While it may seem like a flawed time to bring back a performance marque, that's just what Renault has planned according to sources close to the French manufacturer. Renault will relaunch the Gordini brand in Europe next year. It was recently revealed that Renault's plans to bring back its storied Alpine product line had been axed, but the decades-dormant Gordini is apparently a different matter altogether.

The new range of hot hatches will slot in above current Renaultsport offerings, with a new Twingo variant reportedly being followed by Clio and Megane Coupe models. Like the Gordini-tuned cars of the past, the new models are tipped to wear blue paint and white stripes along with various performance upgrades that will make them a likely competitor to Fiat's reborn Abarth lineup.