Sometimes returned. Renault presented the 5 Turbo 3E, a compact car inspired by the legendary Renault 5 Turbo of the 1980s. The model has been reborn electrically under the styling cue of the Renault 5 E-Tech, but has been redesigned with a more aggressive design and functional to its monstrous power: 580 horsepower from electric motors installed in the wheels. The exterior design of the Renault 5 Turbo 3E is designed like that of a supercar: with exuberance (as can be seen from the protruding bumpers and enlarged rear wings), but without ever losing sight of the quest for sportiness, agility, nor forgetting aerodynamic efficiency. And this, together with weight, is one of the key points for an electric vehicle to ensure the best possible efficiency.
The first source of inspiration for designing the Renault 5 Turbo 3E was clearly the original Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2. The Renault 5 Turbo 3E also features some characteristic elements and traits of the recent Renault 5 E-Tech Electric, such as the rear lights and exterior mirrors, but the idea behind the project was to revive the legendary legacy of the two 1980s models while incorporating modern technologies to bring the vehicle up to date and optimise its performance. ‘Revisiting the legendary Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2 was a courageous challenge. We kept their exuberance and racing spirit while incorporating modern technologies and aerodynamics optimised for the electric era. Every single line and every single volume expresses the right balance between performance and personality,’ said Gilles Vidal, Design Director of Renault and Ampere.
Inside, there is an absolutely sporty atmosphere, with wraparound seats with 6-point belts, predominantly carbon components to reduce weight, and high-end materials such as Alcantara to cover the seats and dashboard. The rally-style vertical handbrake will be the absolute star of this ‘extreme’ environment. All driving, navigation and multimedia information is displayed on the 10.1-inch and 10.25-inch OpenR displays, via an interface that pays homage to the traditional dashboard of the original Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2, while offering a modern, connected driving experience befitting such a sporty vehicle, no matter how road-legal it is. The OpenR Link system with integrated Google, which is already available on the Renault 5 and Renault 4 E-Tech Electric, will, in particular, allow users to take advantage of the numerous Google services that continue to develop over the months and years. Among these, Google Maps will include the planning of journeys in electric mode, but also the scheduling of recharges up to the destination.
