Renault 5 Turbo 3E: The Ultimate Electric Mini-Supercar for Rally, Drift, and Track
A beast of a car engineered for rallying, drifting, and track performance—yet perfectly adapted for the road. These words guided the development of the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, Renault’s most powerful and advanced road car to date. This spectacular electric model captures the essence of the Renault brand, combining competitive passion and sporting heritage.
Renault 5 Turbo 3E breathes new life into the iconic legacy of the Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2 of the 1980s. These two infamous speed machines left their mark through their audacious character, innovative spirit, and outstanding rally performance. They were the first French models to feature a turbocharged petrol engine—a technology Renault had pioneered in Formula 1—and are now prized by collectors worldwide.
Yet Renault 5 Turbo 3E is much more than a mere homage. It transcends the idea of a restomod, being modernised, innovative, electric, and even more flamboyant and potent than its predecessors. It proudly inaugurates a new vehicle category: the mini-supercar. It boasts formidable technical credentials (540 hp, 0–100 km/h in under 3.5 seconds, a carbon-fibre superstructure, and more) and offers extensive customisation options to suit every requirement. Its minimal length-to-width ratio of 2.01 places it on par with a conventional supercar in a compact hot hatch format.
Constructed on a bespoke platform that meets its ambitious performance goals, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E claims a unique spot alongside the Renault 5 E-Tech electric (city car) and the Alpine A290 (sporty city car). It thus upholds the formula first seen in the 1980s with the Renault 5, Renault 5 Alpine, and Renault 5 Turbo, combining Renault’s daring image and renowned expertise with Alpine’s competitive spirit and skill.
Simultaneously, other complementary forces are taking shape. Ampere contributes software and electronic architecture, while Mobilize provides bi-directional charging (V2L and V2G) plus a range of services to simplify electric driving: Mobilize Smart Charge, Mobilize Charge Pass, and Plug & Charge. Certain partners also lend their specialised skills for critical components such as in-wheel motors and the carbon-fibre superstructure. As a result, Renault 5 Turbo 3E fully capitalises on the Renault Group’s transformation, driven by the Renaulution plan.
“By creating the new electric ‘mini-supercars’ category with the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, the Renault brand once again shows the passion and bold, innovative spirit that has always defined it. This exuberant, adrenaline-fuelled model delivers ultimate performance and thrills in just four metres of length—unprecedented in the market. Renault continues to make electric vehicles ever more desirable with this car, broadening its capacity to cater to every need and aspiration.” Fabrice Cambolive, CEO, Renault brand
On the exterior, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E features the aura of a true supercar. Its exuberance is evident in the pronounced front bumper and rear wing extensions, yet it remains firmly focused on agility and optimised aerodynamics. Aerodynamics is crucial for efficiency and weight reduction in an electric vehicle.
Naturally, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E design draws inspiration from the original Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2. Some details echo the recent Renault 5 E-Tech electric—such as the rear lights and wing mirrors—yet the core ambition is to resurrect the famous spirit of those two 1980s icons. Renault emphasises modern credentials by integrating cutting-edge technologies while pushing performance to new heights. This is the same retro-futuristic approach already deployed on the Renault 5 E-Tech electric and Renault 4 E-Tech electric.
“Reinterpreting the legendary Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2 is a bold undertaking. We preserved their exuberance and racing pedigree while introducing modern technologies and optimised aerodynamics for the electric era. Every line and contour strikes a balance between performance and character. Far more than a tribute, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E is a thrilling machine that owners can personalise endlessly.” Gilles Vidal, Vice President, Design, Renault & Ampere
In honouring the genetic core of the original Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E uses a fresh platform specifically developed with rear-wheel drive architecture. Compared to the Renault 5 E-Tech electric (3.92m long and with a 2.54m wheelbase), the windscreen has been set further back, and the wheelbase lengthened (2.57m), resulting in genuinely spectacular dimensions (4.08m long, 2.03m wide, 1.38m high). These proportions highlight the sophisticated lines, including a windscreen pillar flowing seamlessly towards the front wheels. With city-car length and supercar width, Renault 5 Turbo 3E defines a new class of ‘mini-supercars.’
At the front, Renault 5 Turbo 3E retains the same configuration as its predecessors: square headlamps—now LED—integrated with the bonnet’s edge, a slim strip with three central sections, and two extra square lights (formerly long-range lamps, now repurposed as LED daytime running lights).
The aerodynamic splitter wrapping around the front bumper and the sizeable air outlet on the bonnet bolster downforce, ensuring balanced distribution between front and rear. To maximise airflow, the side openings in the bumper channel air ahead of the wheels, while the side scoops on the rear wings guide air beneath the lights and out the back. We refer to the higher side scoops, while the lower side scoops cool the brakes. The left-hand scoop also conceals the charging hatch.
