Renault’s homage to its 1980s rally legacy is nearly ready for the road as an extremely expensive, and small, electric car. The production Renault 5 Turbo 3E is in the final stretch of development, with homologation being the final hurdle to clear. It follows the car Renault first confirmed late in 2024.
Sold Out Before It’s Built
Renault is capping production at 1,980 cars, and a PistonHeads report suggests that over half of these cars have been spoken for already. Buyers are paying at least $181,000 at current exchange rates, with some cars even expected to sell for over $396,000 with options. For a car this small, with an electric drivetrain, this might be the most expensive dollar-per-square-foot expense in the automotive world.
Renault 5 Turbo 3E
The Hardware
The 3E is rear-wheel drive and uses two electric motors mounted in the rear wheels. Reported horsepower ranges from 536 horsepower with a 70kWh battery to 555 horsepower, making it capable of a 3-second 0-60 mph sprint and a top speed of 168mph. Final horsepower figures are still to be confirmed by Renault, and Renault also mentions that this in-wheel motor design could find application in other electric models in its range.
Renault
A Longer Wait
Renault
With over half of its allocation already spoken for, the full tailor-made configuration program doesn’t start until mid-2027, with deliveries beginning the following year – which is later than reports first suggested. Renault CEO François Provost has said that the car is “a very meaningful project,” and stressed the importance of executing it correctly, even if, in his own words, they don’t need to “become Ferrari”.
Don’t Expect One Stateside
Renault
The 3E isn’t headed to the U.S. Neither the 3E, nor its normie sibling, the Renault 5 E-Tech, which we like for its style and price, will be on sale in America. Americans who want a 3E will have to hunt for one on the European used market in a few years, assuming owners ever let go of them.
