RENAULT Twizy RS F1 (2013) Concept
Renault has chosen the Twizy manufacturing plant in Valladolid, Spain, to present its new Twizy Renault Sport F1 concept car. This fun take on the brand's small electric car features muscular styling and impressive performance credentials to serve as a bridge between the world of F1 technology and that of production cars.
Twizy Renault Sport F1 sits on the wheels of a single-seater race car and is equipped with a front splitter, side-pods, a rear wing and a diffuser complete with an F1-style rain light which forcefully express the concept car's ties with motor racing's premier category.
Twizy Renault Sport F1 is much more than eye catching concept car, however. In addition to its spectacular look, it delivers genuine high performance thanks to its Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) which is identical to the solution used by Renault-powered Formula 1 race cars. The system instantly boosts power output six-fold to reach almost 100 horsepower and is capable of catapulting the car from standstill to 100kph as quickly as Renault's highest-performing road car, Mégane R.S. This technological gem is the fruit of close collaboration between engineers at Renault Sport Technologies and their colleagues at Renault Sport F1.
This extraordinary vehicle showcases Renault's advanced expertise of the electrical technology employed in F1, notably in the field of KERS in which it was one of the precursors in 2009. Renault's long-standing commitment to motor racing's blue ribband category provides it with a unique technological laboratory, giving it an advantage not only in the world of race cars but also in that of road cars.
Twizy Renault Sport F1 will be shown at major events throughout the year, beginning with its first public appearances at the World Series by Renault meeting at Aragon, Spain, and at the 2013 Barcelona Motor Show.
F1 TECHNOLOGY APPLIED TO TWIZY
"We always said we wanted to create F1-derived technology that was road relevant! Hopefully, this car will make a few people smile while also making a serious point. The project was led by Renault Sport F1 and Renault Sport Technologies, working in close conjunction with Renault's electric vehicle development department. KERS is a very complex system and integrating it into another electric car was a very serious endeavour, but they managed to make it work, delivering a huge boost of power safely and efficiently. I'm not sure we'll be seeing many of these cars on our roads, but it does show that the same principles we see on the race track can be filtered down to the road car range - this is just the evil elder brother!" Jean-Michel Jalinier (President and Managing Director, Renault Sport F1)
SMALL BUT TOUGH: A SPECTACULAR LOOK INSPIRED BY FORMULA 1
Twizy Renault Sport F1's calling is immediately apparent through its slick tyres (the same as those fitted to the Formula Renault 2.0 single-seater), as well as through its carbon splitter, side-pods and rear wing. Its unique proportions give it the appearance of a beast that is about to pounce yet which is still fun to drive.
Other features derived from the world of racing are its single-seater type mirrors and diffuser, which incorporates the rain light of a Formula Renault 3.5 car. At the same time, the bulbs of the lights have been replaced by LEDs which, again mirroring the world of motor sport, consume less energy.
Meanwhile, Twizy's rear seat has made way for the KERS which is visible inside a transparent housing. Last but not least, Twizy Renault Sport F1 is equipped with an F1-type steering wheel from the Renault Sport Technologies catalogue.
"Twizy Renault Sport F1 is a simple yet smart vehicle which combines original lines and advanced technology derived directly from Formula 1. Our objective was to reinforce Twizy's 'fun' side by using F1 cues to express its personality. In terms of both its look and performance, the result is quite simply spectacular." Eric Diemert (Design Director, Renault Sport Range)
In order to express the link with Formula 1 and the Renault Sport race car range, both Renault Sport F1 and Renault Sport Technologies contributed to Twizy Renault Sport F1's design.
"As far as styling was concerned, we wanted to avoid falling into the trap of simply producing a steroid-fed Twizy. We therefore worked closely with Renault Design to find a way of incorporating Formula 1 cues on a vehicle of this size. Although Twizy's forms clearly distinguish it from a single-seater race car, you can see numerous echoes of the world of grand prix racing." Tarik Ait Said (Project Coordinator, Twizy Renault Sport F1)