Renault has unveiled a head-turning creation that merges ’80s charm with electric muscle. Meet the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, a rally-inspired electric hatchback designed to blur the lines between heritage and hyper-modernity. Forget ‘back to the future’; this machine is racing full-throttle into tomorrow.
Channelling the spirit of its rally-champion ancestors, the Turbo 3E reimagines Renault’s iconic 1980s hot hatch for the battery age. Gone is the combustion engine; in its place sit twin in-wheel motors pumping out 403 kW and a neck-snapping 4 800 Nm of torque. The result? A 0-100 km/h dash in under 3,5 seconds and a top speed that nudges 270 km/h — all packaged in a cheeky 4,08-metre frame.
“This isn’t nostalgia on autopilot,” says Renault CEO Fabrice Cambolive. “It’s a rebellion — proof that electric cars can set pulses racing just as fiercely as their petrol forebears.”
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Built on a lightweight aluminium chassis crafted by Renault’s performance arm, Alpine, the Turbo 3E tips the scales at 1 450 kg, including its 70 kWh battery. Rear-wheel drive and a carbon-fibre body amp up agility, while a rally-bred drift mode and retro-styled vertical handbrake invite drivers to slide into corners with glee. Engineers have even simulated the ‘turbo lag’ thrill of vintage engines — using instant electric torque to deliver a playful punch of acceleration.
Charging? Sorted. An 800-volt system gulps power at speed, juicing the battery from 15% to 80% in just 15 minutes. And with bidirectional tech, owners can siphon energy back to the grid — or power a weekend festival.
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The Turbo 3E’s look is a masterclass in time-warp styling. Think boxy arches, LED headlights shaped like vintage vents and a rear wing wide enough to double as a picnic bench. Side scoops channel airflow, while 20-inch wheels — each concealing a motor — peek out from flared wheel arches. Inside, carbon-fibre bucket seats and Alcantara trim scream race day, flanked by digital screens running Google’s infotainment system. Fancy tweaking regenerative braking mid-drive? There’s a steering wheel button for that.
Only 1 980 units will roll off the production line (a wink to the original Turbo’s 1980 debut), each sporting a numbered plaque and a palette of throwback colours. Buyers can opt for classic ‘Rouge Grenade’ or go bold with yellow-and-black racing stripes. Feeling extra? Customise the cabin with bespoke trims — because why shouldn’t your hatchback reflect your personality?
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Slated for European, Middle Eastern, Japanese and Australian roads by 2027, the Turbo 3E joins Renault’s electric family alongside the urban-friendly Renault 5 E-Tech and Alpine’s upcoming A290.
Alpine CEO Philippe Krief teases it as “a manifesto—proving electric sports cars can stir the soul.”
The Turbo 3E isn’t just a car; it is a statement. Renault has taken a beloved design, stripped out the fossil fuels, and injected it with enough tech to make a spaceship blush. Who says electric vehicles cannot be cheeky, thrilling, or a little bit rebellious?
As Cambolive quips: “Fun isn’t reserved for six-figure supercars.”
Reservations open shortly and we await confirmation of any slated for South Africa — but with numbers this limited, expect queues longer than a Parisian bakery at dawn. Ready to join the electric revolution? Keep your charger handy and your driving gloves closer.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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