The Renault 5 Turbo 3E - Price and specs Revealed
Enjoy your first look at what is arguably the most exciting EV in recent history. The Renault 5 Turbo 3E. Renault is calling its new car the first-ever electric mini-supercar.
Last week, I hopped on the Eurostar to Paris courtesy of Renault to see the electric rebirth of the iconic Renault 5 Turbo. The aptly named Turbo 3E is the 3rd Renault 5 to carry the Turbo name, and whilst strictly speaking, there is no Turbocharged combustion engine as seen in the 1980s variants, the performance of the new model is extreme enough to reward the title.
The Turbo 3E is here thanks purely to customer demand. The catalyst was the one-off concept that caused internet pandemonium in 2023, called the R5 TURBO 3E E-Tech. The R5 TURBO Concept was featured in a string of viral videos showing Yvan Muller sliding and spinning an electrified version of the 1980s Renault 5 adorned with neon decals and flashing LED light bars.
To cut a very long story short, intrigued Renault fanatics saw the concept and picked up the phone to enquire about the possibility of buying one, and, as they say, the rest is history.
This is not a concept car
It's important to mention that the car, as you see it pictured here, is not like the R5 TURBO 3E E-Tech from 2023. This is not a concept car released solely for media attention; how you see it is how it will be sold to customers. As with the 2023 concept car, the design of the new Turbo 3E throws back to the original '5 Turbo and Turbo 2, which shot to fame in the 1980s thanks to the now infamous Group B Rally series.
Like the homologation models of the 1980s, while this extreme version of the new Renault 5 shares some visual similarities with its subdue sister, in terms of actual parts, only four are shared between the two cars: the windscreen, wing mirrors, door handles and the rear lights. Everything else, inside and out, is unique to the Turbo 3E.
The radical styling is more than just good looks. All vents on the bonnet and rear wings are functional and direct air to and from battery packs and cooling radiators. The Turbo 3E is also 30cm wider than the standard Renault 5 to accommodate the wider track and stance.
The chassis is made from Aluminium, and the outer skin and exterior panels are carbon fibre, continuing the motorsport prowess. Inside the car, the performance-focused theme continues with just two bucket seats for the driver and passenger, and In the back, where you might expect to see rear seats, instead is a functional roll cage with a cargo net ideal for securing crash helmets on the way to and from a track day.
Power and Performance
This small EV packs a beastly punch with 540hp and 4,800Nm of torque delivered exclusively to the rear wheels. The power enables a 0-60mph time of just 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 167 MPH. The impressive acceleration times are helped considerably by the mass; as standard, the Turbo 3E weighs just 1,450kg with a 47:53 weight distribution. Renault has even been clever with the location of the batteries, mounting them as low to the ground as possible and, therefore, lowering the centre of gravity.
Designed (and destined) for the circuit
The engineers responsible for the Turbo 3E made it clear when showing me the new car that it's designed to be used properly. Drivers are rewarded with a boost button, which unlocks full power from any throttle position, and a high-level hand brake sits in the centre of the car to help initiate powerslides and drifts.
Dual motor rear wheel drive
Powering the Renault 5 Turbo 3E are two 200kW motors, which are fed by a 70kWh lithium-ion battery, but despite the two motors, only the rear wheels are driven with the motors located individually in the rear hubs. This inboard motor placement has multiple perks, including a rear wheel drive powertrain, better weight distribution and instant torque vectoring without the need for a centre differential.
Fast Charging Times & EV Range
Once fully charged, drivers of this limited edition hot hatch can expect over 240 miles of range (if driven sensibly on the road, of course), but realistically, that range is likely to be halved in track driving conditions.
But don't be too concerned about that; it's not only fast to drive but also fast to charge - with a 15-80% charge taking place in just 15 minutes with a 350kW fast charger - ideal for taking a much-needed breather between circuit sessions.
Limited Numbers
Renault's incredible little 1980s-inspired mini-supercar is limited in production numbers to a very fitting 1,980 units. According to Renault, demand for orders is already very high, and the allocation of cars is expected to be met not long after the order books are officially opened, later in the springtime.
The Price
Officially, the price is still TBC, but prospective buyers should expect to spend around £130,000 before options and customisation. Before reaching for your wallet, though, it's worth noting that the customisable element and optional extras aren't likely to come cheap, with extensively customised cars more likely to have a final retail price closer to £200,000, according to a spokesperson from Renault UK.
The Future of EVs is suddenly very exciting
The Renault 5 Turbo 3E is the epitome of a car that doesn't need to exist, yet I am delighted it does. We've seen the likes of Hyundai's Ioniq 5N offering a similar appeal as a circuit-inspired EV. I'm sure that before long, other car brands will be throwing their hat into the ring to create something similar, but the truth is, I think the Turbo 3E is going to take some beating for innovation, style, and performance. We will almost certainly look back on it as being the first of its kind.
words by John Marcar
photography by Renault
