I had always fancied driving a Renault Twingo, but faced quite a long wait before I got my hands on one - 14 years and nine months to be precise.

This was no reflection on the efficiency of Renault's super-slick press office, simply that until now the Twingo has been strictly left-hand-drive and never officially available in the UK.

Since the little cutie first appeared in April 1993, more than 2.4 million have been sold worldwide, but they have remained a relative rarity on Britain's roads.

The second generation Twingo, which is available in right-hand-drive, is just as attractive as the original, a little less quirky and brought bang up to date.

Lined up against the likes of the Fiat Panda, Citroën C2 and Ford Ka, the Slovenian-built Twingo is available in three trim levels, priced from £7,500 for the Extreme, £8,375 for the Dynamique, and a sportier-styled GT. A Renaultsport version is also planned. The Dynamique and GT have electrically variable, power-assisted steering, independent sliding and folding rear seats, a height-adjustable steering wheel, alloy wheels and a raft of airbags.

The GT adds luxury touches like automatic headlamps and windscreen wipers, see you home' headlamps and leather-covered steering wheel and gearknob. You can even have cruise control and a speed limiter.

It might be a small car, but it packs in plenty of big-car attributes.

The Twingo's three doors open to reveal four comfortable seats, a neatly-trimmed interior with numerous storage spaces, and a surprisingly decent boot space. Modern active and passive safety features include anti-lock brakes, electronic brake distribution, driver and front passenger lateral airbags and equipment to ensure comfort such as air conditioning, which is standard on the GT.

Unashamedly aimed at younger drivers, Renault has built in other advances in technology, with the option of an integrated Bluetooth hands-free telephone system and a TunePoint' anchorage connection point concealed in the glovebox for MP3 players, ensuring the easy transfer of music from your pocket to your Twingo.

Renault claims the punch from the GT's lively 100 horsepower, 1.2-litre turbocharged engine matches the torque of a 1.6-litre, the power of a 1.4 and the economy of a 1.2-litre. I have no reason to argue.

Renault says the new Twingo is the first vehicle in an extensive renewal of its range, so be prepared for plenty of funky newcomers to follow.

Auto facts Renault Twingo GT 1.2 TCE

  • Price: £9,995
  • Ins group: Five
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 47.8mpg
  • Top speed: 117mph
  • Length: 360cm/141.7in
  • Width: 165.4cm/65.1in
  • Luggage capacity: 8.1 cu ft
  • Fuel tank capacity: 8.8 gallons/40 litres
  • CO2 emissions: 140g/km
  • Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles