out 50kW and 225Nm, which propels the 980kg Twin'Z to a top speed of 80km/h – hardly earth-shattering stuff, but perhaps adequate for an inner-city commuter.
On paper, the Twin'Z has the makings of a tidy handler, with its wheel-at-each-corner stance complemented by a double-wishbone rear-end suspended by Ohlins dampers.
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