After numerous events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the legendary Renault 5 (participation in the historic Monte Carlo Rally, Salon Rétromobile, Le Mans Classic, etc.) and following the presentation of the Renault 5 Diamant electric showcar, the French manufacturer is unveiling the R5 Turbo 3E as part of the Chantilly Arts et Élégance 2022 Concours d’Elegance on 25 September. “R5 Turbo 3E brings together ultra-technological design and conscious exuberance, with many references to the world of motor racing and video games. This mix propels the showcar towards modernity and technology, to the boundaries between real and virtual. This electric car, ideal for drifting, proves that electric vehicles can also be fun with incredible performance,” said Gilles Vidal, Renault’s design director.
The concept is another example, after the Renault 5 Prototype, of an ‘electric renaissance’ of one of the brand’s flagship models. Renault is electrifying its history to prepare for a 100% electric future in Europe by 2030. Designed for performance and track, the R5 Turbo 3E is a rear-wheel-drive electric car ideal for drifting. Just like its iconic ancestor, it is a two-seater vehicle, with the rear occupied by the powertrain consisting of two electric motors, each driving one wheel, with batteries located centrally under the floorpan. The mechanics are mounted on a tubular chassis, protected by a flat bottom and surrounded by FIA-approved safety roll bars, boasting a total power output of 280 kW for a torque of 700 Nm.
Aesthetic references to the iconic Turbo 2 are everywhere, such as the air intakes on the rear wings, boasting a width of 2.02 metres (25 centimetres more than its ancestor), a length of 4 metres and a height of 1.32 metres. Its strong point is the immense rear wing, which allows it to stay glued to the ground even in the most extreme drifts. At the front, the R5 Turbo 3E has a bumper with large air intakes that provide both cooling and grip on the ground. Being vertically divided into three parts, it is a direct reference to the bumper of the Renault 5 Turbo 2. Also found, ‘like in the old days’, are the square fog lights, which this time are four in number, each consisting of 16 LEDs.
At the front and rear, other pink, blue and yellow LEDs form light strips that light up and flash when the car drifts, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of the world of video games and the 1980s and 1990s. The symbols and historical references found in the design of the R5 Turbo 3E are not meant to be nostalgic. On the contrary, precisely because of their contemporary and playful treatment, they project the showcar into modernity. For example, the air intake in the bonnet – a further reference to the Renault 5 Turbo 2 – conceals the access door to the battery charging socket. The transparent bodywork components, especially those located at the rear of the vehicle, above the diffuser, allow one to admire all the electric mechanics of the showcar.
