Some people have already asked about this, because the choice is very limited with the original tyres that are on the licence. Here are some instructions on how to get wide tyres for your Twizy legally in Germany.

Selection of original tyres

The selection of 125/80 R13 65M tyres for the front is, let’s be honest, only intended for car trailers. Typical characteristics:

• Energy-saving class Z – Greta’s veins stand out on her forehead.
• Grip on dry roads: Hahaha! No.
• Lateral guidance? What’s the point? The shortest distance between two points is a straight line!
• Wet grip, class V – like an ice cube on a hot hob. Braking distance plus 68 metres.
• External rolling noise (equivalent to internal rolling noise on the Twizy): 160 dB(A).

And the original 145/80 R13 75M tyres for the rear are no better.

I had Michelin tyres at the front and Hancock at the rear. The driving behaviour was … let’s say … dynamic. You can see it perfectly here. I thought it was normal.

The solution!

We skip the 135/70 R13 or 135/80 R13 front and 145/80 R13 or 155/70 R13 rear combos and go straight for the widest tyres that still fit under the original tyres:

• 145/70 R13 75M at the front
• rear 165/70 R13 75M

I chose the „Nexen N Blue Plus HD“ tyres for the front and rear. They are really good. The Twizy sticks to the road and feels much more precise than with the old dirty tyres. I haven’t noticed any increase in energy consumption. However, I always keep an eye on the tyre pressure and had the internal TPMS sensors fitted when I fitted the new tyres. You can find them here. Costs less than 30 EUR. Worth it.

The main thing is cheap!

Do you see price bangers from Linglong, Nankang and Hongkong Pfui in your search? Don’t even think about it! Only buy European or Korean branded tyres! The tyres only have a palm-sized contact with the road. That’s the only thing between your face and the bark of the tree next to the bend.

„But Nankang has really great semi-slick tyres! That’s what all the racing youtubers say!“.
Yeah, right, and a cow patty is a pizza. When a fly flies past a Nankang tyre, it just says: „Funny, I can smell the shit, but I can’t see it!“

Write to DEKRA

Why not write to the TÜV? Well, I live in Hesse and here you can absolutely forget about TÜV Hesse approving anything without an expert opinion from the manufacturer. They have their reasons for this.

Mail to the testing organisation:

Subject: Modification approval according to § 19 para. 3 StVZO for different tyres Renault Twizy 

Dear Sir or Madam,

i would like to fit wider tyres to my Renault Twizy and have them 
at your branch in [INSERT LOCATION].

Vehicle:
Renault Twizy
Class: L7e [CHANGE FIG.]
HSN:3333 TSN:AZP
FIN: [ENTER VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER]
Power: 13 kW [CHANGE VIN!]
Maximum speed: 80 km/h [CHANGE VIN!]

Original tyres:
Front: 125/80 R13 (65M)
Rear: 145/80 R13 (75M)

Desired tyres
Front: 145/70 R13
Rear: 165/70 R13

The difference in rolling circumference is
Front, old: 166.6 cm
Front, new: 167.5 cm
Difference: 0.9 cm or 0.6 %.

Rear, old: 176.6 cm
Rear, new: 176.3 cm
Difference: -0.3 cm or -0.2 %.

The speedometer signal is calculated from the engine speed (rear wheel drive).
The wheel covers are sprung, the distance to the tyre always remains the same.

I would like to fit the new covers on the original 4" rims:
3x98 ET23 R13" 4" (B)

Many thanks in advance!
Yours sincerely
[YOUR NAME]"

Reply from TÜV-Hessen

unfortunately no, without a suitable expert opinion, at least a comparative expert opinion, nothing works, sorry.

Answer from DEKRA

... thank you for your enquiry.
In accordance with the regulations for cars, a distance of 6 mm to the mudguards is required.

If this is adhered to and the mudguards continue to cover the tread of the tyres
of the tyres, I don't see any problems for approval.

Having tyres fitted

Have the tyres fitted at the garage of your least trust. Don’t forget to have the TPMS sensors fitted! You blow like a madman through the bends back home, change the Unnerbux and make an appointment with the testing organisation of your greatest hope.

If the mudguards are not centred over the wheels and are too close to the tyres (less than 6 mm), then fiddle around with the brackets until they fit. But make sure they don’t break off, they tend to rust through. How do you think I know that?

