Renault continues to look to the past with a performance version of its affordable electric hatchback.
Just as the electric Renault 5 E-Tech is inspired by the cult-classic original that launched in 1972, the limited-edition Renault 5 Turbo 3E pays homage to an extreme performance version of that hatch. Due to start deliveries in 2027, production will be limited to 1,980 units in reference to the original 5 Turbo’s launch year.
That first Renault 5 Turbo (and a later 5 Turbo 2 variant) were powered by a turbo-4 engine mounted in the middle of the car and powering the rear wheels, instead of the front-engine, front-wheel-drive configuration of the standard 5. This all-electric revival also makes the switch from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive, in this case with a pair of in-wheel motors delivering a combined 533 hp, mounted in 20-inch wheels.
Renault 5 Turbo 3E
A 70-kwh battery pack affords what Renault estimates as approximately 250 miles of range on the European WLTP testing cycle, which generally produces higher number than the EPA cycle, or “several hot laps” of a racetrack. An 800-volt electrical architecture allows for 350-kw DC fast charging and a 15-80% charge in around 15 minutes, according to Renault.
Carbon-fiber bodywork contributes to a relatively low (for an EV) curb weight of 3,395 pounds, allowing the 5 Turbo 3E to get from 0-62 mph in under 3.5 seconds and on a top speed of 168 mph, Renault estimates.
Like the original 5 Turbo, very little of the base car’s bodywork carries over. Renault moved the windshield back, extended the wheelbase, and have the 5 Turbo 3E swollen fenders that are dead ringers for those of the original 5 Turbo. Enhancing the retro aesthetic are available liveries like the black, white, and yellow combination shown here, inspired by a racing livery from the 1982 Tour de Corse rally.
Inside, bucket seats and six-point harnesses mingle with a 10.1-inch digital instrument cluster and and 10.3-inch central touchscreen, with more carbon-fiber components to help drive home this car’s sporty intent.
The 5 Turbo 3E isn’t the only performance version of the modern electric Renault 5. Renault’s sibling brand Alpine recently launched the A290, a 220-hp version of the electric hatch. While prices haven’t been announced, given its extensive reworking and limited production run, expect the Turbo 3E to be much more expensive, in sharp contrast to the base 5 E-Tech’s low price. And neither version will likely come to the U.S.
Homages like the Turbo 3E are in keeping with Renault’s strategy of emphasizing retro styling as it electrifies. In January, the automaker also unveiled a one-off test car inspired by record-setting prototypes from the last century. Dubbed Filante Record 2025, it will be used in range and efficiency record attempts later this year, Renault has said.
