Renault Twingo Renaultsport 133 Cup news - What’s more Cup than Cup? - 2009

Renault has announced a lighter, cheaper, more focussed version of its Renaultsport Twingo 133 Cup. A more Cuppish Cup, in other words. We shall call it the Twingo Mug.

The Twingo Mug retains the 131bhp, 1.6-litre petrol engine and stiffer Renaultsport chassis, but loses the air conditioning, automatic headlights and wipers, and independent rear seats of its higher-spec cousin.

In place of the latter, there's a simpler bench seat, ideal for re-enacting all your 1950s drive-in movie fantasies, assuming both you and your beau are Really Quite Short.

Such paucity of kit means that, at £11,795, the Twingo Mug is considerably cheaper than the Twingo Cup. Seven-hundred quid cheaper than the non-Cup Twingo 133, to be precise, which means it's a full £1,350 cheaper than a similarly equipped Twingo Cup, the stiffer chassis normally costing an extra £650.

If you want those nice glossy 17-inch black wheels, they'll cost you £175 - a worthy investment, we think.

Even with that extra outlay, the Twingo Mug represents a lot of entertainment for the money. In fact, is there anything that can top it on the laugh/cash scale? Abarth 500 Esseesse? Suzuki Swift Sport? Er, Pagani Zonda Cinque? Let the debate begin...