Renault brings back the Renault 5 Turbo in EV format

Almost a year after launching its retro-looking electric compact car R5, Renault has announced that it will also revive the R5 Turbo sports car as an electric car next year. Its drive system is expected to produce 368 kW or just over 500 hp.

Renault continues on its retro-car course. The regular R5 E-Tech Electric offers many references to its predecessors from the 1970s and 80s without appearing old-fashioned. And so it is with the Renault 5 Turbo 3E: it is a modern version of the Renault 5 Turbo presented 46 years ago and its direct successor, the Turbo 2.

Carbon structure

A version of the R5 Turbo 3E was already presented at the Paris Motor Show at the end of 2022 as a show car in the historic colors of one of the rally versions from the early 1980s. Since then, the design has been slightly simplified and sharpened.

The Renault 5 Turbo 3E combines its battery-electric drive with a retro-futuristic design. The charging port is in one of the rear air intakes, reminiscent of the original Turbo. Renault emphasizes that the vehicle’s carbon structure is both light and extremely rigid.

500 hp, 3.5 seconds to 100kph

So far, Renault has been stingy with technical details and has not provided any information on the battery or range. In the 2022 concept, the battery pack was only 42 kWh, suitable for a few laps on the race track. If Renault also wants to sell the car for the road, the battery capacity must be adapted.

The only thing the French company has already revealed is its motorization. Like its predecessors, the car is rear-wheel drive. Two wheel-hub motors are used, integrated into the rear wheels, and are expected to deliver a total output of 368 kW or just over 500 hp. This enables the Renault 5 Turbo 3E to sprint from zero to 100 kph in only 3.5 seconds.

‘Anatomy of a comeback’

If you want to see the Renault 5 Turbo 3E on TV, a new documentary series called ‘Anatomy of a Comeback’ (from 13 December onward) will trace how the Renault Group reinvented itself in recent years.

Anatomy of a Comeback is a documentary series available on Prime Video. It tells the story of how Renault Group turned itself around to overcome its existential crisis. On the verge of collapse in the early 2020s, the company launched Renaulution, a transformational roadmap and last-chance plan.

Renault also uses the documentary to reveal a new production vehicle. Right at the end of the fourth episode is an Easter egg. Viewers follow Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group, Fabrice Cambolive, CEO of Renault brand, and Gilles Vidal, VP of Renault Design, on a visit to the Design Department to see the future Renault 5 Turbo 3E, confirmed by Luca de Meo as an upcoming production model.

Right now, it remains unclear when the car will debut, when it will go on sale, and at what price. Renault only states: ‘In 2025, the curtain will be raised further for the Renault 5 Turbo 3E with a series of exclusive activations.’