We don’t see too many electric hot hatches these days. Off the top of my head, there’s the Abarth 500e, Cupra Born VZ, Mini JCW, and, oh yeah, the MG4 XPower. Renault’s not interested in playing second fiddle, though. They’ve cooked up something to outshine not just those cars, but even their own Alpine A290. Enter the Renault 5 Turbo, resurrected and reimagined. But here’s a twist: it’s electric. Just like Porsche did with the Taycan, Renault decided to slap “Turbo” on an EV. Odd, right? Doesn’t exactly scream logic.

Now, you might look at the Renault 5 Turbo 3E and think it’s just some flashy concept, destined to sit on stages at auto shows and never see pavement. Not quite. Renault says they’re serious about putting it into production. And guess what? It’s rear-wheel drive, a callback to the original from the ’80s. But instead of the old mid-mounted four-cylinder engine, this bad boy comes with not one but two electric motors on the back axle. Back in the day, the original Turbo had a 1.4-liter engine that managed about 160 hp. Impressive for its time, sure, but the new one? It’s got over 500 horses under the hood—or, well, the floor.

That’s more than triple the power of the old-school model. Crazy, right? To put it in perspective, the new 5 Turbo 3E has 285 hp more than Renault’s Alpine A290. And when you compare it to the base Renault 5, the gap’s even more absurd: 350 extra ponies. Renault’s not spilling details on torque, but they’re bragging about a 0-to-62 mph time of just 3.5 seconds. That’s 0.3 seconds quicker than MG’s electric hot hatch, which feels almost slow with its “measly” 429 hp.

Take a closer look at this thing, and you’ll see it’s not just about raw power. Renault stripped out the regular model’s rear doors and added side vents instead. The fenders are massive, a nod to the OG R5 Turbo, and the wheels? Gargantuan 20-inchers, with tires that could probably anchor a small ship. Up front, you’ve got 245/35 ZR20s; at the back, even chunkier 275/35 ZR20s. It’s as if they took the original R5, gave it steroids, and threw it into a wind tunnel.

This isn’t Renault’s first attempt at a bonkers electric hot hatch, though. Remember the Zoe E-Sport in 2017? 460 hp. Or the 2022 R5 Turbo 3E concept? 375 hp. Those were just teases compared to what this production car promises. Sure, it’s likely to cost a fortune and be built in tiny numbers, but it’s cool to see Renault swinging for the fences.

Underneath, things are just as wild. The regular Renault 5 has front-wheel drive and one motor. This beast swaps that for a dual-motor setup and rear-wheel drive, built on a lightweight carbon superstructure. They’re keeping the weight a secret for now, but if the concept’s 3,306 pounds is any indicator, it won’t be a featherweight. Fun fact: the Alpine A290’s a hair lighter at 3,260 pounds.

Thinking back, this isn’t Renault’s first rodeo with reinventing old ideas. The original Renault 5 was called the Le Car in America. It had FWD and a front-mounted engine, but the Turbo version turned things upside down—engine in the back, power to the rear wheels. This new one follows a similar playbook, just with batteries and motors instead of pistons and gasoline.

A car like this? It’s not for everyone, and Renault knows that. Still, it’s fun to see something so bold. Expected to launch in 2026, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E might not change the world, but hey, it’s proof the French haven’t lost their sense of adventure. Oh, and Renault? How about giving us another mid-engine Clio while you’re at it?

Source and Images: Motor1