“I’m not going to tell you when, but she’s going to come out.” : this is how Luca de Meo, boss of Renault, confirmed the arrival in production of the R5 Turbo 3E. He made this announcement as part of the documentary series “Anatomy of a comeback”dedicated to the “renaissance” of the Diamond brand under the leadership of its Italian boss. The manufacturer took the opportunity to reveal some images and some first characteristics of this 100% electric sports car. We know that it will sport a body-built look, inspired by the R5 Turbo of the 1980s, that it will deliver no less than 500 hp and that it will be capable of going from 0 to 100 km/h in almost 3 seconds. But that's pretty much all Renault was willing to reveal! While waiting for new announcements promised for 2025, this tempting project leaves more questions than answers. Here are the five main ones.
1. When will the Renault 5 Turbo 3E be marketed?
The sentence that served as our hook for this article clearly illustrates all the vagueness that still surrounds this R5 Turbo 3E. By refusing to announce a release date, Renault is leaving the door open to speculation. The production model which has just been revealed differs significantly from the rolling concept car that Renault presented in 2022. He appears much wiser, therefore closer to production in appearance. But it also takes the form of a simple full model, without passenger compartment and without engine, like the Twingo E-Tech study. This clearly illustrates that the project is probably not yet at a very advanced stage. Under these conditions, it seems difficult to envisage an exit before 2026, in the best case scenario.
2. What will be the basis used for this project?
Like its illustrious ancestor, this R5 Turbo 3E will be rear-wheel drive. But despite its name, it renounces the turbocharged four-cylinder. It will not have a six-cylinder either, unlike the Clio V6 of the 1990s. It will now opt for two electric motors, installed in each of the rear wheels. At Renault, we do not find such an assembly in any other model at the moment. The “carbon superstructure” mentioned by the brand is equally unique. There is therefore almost no chance that this sports car will use the AmpR Small base of the new “classic” R5 or the Alpine A290, of which only the front wheels are driven.
The R5 Turbo 3E concept car was based on a tubular chassis, more suited to competition than production. One of the hypotheses for the transition to the series would be to take the basis of the future Alpine A110, which will convert to 100% electric. But the Turbo3E could also offer specific bases, like its predecessors, or use a platform shared with a partner. To be continued.
3. Where will this sporty R5 be produced?
This question partly overlaps with the previous one. If the new Renault sports car takes the basis of an existing model, it would indeed be logical that it also benefits from the same manufacturing lines. The Alpine factory in Dieppe, in Normandy, therefore seems to be the best candidate. It is the one that assembles the current A110 and the next generation of this Berlinette still has a good chance of still being produced there. The site is also used to small series production, such as that of the old Renault Spider.another radical creation of the Losange, or that of the first R5 Turbo. But the brand could also entrust manufacturing to a subcontractor… even if this was not successful during the time of the first Clio V6. The collaboration with the British company TWR initially resulted in a model with unconvincing development, so much so that phase 2, much more successful, was revised in depth without calling on this partner.
4. Which battery for which autonomy?
Renault has given the power and the first acceleration figures of its R5 Turbo 3E. But the manufacturer has overlooked another crucial aspect of any electric car: the battery. No information on autonomy has also been communicated. In this area, all speculations are therefore still possible…
5. What price for the R5 Turbo 3E?
On this chapter, it is also difficult to comment. The only thing certain is that the bill promises to be very steep. The use of carbon and the power of 500 hp make it difficult to envisage a starting price lower than €80,000. It would be close to a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, even much more powerful with its 650 hp and significantly more bulky, but less exclusive. The exact price of the R5 Turbo 3E could, however, vary greatly depending on the platform used or the number of copies planned. On this last point, Renault has left no stone unturned… However, we know that the very limited nature of a model can sometimes cause the bill to rise to new heights. The new Alpine A110 R Ultime is a good example, with its starting price at €265,000, which can even rise to €330,000 for the special “La Bleue” series.
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