Renault 5 Turbo 3E Previews Rally Throwback With Nearly 540 All-Electric HP

Renault has revealed the production version of the 5 Turbo 3E, an all-electric hatchback that exists as an oddball tribute to the Renault 5 Turbo homologation car that existed so the automaker could compete in rallying over forty years ago.

The original car is probably most famous for participating in the infamous Group B and serving as the direct inspiration of the similarly mid-engined and rear-drive Renault Clio V6. Interestingly, there is about twenty years between the two cars’ production with another two decades separating the Clio V6 with the new 5 Turbo 3E — which, despite the name, isn’t turbocharged.

Unlike its predecessor and namesake, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E uses a pair of electric motors situated inside the rear wheels to produce 540 horsepower (400 kW) and a claimed “4800 Nm” of (presumably combined and unladen) torque. While that’s a massive step up from the 160 hp produced by the petite inline-four turbo that replaced the rear seats of the 1980 Renault 5 (R5) Turbo, both vehicles represent the outer limits of what’s mechanically possible for their respective eras.

They also both have humble counterparts designed to appeal to the masses. The original was loosely based upon the front-drive Renault 5 (sold with an array of economical to mildly sporting engines) whereas the new model stems from the front-drive Renault 5 E-Tech (sold with electric powertrains ranging from tepid to slightly spicy).

Both are small relative to the period in which they were built. However, the 5 Turbo 3E is over a foot longer in just about every single dimension. It’s also 3,200 pounds in weight (half a ton more than the original), which is practically a featherweight when it comes to all-electric vehicles. This leanness has allowed the EV to boast a power-to-weight ratio of 2.7 kg/hp and launch to 62 mph in under 3.5 seconds. The 167 mph top speed is also quite high for an electric production car.

Riding on 20-inch wheels, the EV looks like a modernized version of the 1980s French supermini. It even has the bulging rear fenders that doubled as air intakes on the original. Now, they make room for the wider track and rear hub motors.

Maximum range from the 70-kWh battery is estimated to be about 250 miles on the European WLTP testing cycle. EPA figures would undoubtedly be lower. But Renault isn’t going to be shipping the 5 Turbo 3E to North America so it doesn’t really matter unless we get a badge-engineered variant from Nissan (highly unlikely). The car uses 800-volt architecture and is supposed to charge at up to 350 kW (DC) and 11 kW (AC).

Weight savings and rigidity are said to be the result of “carbon fibre superstructure” with Renault saying it has the width of a supercar. At 2.03 meters wide, that’s not an exaggeration. In fact, it’s actually a little broader than most modern Ferraris and should handle quite exceptionally well.

Production is said to be limited to 1,980 units (because that was the introductory year of the original Renault 5 Turbo) and everyone expects it to be prohibitively expensive. Deliveries won’t commence until 2027. However, the automaker plans on opening the order books within the next couple of weeks.

For those that are dismayed that they won’t have an opportunity to purchase the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, not all hope is lost. The Alpine performance brand still plans on coming to North America in a couple of years and may eventually end up bringing the A290 — which is basically a spiced-up version of the Renault 5 E-Tech offering 215 horsepower.

Assuming that happens, the A290 remains in production for long enough, and happens to be a massive success on our market, there is a very slim chance something like the Renault 5 Turbo 3E could also come here.

But that’s extremely speculative and we’re not wholly convinced Alpine will even make it to North America due to plans that it wants to pivot exclusively toward selling all-electric vehicles by 2026.

[Images: Renault]

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