Renault 5 Turbo returns with in-wheel electric motors and supercar performance
It most certainly will drift
To say that Renault has re-found its mojo since the nadir of its multi-billion-pound losses during and after the pandemic would be to understate things just a touch. The introduction of impressive and exciting new models such as the Scenic and the retro one-two-punch of the new R5 and R4 are proof enough, but now Renault is really starting to lean on all of our car enthusiast buttons.
Having shown a one-off wide-bodied electric re-take of the classic Renault 5 Turbo rally car, the boss of the French car maker — Luca De Meo — has confirmed that just such a car will go into production.
The R5 Turbo 3E — shown here in a glorious black, white and yellow colour scheme that takes inspiration from both the original wide-body Renault 5 Turbo rally car and from the late-seventies Renault Turbo Formula One racers — will get two in-wheel electric motors providing about 500bhp, and the potential for some incredible torque-vectoring handling feats.
Don’t go expecting this car to be merely a sportier version of the existing Renault 5 E-Tech electric hatch and its hot-hatch spinoff, the Alpine A290. This R5 Turbo 3E is, instead, a bespoke machine, using carbon fibre for its body and riding on unique underpinnings. The body is almost entirely new, with only the windscreen shared between this car and the standard model.
Under the carbon skin there’s a race-car-style chassis and a full rollcage. It’s a supercar wearing Renault 5 cosplay, and though pricing has yet to be announced, it certainly won’t be cheap.
But if you had the money, it might be hard to resist. That distended body — which looks like the perfect update of the original R5 Turbo’s wide-arch style — is stretched over wide-track suspension and sticky tyres. There are even honking great air vents outboard of the rear lights, just as there were on the original 1980s rally hero.
Performance is expected to be spectacular, even if a 0-62mph time of 3.5 seconds isn’t actually all that special anymore. The concept version had a massive whammy-bar-style handbrake for pulling on-track donuts, and it’s possible that Renault might actually fit that to the production model.
The documentary series in which the R5 Turbo 3E was revealed is being shown on Amazon Prime Video from today, December 13. It’s a behind-the scenes look at Renault’s recent resurrection and also at the inner workings of the Alpine Formula One team.
In the final episode of the series, the production follows Renault’s bigwigs — Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group, Fabrice Cambolive, CEO Renault brand and Gilles Vidal, VP of Renault Design — on a visit to the company’s design centre, and it’s here where the R5 Turbo is revealed, and where De Meo theatrically confirms that it’s going into production.
While this is a heck of an early Christmas present from Renault for the world’s car nuts, we will have to wait a while. The R5 Turbo 3E won’t go into production until 2026.
Renault says that the car has “the looks and livery of a car built for the track,” and is “a ‘pocket rocket’ worthy of its name and heritage.”
Related articles
- If you were interested in the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, you may want to read about the fabulous new, all-electric Renault 5
- Also take a look at our review of the Renault Scenic 2024
- Or check out the Ford Escort Mk1 RS ‘continumod’
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