This past couple of years Renault’s been making nothing but sensible family cars, with an occasional hot hatch or something to keep the fans happy. Now with the amazing Twin’Run Concept they show that their fun and quirky side is still alive and well. This concept car pays homage to the legendary R5 Turbo Rally car and the Clio V6, a hatchback with a big engine where your shopping used to go.

Now, the Twin’Run being a modern French hatchback concept, you might be thinking it is an electric or a hybrid city runabout with a silly design. Not so. The Twin’Run is mad as they come. It has a mid-mounted V6 engine with 320 horsepower and 380 Nm of torque, sending its power to the rear wheels via a 6-speed sequential gearbox and a limited slip diff. Performance-wise you can count on a 0 to 60 time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph.

The car has a bespoke multi-tube steel chassis like racing cars with double wishbone suspension at front and rear, and OHLINS two-way spring-damper combinations. That’s how you set up a pure track car, and what it means is pure, undiluted driving fun. The lightweight body with carbon fiber front blade, roof, rear vent and wheelarches has a dynamic stance and racing aerodynamic properties.

Stopping power is provided by a beefy braking system with large discs and 6-piston calipers front/4 piston rear, fitted inside 18-inch wheels shod with Michelin tires size 205 section tires up front and 245 section out back.

The Twin’Run is a serious bit of kit. As it stands, the concept car doesn’t have a great chance of production. But Renault says its styling will affect the design of their future small cars. We’d rather its performance inspire future models, but here we are.