- UK-based DM Performance upgraded the Renault Twizy with a Stark Varg motor.
- The build features 692 lb-ft of torque and a custom chain-drive differential.
- The EV won a 100 mph drag race against an Audi S1 and performed donuts.
The now-discontinued Renault Twizy was known for its futuristic styling, scissor doors, and unconventional seating layout, but never about its performance. Still, UK-based mad scientists at DM Performance have transformed the heavy quadricycle into a drift machine, using the heart of the world’s most powerful electric motocross bike.
The project began by stripping the Twizy down to its bare bones, ditching the factory-fit 17 hp (13 kW) motor. In its place, the team fitted the powertrain from a Stark Varg, which is the equivalent of a 450cc gasoline engine. As a result, the tiny EV now makes 80 hp (60 kW), representing a staggering 396% increase in power.
More: Renault’s Smallest And Quirkiest EV Is Dead
But torque is the real headline here. The Stark Varg motor is rated at a frankly absurd 692 lb-ft (938 Nm). For context, the Lamborghini Aventador in the opening photo delivers 690 hp and 509 lb-ft (690 Nm), which means this pint-sized French creation is packing nearly double the torque!
DM Performance / YouTube
It does not stop there. The supercharged 6.2-liter V8 in a 2027 Ram TRX produces 680 lb-ft (921 Nm). Now picture that sort of twist in a vehicle that weighs roughly ten times less than the Ram, and you begin to understand just how outrageous this thing really is.
Custom Upgrades
DM Performance had to cut away the original rear cradle to fit the new motor and a custom chain-drive system that replaced the direct-drive transaxle of the original Twizy.
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DM Performance / YouTube
In order to handle the extra torque, they modified the original differential with custom stainless steel casing and high-pressure grease to mimic the qualities of a limited-slip diff. Furthermore, a new set of Maxpeedingrods coilovers reduced the chances of a rollover accident.
Finally, the French EV received another transplant. The Stark Varg battery pack with a weight of 32 kg (70 lbs is significantly lighter compared to the 100 kg (220 lbs) battery of the Twizy, while offering a slightly higher capacity and can discharge massive amounts of energy for high-performance motors.
Drifting and Drag Racing
The unique “Stark Twizy” proved its performance credentials by winning an 100 mph (161 km/h) drag race against a more powerful Audi S1 Quattro hot hatch. The builders also took it for a drift session and even performed donuts around a Lamborghini Aventador.
A History of Madness
This isn’t the first time DM Performance has turned a tiny EV from the heavy quadricycle segment into a monster. They previously completed a wild Citroen Ami using similar Stark Varg internals, though they noted the rear-wheel-drive layout of the Twizy made it a much better platform for hooning.
If electric power isn’t your thing, the shop is also responsible for a turbocharged Hayabusa-swapped Tuk Tuk tricycle. That build tips the scales at 460 kg (1,014 lbs) and produces a terrifying 305 hp (227 kW / 309 PS) on the dyno.