What would the brand new Renault Clio supermini look like as a successor to the original 5 Turbo? Probably very cool. Fortunately, we don't have to imagine anything, because Khyzyl Saleem put in the hard work necessary to make it happen.
As a supermini, the new Renault Clio is looking like a sweet deal. The old model was already one of our top 3 picks in this segment (for Europe), and they've noo fixed the problems they had with the interior, namely the quality of the plastics.
But it's no hot hatch. The model Kyza started out with is called the Clio RS-Line, but that name means nothing more than a fancy body kit. From what we understand, Renault has no plans of making another hot version of this car. The demand is clearly there, as is the technology, but European emissions standards are too stringent to allow a fun pocket rocket.
Small cars have always been big in Europe, and during the 1970s, the most popular one in France was the Renault 5, also called the R5. Americans might know it as the Le Car, which has to be one of the funniest car names of all time.
But the Renault 5 Turbo is almost nothing like the regular 5er. It's a rally-themed sports car with the engine in the back, like those cool Lancias. To install the bigger engine, engineers had to widen the track and body of the R5 by about 10 inches, resulting in the iconic shape we know and love.
Those distinctive rear fender vents are the first thing that caught our attention on this 2020 Clio rendering. You don't see many of those today. But the original 5 Turbo also inspired the 3D model in other ways, like with the rally-themed accessory lights or the vented hood.
Elsewhere, the artist took the kind of design liberties we like, adding rear window louvers, a giant wing, and some appropriate livery. We called it the Red Hood, after a Batman character that looks surprisingly similar.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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