Renault To Revive Gordini Performance Badge

With rumours circulating that the upcoming Ford Focus RS may be the last while the company looks to focus on volume-selling vehicles, Renault seems to believe that offering more performance cars will sell more of the regular models.

The UK’s Car magazine reports that - despite cancelling the Alpine project - Renault will soon bring the Gordini badge back to life.

The first Gordini model is expected to be a variant of the Renault Twingo (a city car not offered in Australia), a performance version of which can already be had through Renaultsport.

No fear of confusion there, though, as Renault intends the Gordini-badged cars to slot in above Renaultsport in the company’s range.

Above: Renault Twingo

Renault’s global marketing director Stephen Norman confirmed at a dinner recently that Renault intends to launch the Gordini brand in 2010, and that the Gordini Twingo variant would be followed by Clio and Megane Coupe models.

Despite the Italian name, Gordini was a French sports car manufacturer founded by Italian race car driver Amédée Gordini.

The Gordini badge and signature blue duco has appeared on sporting Renaults since Gordini became a consulting engineer to Renault in the mid-50s. Their first major collaboration was the Gordini version of the Renault Dauphine (launched in 1956) which brought Renault considerable rally success.

Soon to become synonymous with Renault and race cars, Renault took over the Gordini company in 1968.

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