Few people would deny that the Renaultsport Twingo could easily cope with more power. It’s blessed with a fantastic chassis but it’s brilliance betrays the relative weediness of the engine. K-Tec Racing clearly agree as proved by their new tuning package for the smallest of the Renaultsport models.
K-Tec Racing Renaultsport Twingo 163
The K-Tec Racing Renaultsport Twingo 163 manages to squeeze an extra 30bhp from the Twingo’s 1.6-litre engine. Don’t forget this isn’t a turbocharged lump so it’s not as easy to gain big power increases with a simple ECU remap.
A new tubular exhaust manifold lets the engine breathe more freely, along with a 2.5-inch exhaust system. To take advantage of the increased airflow a set of Cat Cams are fitted and then an ECU remap completes the job. The result is 163bhp at just over 7,000rpm and 142 lb/ft at 4,250rpm, so it clearly keeps the 133’s appetite for revs.
If you’re a track day enthusiast you’ll be keen to know that the exhaust is rated at 84db at 4,500rpm, so you won’t fall foul of any noise limits.
The extra parts and work involved pushes the cost of the upgrade to a hefty £2,625, although it does come with a 12-month warranty. That’s a big ticket for a car that’s always been a relative bargain but it does give the Twingo almost 25% more power.
Alternatively you can pick and choose from the components, with the exhaust and manifold system costing £1,187 including fitting, labour and VAT. The Cat Cams can be fitted with a new cambelt and ECU mapping for £1,439.