Mini Supercar, Maxi Attitude: First Drives of the Renault 5 Turbo 3E

Renault is pushing the reset button on a legend with the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, a modern electric machine built to bring theater back to small, wild performance cars. After months of obsessive development by Alpine engineers, two advanced prototypes finally stretched their legs in Calvi, Corsica, on October 5 and 6, just before the Historic Tour de Corse. The setting, the crowds, and the soundtrack of electric motors made it clear: this little brute exists to entertain.

At first glance the proportions tell the story. It measures 4.08 meters long and 2.03 meters wide, giving it a length-to-width ratio of 2.01 that screams stance and stability. Under the body sits a custom aluminum platform reinforced with carbon, including the upper bulkhead and sections of the floor, so it feels rigid and lively without excess weight. The superstructure is all carbon and weighs less than 100 kilograms, helping keep the overall mass just under 1,450 kilograms with an ideal 43/57 weight distribution.

The headline hardware lives at the rear: a pair of in-wheel motors rated at 2 x 204 kilowatts—408 kilowatts total, equivalent to 555 horsepower—and a colossal 4,800 newton-meters of torque delivered instantly. Because each rear wheel is driven independently, the system can fine-tune torque side to side to rotate the car on command and sharpen responses mid-corner. Double wishbone suspension front and rear keeps the contact patches planted, and the power-to-weight ratio of 2.5 underlines how serious this compact package is. Acceleration to 100 kilometers per hour takes under 3.5 seconds, and the way it surges at speed turns every straight into a dare.

Energy comes from an 800-volt architecture and a 70 kilowatt-hour battery. With a direct current peak of up to 330 kilowatts, charging from 15 to 80 percent takes about 15 minutes, and the standard WLTP range is targeted at more than 400 kilometers. That mix of fast laps and fast top-ups is the whole point: maximum playtime, minimal waiting.

The first public runs doubled as a rolling tribute. One prototype wore black, yellow, and white to honor the Tour de Corse; the other carried red, blue, and white in salute to the Maxi 5 Turbo raced by Jean Ragnotti, the 1985 winner on these very roads. At the wheel was Julien Saunier, Renault ambassador and rally specialist, who praised the deep, linear shove, easy-to-modulate brakes, and playful, controllable drifts—the kind that make onlookers cheer and drivers giggle.

The 3E’s road to production is moving fast. Most characteristics are now locked, homologation is in motion, and reservations opened on April 22 with prices from €160,000 including tax (options and personalization extra). A €50,000 reservation places buyers in line for one of 1,980 cars—a nod to the original Renault 5 Turbo’s launch year—and yes, customers can even choose their build number as a paid option. The plan continues in early 2026 with a personalization program that lets owners recreate historic liveries—think Rouge Grenade or the 1982 Tour de Corse colors—or design something truly one-off alongside Renault’s creative team, from seats to door panels to dashboard materials. Final configuration and ordering are set for the first half of 2027, with deliveries beginning that year.

It is rare to see a compact car wear the confidence of a supercar while keeping the joy of a hot hatch. That is why this project resonates: it is not trying to be sensible, it is trying to be unforgettable. If you are into rally legends, smokey slides, and instant electric punch packaged in a size that fits real roads, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E looks ready to deliver.