At Renault they know that nostalgia sells and with the return of the R5 they hope to resume the path of success. The recipe, however, will be slightly altered as the French utility will return from "among the dead" converted into an electric urban attraction. To put it in some way: it is about repeating the move of Fiat with the mythical 500e. And if all goes according to plan, they could create a complete range to satisfy the most demanding customers…
For this reason the Renault R5 Turbo 3E was born or what is the same: the electric version of the also mythical R5 Turbo. And as Porsche did at the time, they incorporate the name Turbo in an electric. But they do not forget their glorious past, because the last name 3E means that it is the third in the saga and the "E" that is electric. But his legacy is not only limited to a successful name or an aesthetic that at first sight maintains the essence of the classic…
The Renault R5 TURBO 3E reaches an electrical power of 280 kW (380,8 hp) and 700 Nm of torque...
Before telling you the secrets of his technique, we will review the aesthetics of the Renault R5 Turbo 3E. Its length is 4 meters, the width of 2,02 meters and the height of 1,32 meters with a wheelbase that goes up to 2,54 meters. As a whole, although in a futuristic way, it respects the front design with square optics or a large air intake in the bumper. Regarding the side, it has very wide wheel arches or a large spoiler at the rear.
This imprint is completed by 19-inch alloy wheels at the front and 20-inch at the rear. As for aerodynamic accessories, they are distributed on the front, side skirts or the rear bumper that adds a large diffuser. But the most important thing is under your skin, like a tubular chassis that puts inside the passenger compartment some FIA approved roll bars. In addition to the mechanical arrangement.
As we said the Renault R5 Turbo 3E is electric and like its ancestors, the power reaches the ground through the rear train. To do this, it has two motors (one on each wheel) that provide a performance of 280 kW (380,8 hp) and 700 Nm. In addition, to emulate its essence, the engineers have placed the batteries in the rear. Thus, it can be said that the R5 3E is a “mid-engine”.
Lastly, It has a scale weight of 1.000 kilos without batteries (added these goes to 1.500 kilos). They are lithium ion and have a capacity of 42 kWh that can be charged in about two hours with a 380 V/32 A charger. In terms of performance, signs a 0 to 100 kilometers per hour of 3,5 seconds and a maximum speed of 200 kilometers per hour. Ah, the handbrake lever is manual for skidding…
Could the R5 Turbo 3E hit the market?
As you know, Renault will present the R5 Turbo 3E in society at the next Paris Auto Show. However, it is practically impossible for it to reach the streets because the cost of development would make its price exorbitant. Nevertheless, in Alpine they do work on a more spicy version of the R5 BEV that will arrive on the market shortly and, although it will not be so radical, surely they know how to respect the heritage of the legendary R5 Turbo...
Although we must also tell you that who knows, the same in Renault "they bundle the blanket over their heads" and give us joy... It's a matter of time…
Source - Renault
