The Renault 5 is back from the dead. The compact car, which was also known as the "Le Car" in the US before it was discontinued in 1996, made an electrifying comeback as part of the French automaker's green offensive.
But the Renault 5's return comes with a piece of sad news. Despite selling around 43,000 units in 2020, Renault confirms that it is dropping the Twingo from its lineup after this generation. The confirmation came from the company's head honcho Luca de Meo.
In a statement, de Meo said that Renault is abandoning the A-segment. He believes that small cars with internal combustion engines will disappear because of strict European standards. The restrictions are making it hard for small cars to become profitable, especially with the additional taxes imposed on non-electric vehicles.
Moreover, with Daimler ending its partnership with the French marque for the production of the Twingo and Smart Forfour in Slovenia, developing and producing the next-generation of compact Renault would be costly.
Of note, Daimler has turned its sight to China for its Smart brand, creating a 50:50 joint venture with Geely, which will give birth to an upcoming crossover based on the Chinese company's Sustainable Experience Architecture.
With that said, the Twingo's future is certain at its point, or at least within this decade. Without the Twingo, the company could focus on the Renault 5, which is more or less on the same segment.
However, Renault could bank on the nameplate's popularity to bring it back as an entirely new model someday, most likely electric.
Sounds familiar? That was the exact route that the Renault 5 took before its return this year. Then again, that would depend on future partnerships that the automaker would forge to cut the hefty costs of development.
