Renault Captur

Unveiled in February 2011, Captur is the new concept car embodying Renault’s new design strategy. A sporty crossover with a flowing and athletic body language, it conjures up visions of two people exploring the world and previews a forthcoming road car. Its Energy dCi 160 twin-turbo engine-concept combines fun driving, enjoyable performance and low CO2 emissions.

Little of what makes up the interior will ever follow through to a production model, but the spacious feel and high driving position reveal why Renault is so keen to introduce a car into this segment. The Captur features a futuristic sat-nav, called VisioDrive. This projects navigation information on to real-life pictures of the road ahead, transmitted to the cabin by forward-facing cameras.

In addition, the newcomer boasts a hi-tech powertrain – or at least, it should! Renault envisages the Captur will eventually feature a twin-turbocharged 158bhp 1.6-litre dCi engine. We have tried the 128bhp single-turbo version of this motor, and with a broad range of torque and smooth running, it will be perfect for cars of this size.

Officially, the firm claims the Captur will be able to cover 0-62mph in eight seconds while emitting only 99g/km of CO2. And although the car is front-wheel drive only, Renault’s innovative RX2 system – which can apportion power to either of the driven wheels if one loses grip – should help with off-roading.

From behind the wheel, the Captur feels like a one-off concept. A lack of sound deadening means a huge amount of engine noise, while the suspension is very firm. But none of this matters, as it has no bearing on how the final car will handle.

Renault Twingo

Hot Twingo rearing to go

Rear-driven baby on the way as Renault deal saves Smart.

The twang is back in the Twingo! Renault aims to recapture the quirkiness of its first-generation city car with a new rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive version – and it’s all down to a tie-up with Daimler and its Smart brand.

The original Twingo, launched in 1992, was a hit with European buyers thanks to its unique cab-forward design and centrally mounted instrument panel. In contrast, the current model is much more conventional, even in hot Gordini trim.

But the newcomer will hark back to admired rear-engined Renaults of old – like the nimble 8 Gordini – after Renault-Nissan and Daimler last week agreed a symbolic equity swap and a deal to share platforms and engine technology.

The move has secured the future of the ailing Smart brand, and will enable production of the next ForTwo coupé and convertible, as well as a new four-seater ForFour. The showroom version of Renault’s electric Twizy could also be based on the two-seater variant of this platform.

Renault Twin Z

The Twin'Z was unveiled at La Triennale during Milan Design Week as the fifth concept car in Renault's six-petal "cycle of life." The car represents the "Play" petal, embodying the theme with a silhouette and material construction reminiscent of a running shoe.

The French company teamed up with Welsh furniture designer Ross Lovegrove—known for organic lines and crystal-clear vision—to realize the project, his first automobile design. Joining him was industrial design director Laurens van den Acker, concept car design director Axel Breun and designer Raphaël Linari. We got a personal tour with the designer who pointed out the details and behind-the-scenes inspiration.

"The great thing about Renault is that their concept cars are not far off from the real thing," Lovegrove tells us. "Most of the world is doing all this singing and dancing—it takes a lot of courage to make something that is maybe 20-25% off reality."

Given Renault's track record, we'll give Lovegrove the benefit of the doubt. The glass roof, which sweeps with illuminated LEDs when the car brakes, has earned sci-fi comparisons to the likes of Avatar and Tron. But Lovegrove's fantasy isn't indulgent or lofty. "That's a fully working car," he adds. "You could drive it home."

Twin’Z is an all-electric city car with rear-wheel drive and a rear-mounted motor, sitting on robust 18-inch wheels. Some clever technical solutions define novel style details like the rear-mounted motor and the position of the batteries beneath the floorboards, both of which make the cabin exceptionally spacious. Electric-powered doors hinged at the front and rear of the vehicle eliminate the need for a central pillar and make the opening pleasantly ergonomic.

Thankfully for Lovegrove, there's plenty of room for aesthetics in electric automobile design. Two colors intersect on the body: Blue—a tribute to French painter Yves Klein—and glowing green. The colors are matte, with just enough sheen to see the contours of the car and interact in a natural way. The shapes of lights, tires and rim follow an aesthetic of biological imitation. 

The front fog lots, for example, can be colored to become a signature of the driver or to match the driver's eye color, for example. The interior has been simplified, removing the dashboard in lieu of a smartphone that sits above the steering column. Instead of large and heavy seats are frames wrapped in 3D-woven, self-cushioning, breathable textiles. The rest of the cars functions are controlled on a standard tablet that attaches to a very minimal central console. The wheels are a particular area of interest and opportunity for Lovegrove, who noted that most rubber is actually tinted black.

So why the glass roof? "If you've ever driven through Tokyo at night in a glass-roof car, you get that flickering—you feel like you're in a movie," Lovegrove explains. The envelope around the driver, dramatized by the brake display, also enhances the feeling of enclosure. "It's all space-expanding, it's pilot-centric," he says. "All of the energy lines are coming out of the driver."

While it may look fanciful, Renault makes cars that everyone can own and enjoy, and this is a responsible car for the daily commute. Look out for design elements of the Twin'Z concept to be incorporated into the 2014 Twingo.

Peugeot 208 GTi

Peugeot is preparing to unleash a hot GTi version of its new 208 supermini – and the ingredients are right for it to be one of the most exciting Peugeots for years. We have all the details, and our illustrations show how the standard 208 will be transformed.

Like the 205 GTi, which was offered with 105bhp 1.6-litre and 130bhp 1.9-litre engines, the 208 will come with a choice of power outputs.

The tamer version will feature the same 181bhp 1.6-litre turbo engine as the MINI Cooper S, cover the 0-62mph sprint in less than seven seconds and still return almost 50mpg.

The interior will get sports seats and GTi badges, while the exterior will feature bigger alloys, a pumped-up bodykit and larger foglights. At the back, a roof spoiler and twin exhausts finish off the makeover.

The 208 GTi will have plenty of rivals, as the Ford Fiesta ST is due before the end of the year, and there’s an all-new Renaultsport Clio arriving in early 2013. There’s no official release date for the 208 GTi.