Renault R5 Turbo 3E

Renault R5 Turbo 3E is a tribute to its 50th anniversary. Following the Renault 5 Prototype and 5 Diamant, this exuberant new reinterpretation of the Renault 5 is a homage to the model’s most iconic sports versions: the Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2. It owes the "3E" in its name to the fact that it follows the Turbo 2 and it’s electric. 

Making its public debut at the Chantilly Arts & Elegance 2022 contest on September 25, the all-electric show car is influenced by the world of car racing and video games, with Renault saying it was designed for drifting. It’s rear-wheel drive and strictly a two-seater, like its iconic predecessor. The rear axle houses two electric motors, each moving one wheel. Together they generate 280 kilowatts (375 horsepower) of power and 700 Newton-meters (516 pound-feet) of torque.

They draw energy from a 42-kWh lithium-ion battery pack located in the middle under the floor of the tubular chassis, which is protected by a flat base and shielded by FIA-approved roll bars. Following in the footsteps of the Renault 5 Turbo and the Turbo 2, the company with the diamond logo is revising the hot hatch for the inevitable electric era. Much like the Porsche Taycan, a car without a combustion engine gets the "Turbo" name, followed here by "3E" to signal it’s the third in the lineage and has an electric drivetrain. Essentially, the concept is a high-performance derivative of the Renault 5 Prototype we saw early last year.

The rad show car looks just about ready to star in Cyberpunk 2077 and boasts a rear wing you can spot from a mile away. Much like its gasoline-fueled predecessors, the new R5 Turbo 3E has a rear-wheel-drive layout. Renault installed two electric motors – one for each wheel at the back – and put the 42-kWh lithium-ion battery pack in the middle under the floor. Doing so harkens back to the mid-engined layout of the Turbo and Turbo 2. Technical specifications are just as impressive as the ultra-aggressive styling. The French marque says the pair of electric motors deliver a total of 375 horsepower (280 kilowatts) and 700 Newton-meters (516 pound-feet) of torque. It’s enough muscle for a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in three and a half seconds and a top speed of 124 mph (200 km/h).

The Renault R5 Turbo 3E rides on 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels and weighs 980 kilograms (2,160 pounds) before you add the bulky battery pack that tips the scales at 520 kg (1,146 lbs). You end up with an electric hot hatch that weighs 1,500 kg (3,306 lbs), which isn’t too bad in the grand scheme of things. To fully replenish the battery, it’ll take about two hours with a 380V/32A charger.

Built on a tubular chassis, the electric concept has FIA-approved roll bars and a dedicated Drift Mode, complete with the essential upright handbrake lever. To capture all the action while you’re going sideways, the R5 Turbo 3E has no fewer than 10 mounting brackets for cameras that can be installed both inside and out. The car itself weighs just 980 kilograms (2,160 pounds) and the body is made of carbon fiber. However, the batteries add 520 kilograms (1,146 pounds) for a total of 1,500 kilograms (3,306 pounds). That’s not bad for an electric hot hatch as it enables the R5 Turbo 3E to accelerate to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.5 seconds (3.9 seconds in Drift mode) and reach a top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph).

According to Renault, the 42-kWh battery has plenty of juice for several laps on the track or a raging gymkhana. The 50-plus steering angle comes in handy during drifting, allowing the electric show car to easily dodge obstacles. And after the overly enthusiastic driving takes its toll on the battery, it’s good to know that topping up the pack takes two hours with a 380V/32A charger.

Should the driver want to capture their drifting antics on camera—in this day and age it didn’t happen if there’s no video—the R5 Turbo 3E comes equipped with 10 mounting brackets for cameras inside and outside.

Visually, the show car stands out thanks to its generous width of 2.02 meters (79.5 inches)—250 mm (9.8 in) wider than its ancestor—, the huge rear wing, ultra-wide wheel arches housing 19-inch front, and 20-inch wide wheels, big air inlets on the rear fender, and an air inlet on the bonnet that houses the opening for the battery charging socket. 

Inside, the Renault R5 Turbo 3E gets carbon fiber racing bucket seats, a safety harness and steering wheel developed with Sabelt, the obligatory upright handbrake lever, and 10 digital screens on the dashboard that look like widgets. The chunky body is 2.02 meters (79.5 inches) wide, which is 25 cm (nearly 10 in) more than the Turbo 2, giving the concept an imposing stance. It stretches at 4,006 mm (157.7 in, including the rear spoiler) and stands 1.32 meters (52 in) tall, with a wheelbase measuring 2.54 meters (100 in). The front tires measure 225/35 R19 while the meaty rear rubber is a 325/25 R20 set.

The Turbo 3E’s body is made from carbon fiber to keep weight down. There are air intakes up front to cool the car’s powertrain and add downforce. The side intakes have been reworked for a more modern look, while the rear end features a gigantic wing. There’s a smattering of patterns along the body highlighted by a bright green-yellow hue for the inlets, rear slats, and parts of the wing.

Renault intends for the Turbo E3 to be a show car meant to wow audiences not only in real life but across the internet. As such it’s fitted with around 10 mounting brackets specifically to place cameras to record the action inside and out.

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Launch Date: September 2022

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