A lot of car aficionados will remember the Renault 5 Turbo (R5 Turbo) / Turbo 2, Renault’s mid-engine hot hatchback from the 1980s. Well, it’s back in an all-new avatar, looks just as bonkers as the original, and is going into production. Originally showcased as a concept back in 2022, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E ‘mini supercar’ shares little in common with the standard Renault 5 EV. The Turbo 3E sits on a bespoke platform, featuring a 3-door bodyshell and a rear-wheel-drive powertrain paired with a battery pack larger than the units offered in the standard 5.
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In terms of design, the new 5 Turbo 3E looks every bit as wild as its predecessor with the over-exaggerated rear haunches, bulging fenders and aggressive aero all around. The basic silhouette and boxy proportions are similar to the 5, as are the light clusters, though Renault has thoroughly reworked the hatchback’s bodyshell making extensive use of carbon fibre to keep weight in check. In fact, the Turbo 3E sits on a 40 mm longer wheelbase compared to its standard counterpart while also being physically longer and wider at 4.08 m and 2.03 m respectively.
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Inside, the Turbo 3E like the original 5 Turbo lacks rear seats with the front seats replaced by racing bucket seats. The centre console features an electric gear selector and a vertical lever-style handbrake similar to those seen on rally cars and there is a partial roll cage as well. The minimalist dashboard houses a pair of displays at the top for the instrument cluster and infotainment system while a row of physical switches sit below the central air-con vents.
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Moving to the powertrain, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E gets a 70 kWh battery pack – larger than the 52 kWh unit in the standard 5. Power is sent to the rear wheels which house two 200 kW in-wheel motors developing a combined 533 bhp and a claimed 4,800 Nm of torque. Renault claims a 0-100 kmph time of under 3.5 seconds and a 270 kmph top speed. The Turbo 3E also has a WLTP range of up to 400 km. Interestingly, at 1,450 kg, the Turbo 3E weighs as much as the standard Renault 5 EV 52 kWh despite the notably larger battery.
The Turbo 3E features an 800-volt electric architecture and supports up to 350 kW DC fast charging.
Renault says that the 5 Turbo 3E will go into limited production with sales in Europe to start in 2027. Renault says it will only make 1980 units of the ‘mini supercar’ – the production number coinciding with the first year of sales of the original R5 Turbo.
