The Renault 5 Turbo 3E up close is as wild as I expected

Renault is on a roll currently. The Renault 5 E-tech hatchback, its A290 sibling from sporty subdivision Alpine, and the decidedly sensible (but hugely impressive) Renault Scenic E-tech have all hit the mark with us. And yet none get the blood pumping quite the Renault 5 Turbo 3E. Having seen this wild-looking electric homage to the firm’s 1980s hot hatch heyday, all signs point to a thrill factor that’ll be off the charts once this thing hits the road.

The reborn Renault 5 is a blast in standard production guise. The Alpine A290 then delivers a spicier experience – but it’s one that’ll surely seem like butter chicken to the 5 Turbo 3E’s phaal, with upwards of 540 horsepower coming from in-wheel electric motors at the back axle. So no, those retro-futuristic body modifications aren’t just for show.

Renault’s engineering bods reckon the 1450kg rear-driven pocket rocket will hit zero to sixty in less than 3.5 seconds. And that’s despite lugging 77kWh worth of batteries around, which will likely be good for up to 250 miles of range when you aren’t hooning away from every single red light. Those cells have been shoehorned into the aluminium floorplan to give a usefully low centre of gravity, which should mean it’ll also be in its element on a circuit. There’s a dedicated Race driving mode, plus a drift assist (and giant upright handbrake) for good measure.

You can see the family resemblance – just – but the Turbo 3E is a very different beast to the standard Renault 5. The wheelbase has been extended slightly, the rear doors have been ditched, and the windscreen has been moved back slightly. The body is made of carbon fibre, too, in the pursuit of lightness.

Other cosmetic tweaks are in plentiful supply, with the huge air intakes, side scoops and splitter that fleck the car’s exterior helping to channel air more effectively and assist with cooling the brakes. A more aerodynamic diffuser and subtle roof spoiler (probably the only thing on this car to which that term applies) should then mean the Renault 5 Turbo 3E sticks to the road like glue.

It rides on 20in wheels, with a charging hatch subtly concealed behind the left-hand side scoop, and beefed up LED headlights and daytime running lights that give it proper group B rally vibes.

Renault has given at least some thought to daily driving, with an 800-volt architecture that’ll let you rapid charge the thing from 15% to 80% in just quarter of an hour. It seemed to me like there’s still a generous amount of boot space, too.

You’re hardly going to start spotting these on the school run, mind. Production is limited to just 1980 numbered units, and the yet-to-be-set price is expected to comfortably nudge over the £100,000 mark. A whole lot more than I have to spend, yes – but a relative bargain compared to most collectable supercars.

Order books should open in the near future, and first deliveries should begin in the first half of 2027. So plenty of time to get that lottery win…