Second chance to snap up a Renault 5 Turbo 3E

Renault Australia has announced the order books have once again opened for the second allocation of its unhinged 2027 Renault 5 Turbo 3E, after the first batch of 500 cars sold out in less than 48 hours.

The next batch of 500 cars is now available for order, with the French car-maker declaring it will only ever build just 1980 examples of what could be the most extreme hot hatch in history.

All deliveries will be due in 2027, although the actual timings will be dependent on each local market’s homologation regulations.

Pricing remains unknown for Australia but in France the 2027 Renault 5 Turbo 3E costs €155,000 (around $A275,000), with Renault requiring interested buyers to place a €50,000 ($A89,000) deposit if they successfully score a place on the waiting list.

That means, when it lands in Australia, it’s thought the all-electric tribute to the original mid-engine R5 Turbo could cost more than $300,000 once import duties and luxury car tax have been added.

That might sound a huge sum, but remember the 2027 Renault 5 Turbo 3E shares only its front windscreen, door handles and rear tail lamps with the affordable all-electric supermini.
The rest reads like the mini supercar it is.

Based on a bespoke aluminium spaceframe chassis that’s wrapped with a body made entirely of lightweight carbon-fibre, highlights of the Renault 5 Turbo 3E include state-of-the-art in-hub rear motors that (combined) pump out more than 400kW.

With that level of power expect a zero to 100km/h sprint of less than 3.0 seconds and a top speed of 270km/h.

The R5 Turbo 3E doesn’t skimp on tech and heralds the Renault Group’s next-generation EV technology that includes a powerful 800V electric architecture.

Combined with a new lightweight and ultra-thin 70kWh battery, the new French Ferrari rival will be capable of covering more than 400km on a charge, with a 15 to 80 per cent top-up said to take less than 15 minutes.

Key to the R5 Turbo 3E’s performance is its modest kerb weight. Thanks to its carbon body and aluminium underpinnings, the R5 Turbo 3E will weigh less than 1400kg when it arrives – over 20kg less than the lightest version of the latest 375kW Porsche 911 GT3.

Maximising performance on track, the jaw-dropping looks hide an advanced package of air bending that has been employed to add big downforce without adding range-sapping drag.

Confirming its handling has been tuned with input from Alpine, configurable driving modes should ensure the new hard-core member for the R5 family will be both able to drift for France one moment, while setting lap records the next.

Despite a hatchback profile, the R5 Turbo 3E is strictly a two-seater, with a half cage taking up the space in the rear providing for huge amounts of luggage room.

Ahead of the driver is the same dual-screen set-up as the Renault 5 E-Tech, with a Google Android-powered infotainment system.

There’s also an Alpine A290 steering wheel with a round dial used to select one of four driving modes, including dedicated Track and Rally settings.

Launch control and a configurable drift assist is also present, while that huge lever sprouting from the centre console replicates a rally car’s hydraulic handbrake, putting large slides just a hand-pull away.

Heavily inspired by both the original R5 Turbo, and the Turbo 2 that followed, the full carbon-fibre race seats and dash have been wrapped with fabrics that mimic the original mid-engine R5’s textiles.

There’s no word yet when Renault Australia will announce prices for the 2027 Renault 5 Turbo 3E, nor how many Australians have snapped up an allocation.

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