Viewed from the side, a custom surround envelops the windscreen pillars and extends across the cabin roofline, merging with the rear spoiler—echoing the classic Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2. An aerodynamic splitter traverses the body between the two rear lights, while the diffuser beneath the bumper gains extra efficiency through the bumper’s outward flare on each side.
Renault 5 Turbo 3E is strictly a two-door, two-seater vehicle. Under its prominent wing extensions, each of the 20-inch wheels contains an in-wheel electric motor. All the power electronics sit between these motors, and the battery is located beneath the floor. This arrangement frees up generous boot space—an unusual feature for such a performance-focused vehicle—and lowers the centre of gravity.
Much like the Renault 5 E-Tech electric, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E was developed around a dedicated EV platform to achieve top-tier performance without compromise. Engineers aimed to minimise weight for unbeatable agility and speed, matching supercar standards by delivering 0–100 km/h in under 3.5 seconds.
“As the Renault Group’s most powerful and highest-performance road model ever, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E offers Alpine a brilliant opportunity to showcase its skill in engineering, architecture, and the development of electric sports cars—all focused on agility and driving thrills. This car also pioneers innovation, seen in the in-wheel motors, as we strive for excellence and invention in tomorrow’s electric vehicles.” Philippe Krief, CEO of Alpine brand and CTO of Renault Group
Alpine’s engineers, who honed their expertise on electric sports cars through the A110 E-ternity, A290, and A390, tackled this demanding project. They devised a dedicated aluminium platform that can accommodate various architectures. For the powertrain, they chose in-wheel motors positioned on the rear axle (rear-wheel drive) for four key benefits:
A colossal 4,800 Nm of torque.
An even more immediate power response compared to a conventional electric motor—recalling the intense punch of old-school turbos, but without lag.
Notable weight and space savings on the rear axle.
Enhanced agility through independent control of each motor.
Positioned under the floor, the battery helps lower the centre of gravity, enabling Alpine’s engineers to explore the full potential of chassis tuning and suspension. The result is maximum agility, blistering performance, and exhilarating drift capability, helped further by a dedicated drift-assist function and a rally-inspired vertical handbrake. The car’s superstructure is crafted from carbon fibre for added weight savings and increased rigidity.
Renault 5 Turbo 3E tips the scales at roughly 1,450 kilograms, including a 70 kWh battery. With a powertrain of 540 hp (2 x 200 kW), it achieves a remarkable power-to-weight ratio of around 2.7 kg/hp—comparable to iconic supercars. Its 0–100 km/h time is estimated to be under 3.5 seconds, and its projected WLTP combined range on the road exceeds 400 km (homologation pending). An 11 kW onboard charger offers a full AC charge in about eight hours.
During more spirited track sessions, Renault 5 Turbo 3E can complete several hot laps at speeds up to 270 km/h before connecting to a DC fast charger at 350 kW, thanks to its 800-volt architecture. Charging from 15% to 80% capacity requires only about 15 minutes. A steering wheel button unlocks a power boost for swift overtakes, and another button adjusts regenerative braking through four levels. MULTI-SENSE offers four driving modes—Snow, Regular, Sport, and Race (the latter incorporating the drift-assist function).
Inside, the cabin flaunts its racing spirit with bucket seats, six-point harnesses, and lightweight carbon-fibre components. Premium materials such as Alcantara wrap the seats and dashboard. The rally-style vertical handbrake intensifies the high-octane ambience.
Ahead of the driver, two OpenR screens (10.1-inch and 10.25-inch) provide essential data for driving, navigation, and infotainment. Their interface pays tribute to the dashboard design of the original Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2 while delivering the modern, connected experience expected from a road-legal performance car. Meanwhile, the OpenR Link system with Google built-in—shared with Renault 5 E-Tech electric and Renault 4 E-Tech electric—grants continuous updates and a comprehensive suite of Google services, including Google Maps for route planning and integrated charging stops.
Renault 5 Turbo 3E comes with various exterior and interior colour choices. Some reference the classic Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2 livery, such as Rouge Grenade for production models or the yellow, white, and black racing design of the “Tour de Corse 1982” rally version. Fresh “gentleman driver” or modern liveries are also featured. Buyers can customise exterior paint and interior trims (seats, dashboard, door panels, centre console, etc.) alongside Renault designers, creating a unique vehicle.
A car that is this exceptional demands an equally impressive marketing strategy. Dealers who secure the vehicle will partner in its pre-financing through an ‘upfront funding’ system. This truly collaborative approach also includes customers. Renault 5 Turbo 3E will be available in select markets—Europe, the Middle East, Japan, and Australia—in a total of 1,980 units, paying homage to the launch year of the original Renault 5 Turbo. Each model will bear its number, which buyers may select when ordering. Reservations open in the coming weeks, with first deliveries expected in 2027.
