Renault’s electric car strategy involves not only mining but also digging into the company’s past, with Renault R5 Turbo 3E recall the brand’s salad gathering days.
In the same vein as Porsche Taycan The Turbo model, the R5 Turbo 3E is an all-electric vehicle involving turbochargers that don’t exist for historical reasons.
Renault says the show car is named Turbo 3E because it is the follow-up to the 5 Turbo and 5 Turbo 2, with the suffix E denoting its all-electric drivetrain.
According to Renault, the Turbo 3E is designed to drift, and as such has two electric motors, one for each rear wheel, generating a total of 280kW and 700Nm.
A small 42kWh lithium-ion battery pack is said to be good for “a few laps or an epic gymkhana” and weighs in at just 520kg.
Combined with a tubular chassis, FIA-approved roll cage, flat undercarriage, and a body that weighs just 980kg, the Turbo 3E is said to be able to complete the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.5 seconds and hit top speed. 200km/h max.
Speaking of gymkhanas, the Turbo 3E has a steering angle of 50 degrees for easier obstacle avoidance. To help the driver spread the word, there are ten camera mounting points on the outside and inside the cabin.
With its huge rear wing, squat stance and wide, square arches, all including the Renault R5 Turbo 3E concept is 4.01m long, 2.02m wide, 1.32m tall and has a wheelbase of 2.54m. .
It rides on 19-inch wheels with 225/35 tires at the front and 20-inch rims combined with 325/25 rubber at the rear.
The automaker says some of the classic styling elements of the R5 Turbo 3E have a functional purpose, including the “air intakes” on the bonnet that house the charging socket, while the front bumper intakes do cools the engine and provides thrust.
Meanwhile, the car’s front and rear pink, blue, and yellow LED strips will flash whenever the car enters the drift state.
Similar modern interpretations are also present in the cabin, including 10 digital displays on the instrument panel instead of the 10 analog dials found in the Turbo 2.
A race car, the Turbo 3E is fitted with Sabelt’s carbon fiber steering wheel and bucket seats, and a vertical handbrake lever.
To lighten the car’s mood a bit, the concept comes with a teddy bear named Drifty, while one of the pink Plexiglass windows is adorned with a “La vie en rose” sticker.
The Renault R5 Turbo 3E will make its debut in the flesh at the Chantilly Arts & Elegance show on September 25 before making an appearance at the Paris auto show in mid-October.
The French carmaker is planning to only produce electricity by 2030 in Europe. In addition to the Zoe and Megane E-Tech hatches, Renault has confirmed there will be a production version of the classic car 5 Prototypes.
It’s unclear how much the R5 Turbo 3E has in common with the upcoming production 5.