Does it still not fit? Then you need to use a hot air gun and a round bar (I used a small ratchet extension) to bend the mudguards open a little. Carefully heat the edge of the mudguard. Do not damage it or the tyre! Use the round bar to widen the gap between the tyre and the mudguard. Simply pull it through again and again until it fits.

And the visual difference? Marginal from the front or rear, but the wheels simply sit better in the mudguards from the side.

Examination of the vehicle

The inspection runs as follows:

• The test engineer stands in front of the car and says „Joooo … looks good. Fits.“ – „Don’t you want to measure it or something?“ – „What for? You can see that it fits!„
• The PI looks for the chassis numbers at the front and rear. His colleague comes over and says: „You have to scratch under the dirt at the back, then you can see the number. I had the same problem with a Twizy the other day.„
• The PI takes a photo of the car.
• The PI goes in, comes out a few minutes later and wishes me a good journey.
• When asked what I will do now if I am stopped by the motorway police without an expert opinion or other certificates:
  „Pffffrrrrrrr … nobody pays any attention to that.„
• Two weeks after the inspection, I receive an invoice from DEKRA for EUR 156
• One week after the transfer, the report arrives.

Granting of the operating licence

With the „List of technical regulations on the basis of which the operating licence for the vehicle can be issued“ sent to you, you go to the local registration office, which issues an „Operating licence in accordance with § 19 Para. 1 StVZO“ (approx. 39.90 EUR) and receives new papers (12 EUR).

Special case Hesse

Since the end of April 2009, i.e. long before the scandal mentioned above, Marburg has been the central authority responsible for checking the expert reports in my area. Marburg does not inspect the vehicle itself. Instead, they check the technical report that you receive from an accredited testing organisation for its legal, administrative and formal correctness and completeness before they officially change the operating licence of your vehicle.

Rhine-Main metropolitan region

§ 19 or § 21, which is it?

• You apply for an expert opinion (according to § 21 StVZO), which assesses the technical requirements of your vehicle.
• The result of this test is the actual operating licence (in accordance with § 19 Para. 1 StVZO), which is certified to you.

The paragraphs therefore describe different phases or aspects of the same process: the assessment as the basis and the granting of the licence as the result.

And the Twizy 45?

Even though the slow Twizy 45 does not have to undergo an MOT inspection like a „real“ car and only has an insurance licence plate, it is unfortunately not an outlaw on four illegal wheels. So if you put different tyres on it than the ones it came with from the factory, you must have them approved.

This is also done via a modification approval according to § 19 para. 3 StVZO at one of the test centres. The procedure is identical, only you get different vehicle documents back at the end.

Why all the effort? Quite simply, your Twizy’s operating licence is its passport for the road, so to speak. If you change anything that could affect safety (and wider tyres do that!), the operating licence expires. Without it, you are not only travelling illegally, but also without insurance cover. And that can be really expensive if the worst comes to the worst!

Even wider tyres?

Yes, that’s also possible. 165/45 R15 at the front and 165/55 R15 at the rear.

You need adapter plates (EUR 399), new aluminium wheels (EUR 676) and new mudguards (EUR 399).

These are accessories specially developed for the Twizy with a parts certificate. So you still have to have an inspection carried out as described above. You won’t be able to avoid paying around EUR 200 for the certificate, new MOT and papers.

As an alternative to the Elia aluminium rims, you can also buy and have registered any standard aluminium rims in 6×15 ET40 4/100 ML 60.1. A new set costs from approx. 360 EUR.

Disadvantages

I should point out, however, that Renault chose an asymmetrical tyre width for the front and rear for good reason. The limit range will certainly suffer in extreme situations. The lower sidewall height of the tyres does the rest to improve handling, but further reduces the limit range.

This means that the Twizy will no longer push over the front wheels as easily and the warning time before the rear end breaks away will be shorter.

Comfort will also suffer significantly due to the lower tyre sidewall height. Anyone who already thinks the Twizy is uncomfortable – and they are right to do so – should plan for the cost of a Smart seat and its registration.

Documents

Everyone is afraid that you won’t get the stuff registered after all because the test engineer was having stress with the wife, or hadn’t had lunch yet and is accordingly hangry. Everyone asks me for the certificate and the operating licence. Okay, here they are:

• Gutachten_19_2_DEKRA_opt_ano
• Authorisation Twizy ano

Further information?

With pleasure! Everything about the Renault Twizy!