Renault Twizy with a torque of over 900 Nm

The now retired Renault Twizy was recognizable for its futuristic style, scissor doors and unconventional seating arrangement, but never for its performance. However, the mad scientists at the British workshop DM Performance turned this heavy quad bike into a real drifting machine, using the heart of the most powerful electric motocross bike in the world.

The project began with the complete disassembly of the Twizy and the removal of the modest 17 HP factory engine. In its place, the team installed a powertrain from the Stark Varg motorcycle, which is the equivalent of a 450cc gasoline engine. As a result, the tiny electric car now develops 80 hp, which represents an increase in power of almost 400 percent.

However, the torque is what really amazes. The Stark Varga engine develops an absurd 938 Nm. To put that in perspective, the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine in the Ram TRX has 921 Nm of torque. Now imagine that figure in a vehicle that is 10 times lighter than that vehicle.

Custom upgrades

To accommodate the new engine and custom chain drive that replaced the original direct drive, DM Performance had to cut off the original rear rack. Because of the massive torque, they also modified the stock differential with a custom stainless steel housing and high pressure grease to mimic the characteristics of a limited slip differential. Additionally, a new set of Maxpeedingrods adjustable shocks reduced rollover.

Finally, the French electric two-seater has received another transplant. The battery pack from Stark Varg, weighing 32kg, is significantly lighter compared to the Twizy’s original 100kg battery, while offering slightly higher capacity and the ability to deliver the huge amount of power required for high-performance motors.

Drifting and acceleration races

The unique “Stark Twizy” proved its performance by winning the acceleration race up to 161 km/h against the much more powerful Audi S1 ​​Quattro. The creators also took him drifting, where he even performed donuts oko Lamborghinija Aventadora.

By the way, this is not the first time that DM Performance has turned a tiny electric quad bike into a monster. They previously completed a wild project based on the Citroen Ami, using similar components from the Stark Varg, although they noted that the rear-wheel drive makes the Twizy a much better entertainment platform. If the electric drive is not to your liking, the same workshop is also responsible for the Tuk Tuk tricycle with a turbocharged Hayabusa engine. This beast weighs 460 kg and develops a terrifying 305 hp (227 kW) on the dynamometer.