100: Renault Twingo – a bit-player that’s captured our attention

The Twingo is but a minority bit-part player in the Irish car market, but it’s one for which we have a strange affection. It’s rear-engined for a start, and that’s something that always captures our attention. If you want to buy any other car on the market with its engine out the back, you’re going to have to trade up to a 911.

Renault has carefully ensured that the Twingo doesn’t feel mid-engined (so as not to scare the unsuspecting) and, to be honest, it’s not very exciting to drive (light steering, mostly remote chassis responses), but it can turn tighter than a black cab, and there’s a sense of fun and frolics about the way it goes around town. Cabin space is okay, quality equally so, and there’s a simple solution to not having a big, expensive touchscreen: there’s a clamp so you can attach your smartphone to the dashboard.

Rear-engined and imbued with lateral thinking – no wonder we kinda like the Twingo.

Best model: TCe 90 Dynamique