The Renault 5 Turbo 3E is an electric hot hatchback designed as a tribute to the iconic 5 Turbo, which gained fame in the 1980s through rally racing. Restricted to just 1,980 units, the Turbo 3E builds on the retro-inspired 5 E-Tech while featuring bold, exaggerated bodywork and a motorsports-inspired livery. Two electric motors deliver 536 horsepower to the rear wheels, propelling the hatchback from 0 to 62 mph in less than 3.5 seconds. The Renault 5 E-Tech, an electric vehicle launched earlier this year for the European market, already featured a retro-inspired design. Its boxy shape pays homage to the Renault 5, one of the brand’s top-selling models in the 1970s and 1980s. To celebrate the Renault 5 Turbo, which debuted in rally racing during the 1980s, the French automaker has introduced the high-performance and stylish Renault 5 Turbo 3E, a car that fully embraces the vintage aesthetic. Even though Renault has made some crazy concept cars lately, like the R17 restomod and the 5 Diamant, this rear-wheel-drive pocket rocket will only be made in small numbers. Renault showed off the Turbo 3E as a concept car in 2022. The business vehicle doesn’t have the concept’s huge rear wing, strange color scheme, or teddy bear in the cabin (yes, you read that right), but it still has a cool look. The yellow and black paint job on the Turbo 3E makes me think of Renault race cars from the 1980s. Renault also made a lot of changes to the way this special model looks. The back doors were taken off and replaced with rear bumpers that bulge out and trim that looks like the heavy air intake on the original 5 Turbo. The front is more straight off, with three thin vents, a bumper with LED fog lights, and headlights that are shaped like a rectangle. The front fender is also very strong. There is a big diffuser in the back, and there are two spoilers, one on top and the other coming out from between the fog lights. The rear wheels of the Renault 5 Turbo 3E each have an electric motor that adds up to 536 horsepower. Renault says it takes the Turbo 3E less than three and a half seconds to go from 0 to 62 miles per hour. Renault says that using an 800-volt setup, the 70 kWh battery can be charged from 15% to 80% in less than 15 minutes. And that’s a good thing because users will need a lot of charging after jumping from every stop sign and red light. This company will only make 1980 hot hatches, and each one will have a number. Even though Renault hasn’t said the price yet, it’s likely to be much more than $27,000 for the basic 5 E-Tech when reservations open.
