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Renault 5 electric hot hatch gets a whole lot hotter: R5 Turbo 3E

It may not have a turbocharged engine where the back seat should be, but the aesthetic – the aesthetic is there, and the performance is undeniable. Meet the all-new Renault 5 Turbo 3E, a car its makers hope becomes a new French performance icon for the electric era.

Like the original R5 Turbo, the new R5 Turbo 3E is a rear-wheel drive experience only, sending a combined 500 all-electric horsepower to the ground for an experience that’s guaranteed to be … let’s go with “spirited” for this one.

The sprint from 0-60 mph takes just 3.5 seconds according to Renault’s official press packet, compared to 9.0 seconds in the more pedestrian 119 hp E-Tech 120 version.

But, if you’re looking for more detailed specs on the hottest new hot hatch, you’ll have to wait. The release itself is light on details about the car, and seems to be using the reveal as part of a marketing campaign to push the release its Amazon Prime Video documentary, Anatomy of a Comeback, which is, “the story of how Renault Group turned itself around to overcome a crisis on a scale exceeding anything previously seen in this sector.”

In a world first, Renault uses the documentary to reveal a new production vehicle. Right at the end of the fourth episode is an Easter egg. Viewers follow Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group, Fabrice Cambolive, CEO Renault brand, and Gilles Vidal, VP of Renault Design, on a visit to the Design Department to see the future Renault 5 Turbo 3E, confirmed by Luca de Meo as an upcoming production model. Forty-four years after the launch of the first Renault 5 Turbo, Renault is set to wow enthusiasts with the revival of this ultimate sporting icon.

RENAULT PRESS RELEASE

So, make of that what you will – and, if any of y’all decide to give it a watch (click here for that), let us know if it’s any good in the comments. In the meantime, I’ll be drooling over the ultra-nostalgic fender flares and ducts, and reliving some cheerful memories of bygone people and places (I actually learned to drive in an OG R5!).

SOURCE | IMAGES: Renault.

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Author

Avatar for Jo Borrás Jo Borrás

I’ve been in and around the auto industry since the 90s, and have written for a number of well-known outlets like CleanTechnica, the Truth About Cars, Popular Mechanics, and more. You can catch me on The Heavy Equipment Podcast with Mike Switzer, the AutoHub Show with Ian and Jeff, or chasing my kids around Oak Park, IL.

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