The Renault 5 Turbo 3E…
Squeeeeeeee!!!!!
Yes, I thought that would be your reaction, hence why I paused. The Renault 5 Turbo 3E…
Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!
…stop it… has had its first run out in public at the Historic Tour De Corse rally.
Why the Tour De Corse?
Well, quite apart from the Historic Tour De Corse being an awesome event, and the original World Rally Championship event being one of the most challenging and thrilling on the whole calendar, there's also the small matter of this being the 40th anniversary of the great Jean Ragnotti's win at the wheel of a Maxi 5 Turbo in 1985.
And the Maxi 5 Turbo is the inspiration for the 3E, right?
Precisely. The wide-body look of the new electric Renault 5 Turbo 3E isn't quite a carbon copy (pun fully intended, as the 3E uses lots of carbon fibre) of the original wide-hipped rally car, but it's close enough. Hence, also why Renault has painted up one of the 3E prototypes in the iconic red and blue colour scheme of Ragnotti's 1985 original. If you thought the first black, white, and yellow Turbo 3E show car looked good…
So, is the new Turbo 3E actually taking part in the event?
No, it's not, but an original Renault 5 Maxi Turbo is, and is being driven by Julien Saunier, Renault's ambassador driver and rally specialist. Julien's list of sporting successes includes the 2021 Alpine Elf Rally, the 2022 Historic Monte Carlo Rally, and the 2024 Historic Tour de Corse. The current event is underway and finishes on Sunday, the 11th. Saunier was also the man behind the wheel for the electric Renault 5 Turbo 3E's public demonstrations.
“Driving this Renault 5 Turbo 3E is such an incredible experience! It really does have everything you'd expect from a super sports car – it's a true rallying beast. I was blown away by the acceleration, which doesn't fade when you gather speed, the braking that's ultra-powerful yet easy to modulate, and its ability to perform spectacular but controlled drifts. It was such a fun drive, with all sorts of new driving sensations. And at the same time, it was in the colours of the 1985 “Philips” Maxi 5 Turbo, also present on the Maxi 5 Turbo I'm currently driving in the Historic Tour de Corse. This is our tribute to the 40th anniversary of Jean Ragnotti's win,” said Saunier.
Has the 5 Turbo 3E been seen in public before?
Only as a static object. This was just the first chance that anyone outside of Renault has had to see the 555hp all-wheel drive electric supercar running on the road. As part of the Turbo 3E's entry, Renault closed off some of the classic special stage sections, including the iconic Notre Dame de la Serra and Montegrosso special stage, as well as putting on a public display on the esplanade at the port of Calvi.
What are the specs of the Renault 5 Turbo 3E?
Mouth-watering…
No, seriously though…
OK, seriously. The 5 Turbo 3E is almost perfectly rectangular, at 4.08 metres long and 2.03 metres wide, and it features an all-carbon superstructure that weighs a mere 100kg. Even with the 70kWh battery installed, the total weight is just 1,450kg, and thanks to a theoretical 4,800Nm(!) of torque from its four individual 204kW electric motors, the Turbo 3E can scamper to 100km/h in just 3.5 seconds. It'll charge up at 330kW, and the range is said to be slightly more than 400km.
Plus, it's fully customisable, and Renault has confirmed that customers will be able to choose individual colour schemes, including the iconic black, white, and yellow Renault Sport colours, and the Ragnotti scheme that pays homage to the Phillips electronics sponsorship of the 1985 car. The interior can be hugely customised too, but you'll have to pay a €48,300 deposit to get on the list for the strictly limited 1,980 cars that will be built. The total price? Well, it won't be less than €160,000, and that doesn't include VRT, although apparently at least one has been ordered in Ireland.
“This incredible project has sparked a huge sense of excitement, not only internally but also among the public, with 500 reservations in the first three days! These first runs in public are a key stage in the project, and they're also highly symbolic, with the choice of the Tour de Corse and the 40th anniversary of the victory of the Maxi 5 Turbo. It's also the anniversary, almost to the day, of the press reveal of the original Renault 5 Turbo, which took place on 4 October 1978 ahead of the Paris Motor Show. We're now keen to move on to the next stage, which will be to show customers the personalisation programme that we've put together for them. It promises to be a detailed and highly attractive line-up!” said Michael Grosjean, Renault 5 Turbo 3E Project Manager.