1. Home
    2. Car News
    3. Renault
    4. 5 E-Tech
    5. News

    Is this Renault hot hatch the wildest production EV yet?

    Renault says it will begin production of this wild 5-based electric hot hatch, complete with in-wheel motors pumping out more than 373kW.

    William Stopford

    William Stopford

    News Editor

    William Stopford

    William Stopford

    News Editor

    The iconic Renault 5 was recently revived as an electric vehicle (EV), and now the hottest performance versions of the old car are being reborn as hot EVs.

    The Renault 5 Turbo 3E has been revealed as a modern take on the 5 Turbo and Turbo 2 of the 1980s, but with a radically different powertrain.

    This comprises electric motors housed in each rear wheel, for a total system output of more than 373kW (500hp), rocketing the hot hatch from 0-100km/h in 3.5 seconds.

    100s of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now.

    The hot hatch was revealed by Renault executives in the final episode of the Anatomy of a Comeback documentary series on Prime Video.

    While it looks more like a concept car than something you’d see in showrooms, Renault CEO Luca de Meo confirmed this is an upcoming production model that will launch 45 years after the first Renault 5 Turbo in 2025.

    It’s finished in a colour sported by rally Renault 5 Turbos in the early 1980s, and features a carbon superstructure.

    It has a wide, aggressive stance, with boxy wheel arches inside which sit 20-inch alloy wheels. There are also dramatic side air intakes and bold graphics.

    The headlights are smaller than on the regular Renault 5 and more closely resemble the original 5 Turbo, while there are squared-off daytime running lights and aggressive front and rear bumpers.

    Renault first teased the Turbo 3E with a concept in 2022, which featured in-wheel rear motors for total system outputs of 280kW and 700Nm, but an identical 0-100km/h time of 3.5 seconds.

    The company confirmed the concept weighed just 980kg, with the 42kWh lithium-ion battery pack weighing 520kg.

    The Turbo 3E usurps the Alpine A290 as the hottest Renault 5-based electric hatch.

    The Alpine has launched initially with a 160kW/300Nm single-motor powertrain, though the company has hinted at a hotter dual-motor all-wheel drive configuration.

    The first Renault 5 Turbo was a dramatically transformed version of the humble city car, with the engine mounted midship and sending drive to the rear wheels instead of the front-engine, front-wheel drive configuration of the regular 5.

    It was powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine which made it, at the time, the most powerful French production car.

    The 5 Turbo and 5 Turbo 2 were developed for rallying, but were also sold as road cars.

    MORE: Everything Renault 5

    Trusted Reviews, Smarter Choices, Better Prices

    Where expert car reviews meet expert car buying – CarExpert gives you trusted advice, personalised service and real savings on your next new car.

    William Stopford

    William Stopford

    News Editor

    William Stopford

    News Editor

    William Stopford is an automotive journalist based in Brisbane, Australia. William is a Business/Journalism graduate from the Queensland University of Technology who loves to travel, briefly lived in the US, and has a particular interest in the American car industry.

    Read more

    You might also like