We frowned upon the previous Renault Twingo for its bland looks but there was more than just a little appeal in the RS and Gordini versions with their back-to-basics 'boy racer' charm.
Luckily the Twingo range did inherit some flair in a mid-life facelift recently and now that's been passed on to the aforementioned 'performance' versions, although only the Gordini will be coming to South Africa this time. Expect it to arrive in the third quarter of this year.
Eye candy? That's up to you but at least it is a bit more distinctive with its four front lights and a front bumper housing what Renault calls "an F1-style blade."
Visual highlights on the Gordini include 17-inch diamond-effect black wheels, leather trim and automatic climate control.
What's more, in addition to the blue interior option, a new grey interior can now be specified, irrespective of body colour (Malte Blue, Glacier White, Pearlescent Black or Vif Red).
Purists will be pleased that Renault stuck with the high-revving 1.6-litre 98kW/160Nm petrol engine rather than opting for a downsized turbo motor. The 'sport chassis' is also still in place.