Renault R5 TURBO 3E Drift EV Show Car Celebrates the Original's 50th Birthday

Earlier this month we heard the Old Continent automaker confirm (on a Group level) its participation at the 2022 Paris Motor Show, and they naturally announced several world introductions for the event’s historic 89th edition. Later on, the first hero of the bunch was confirmed as a Renault 5-based concept that will have its online premiere way ahead of the actual public introduction.

Well, the carmaker has kept its promise, and they just unveiled the R5 TURBO 3E show car. This is a bonkers Renault 5-inspired all-electric prototype that was “born to drift” but will ultimately spend its marketing time celebrating the nameplate’s 50th anniversary. The tribute is also focused, aiming to honor the “model’s most storied sports versions: the Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2.”

Hence, the use of the Turbo moniker (again, just like Porsche) for an all-electric, battery-powered vehicle. Naturally, the concept car is also trying to attract the attention of the younger generation that may have never heard of the original Renault 5 but are certainly familiar with the concepts of fun, gaming, and NFT. Thus, “this reinterpretation is deliberately exuberant, and its performance is at the top of its class.”

Speaking of poise, the R5 TURBO 3E show car will be showcased to the public twice, at the Chantilly Arts & Elegance 2022 contest (September 25th) ahead of the Paris Motor Show display that starts on October 17th. And it might thoroughly impress fans, all thanks to its tubular chassis, FIA-approved roll cage, and 375 hp (700 Nm/516 lb-ft) electric motor.

Plus, according to Renault, it can sprint to 100 kph (62 mph) in 3.5 seconds (3.9 seconds in Drift mode) on its way to a 200 kph (124 mph) top speed. Even the battery capacity is known (42 kWh). Meanwhile, the weight is a bit of a letdown: 980 kg (2,160.5 lbs.), but that is without the pack – that one weighs an additional 520 kg (1,146.4 lbs.)!