
Renaults Bonkers R5 Turbo 3E Is an EV That Refuses to Be Boring
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The Renault 5 Turbo has always been a bit of a lunatic. Back in the 80s, it was the kid at the party doing backflips off the furniture while everyone else played it safe. A mid-engined, turbocharged, rally-bred monster stuffed into the shell of a humble city car, it made no senseand that was precisely the point. Fast forward to 2025, and Renault has decided that the world needs a new dose of that madness, but with a modern twist. Enter the Renault 5 Turbo 3E: fully electric, absurdly powerful, and still utterly unhinged.This thing isnt playing around. Two electric motors stuffed into the rear wheels deliver a staggering 536 horsepower, which is already impressive, but the real insanity lies in the torque figure: 3,540 lb-ft. Thats not a typo. Thats the kind of torque you expect from a locomotive, not a hot hatch. Even in an EV world where instant acceleration is the norm, this level of grunt is borderline ridiculous. The result? A 0-62 mph time of under 3.5 seconds and a top speed of 168 mph, which would have put it in supercar territory not too long ago.Designer: RenaultOf course, this is Renault were talking about, so they didnt just make it fastthey made it wild. The Turbo 3E is built on a bespoke aluminum platform, draped in carbon fiber, and shaped like a brick of rage. The widened stance, aggressive aero, and those hilariously exaggerated fender flares make it look like it escaped from a cyberpunk fever dream. The wheelbase is longer than the standard Renault 5 EV, and the windscreen is pushed further back, exaggerating the mid-engine-like proportions. Renault calls it a mini supercar, and honestly, its hard to argue.The 70kWh battery sits low in the chassis, running on 800V technology and capable of rapid charging from 15 to 80% in just 15 minutes. Thats good news because, with this level of performance, youre going to be draining the battery like a thirsty camel at an oasis. Renault claims it can complete several hot laps at full tilt before needing a recharge, which is vague but at least promising. And because this is still a car built for hooliganism, it comes with multiple drive modes, including Race and a dedicated drift-assist mode. Yes, Renault built an EV hot hatch designed to slide, because of course they did.The interior leans fully into the race-car fantasy. Step inside, and youre greeted by two massive digital displaysone 10.1 inches, the other 10.25feeding you all the data you could ever need. The seats? Proper bucket-style with six-point harnesses, because anything less would be an insult to its rally heritage. The dashboard is wrapped in carbon fiber and Alcantara, reinforcing the stripped-out, motorsport-ready vibe. And then theres the rally-style vertical handbrake lever, sitting proudly next to the driver like a lever of pure temptation. This car wants to go sideways, and it doesnt care if youre ready or not.Renault plans to build 1,980 of these beastsan obvious nod to the original R5 Turbos birth year. Pricing hasnt been officially announced, but expect a figure north of 120k, and if you start ticking option boxes, dont be surprised if that number doubles. A steep price for a Renault hot hatch, sure, but this isnt some nostalgia-bait special edition with fancy badges and a big price tag. This is Renault going full mad scientist, reimagining the essence of the original R5 Turbo for the EV era, and making something that feels genuinely exciting.Whats especially refreshing about the R5 Turbo 3E is that it doesnt feel like another sanitized, eco-conscious EV trying to blend in. Its loud in every way except for noise. Its brash, overpowered, impractical, and utterly unapologetic. Renault could have played it safe, but they chose chaos instead. The electric future needs cars like thiscars that refuse to be boring, that make no logical sense, but exist purely because someone had the audacity to say, Why not?The original R5 Turbo was a rally legend, a car that made no compromises and burned its way into automotive history through sheer lunacy. The 3E takes that same spirit and channels it into the EV era. And while it may lack the turbo lag and screaming four-cylinder of the old car, it replaces it with brutal electric torque and tire-smoking madness. Renault has created something special here, something that doesnt just honor the past but redefines what a hot hatch can be in an electrified world.The post Renaults Bonkers R5 Turbo 3E Is an EV That Refuses to Be Boring first appeared on Yanko Design.
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