Renault's new electric Twingo fits easily into the French carmaker's portfolio.
It is a modern mini passenger car meant for urban European drivers, but it also tells a story about changes in the broader auto industry.
Renault developed the new Twingo over a breakneck 21 months in Shanghai, following an initial design phase in France.
The car is now in production in Slovenia, arriving this month at dealers with a price tag just under €20,000 ($23,000).
The continent-hopping Twingo is a snapshot of a hypercompetitive auto industry and its new center of gravity in China. There, many legacy carmakers are developing new models by focusing on speed, cost and technology.
