The Renault 5 Turbo Returns With Loopy Energy

Electrical scorching hatches are few and much between. Fashions that spring to thoughts embrace the Abarth 500e, Cupra Born VZ, Mini John Cooper Works, and the lesser-known MG4 XPower. Renault needs to overshadow all of them–together with its very personal Alpine A290–with a ludicrously highly effective iteration of the reborn 5. Sure, the Renault 5 Turbo is again, and identical to the Porsche Taycan, it is an electrical automobile with “Turbo” in its identify. Complicated, I do know.

Though it could ship an idea vibe, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E is not only for present. The automaker with the diamond emblem intends to place the automobile into manufacturing. The tiny-but-mighty hatchback will probably be rear-wheel drive, very like its Nineteen Eighties ancestor. As a substitute of getting the unique automobile’s mid-mounted four-cylinder engine, it’s going to rock a pair of rear electrical motors. That turbo 1.4-liter mill made about 160 hp, whereas its EV non secular successor has greater than thrice the facility.

Photograph by: Renault

The French tout a mixed output of over 500 horsepower, or a whopping 285 hp greater than the Alpine A290 we talked about. The facility hole between the 5 Turbo 3E and a regular Renault 5 is even better, at a daft 350 hp. Torque is not talked about, however we all know the electrical hatch will want solely three and a half seconds to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill. It makes it 0.3 seconds faster than the MG4 XPower, which packs “solely” 429 hp.

The spectacularly muscular physique deletes the common Renault 5’s rear doorways in alternate for aspect vents. Renault provides bulging fenders as a throwback to the unique R5 Turbo. We’re additionally noticing large 20-inch wheels on what stays a diminutive automobile. The 2-tone alloys are wrapped in 245/35 ZR20 tires on the entrance and meaty 275/35 ZR20 rubber on the rear.

Though it is the primary Renault-badged electrical scorching hatch to enter manufacturing, there have been one-offs up to now. A few of you’ll recall the 2017 Zoe E-Sport with 460 hp and the 2022 R5 Turbo 3E with 375 hp. The road-going mannequin will trump each, presumably for an exorbitant price ticket and low manufacturing numbers.

Photograph by: Renault

Because the common Renault 5 has a front-wheel-drive format with a single motor, it is protected to say there are some main modifications beneath the pores and skin. The twin-motor, RWD efficiency model makes use of a “carbon superstructure,” claimed to be “light-weight and very stiff.” Weight is not talked about, however the previous idea automobile–which additionally had two motors on the rear–tipped the scales at 3,306 kilos (1,500 kilograms). The Alpine A290 is a smidge lighter, at 3,260 lbs (1,479 kg).

We are able to draw parallels between the Renault 5/Turbo 3E and the automobiles bought within the Nineteen Eighties. Again then, the common mannequin additionally had FWD with a front-mounted engine, whereas the homologation particular Turbo mannequin put the engine behind the seats, with energy going to the rear wheels.

Absolutely, there is not a giant marketplace for this sort of automobile, however we’re glad it exists. It is anticipated to go on sale in 2026. Renault, when you’re at it, can we’ve one other mid-engine Clio?

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