Geneva motor show - Renault

All go at Renault
It really is very busy on the Renault stand with the unveiling of the new Twingo, the Megane Sports Diesel and the Clio Renault F1 Team R27.

Twingo
For the first time the Twingo will be available in the UK. The old model was only available in left-hand drive and on the Continent.

The new version looks cute and it's cheap, with prices starting at around £7500. The petrol versions include a 75bhp 1.2-litre unit and a 100bhp 1.2-litre turbo. It's reasonably frugal and green: you'll get 48mpg and it emits less than 140g/km of carbon dioxide.

There'll also be a 1.5-litre dCi diesel in three power outputs. The Twingo goes on sale in the UK in September.

Megane Sports Diesel
This sporty diesel Megane gets the 175bhp unit from the Laguna GT and it's no slouch. It offers huge amounts of torque and will take you from 0-62mph in about 7.5 seconds.

Clio Renault F1 Team R27
This latest hot hatch from Renault celebrates the launch of this season's R27 Formula One racing car, and it's not to be trifled with.

It uses the same engine as the Clio 197 but has a new Cup chassis. This features revised suspension, 17-inch anthracite alloy wheels, Recaro front seats, red brake calipers and, um, it's very yellow.

The special edition will be built from March to September this year. After that the Cup chassis will become an option on the standard, less in-your-face Clio 197.

Clio Grand Tour Concept
This is most notable for its 'secret' loading tray underneath the rear floor. To illustrate this, Renault presented it as a photographers' dream, where a sliding drawer hiding all manor of camera equipment was stored under the loadbay. It's a neat little touch.

The car itself is an expanded Clio. It is 4.2m long and has a load capacity of 1275 litres. It looks pretty mean, too: an aerofoil, sculpted sills married to air ducts and 18-inch front and 19-inch rear alloy wheels add to the drama.

What else is on display?
To demonstrate Renault's commitment to the environment, there is a Megane that runs on E85 ethanol and a Clio that runs on biodiesel, called B30 - that's a mix of 30% biofuel and 30% diesel.

To see video footage of the Renault stand, click here.