Next Twingo To Be A Rear-Drive Drift Hooner

Everyone loves a hot hatch - the smaller the better - and the Renaultsport Twingo is no exception. Even without a boot full of Ross Kemp, it's a fun little thing that belies the tiny power figures to deliver endless smiles at road-legal speeds.

So when we heard the Twingo range was being replaced, there was a little twinge of disappointment that we were losing the pint-size performer. Until we found out what was replacing it.

Daimler and Renault-Nissan are working on a shared platform and engine project for the next Smart ForTwo. This rear-engine, rear-drive platform, albeit in a longer form, is also slated to form the basis of the second gen Smart ForFour and the third gen Twingo.

It's some time until the cars reach market (expected in 2014 at the earliest) so there's no word yet on whether there's a Renaultsport in the works, but with their record of rear-wheel drive hatches we're pretty optimistic.

Drifting a Renaultsport Twingo? Everyone got time for dat!