Renault 5 Turbo 3E will return in 2027 with 540 hp, electric motors inside the rear wheels, 4,800 Nm of torque, and production limited to 1,980 units to transform an urban compact into an electric "mini-supercar."

Renault 5 Turbo 3E will return in 2027 with 540 hp, electric motors inside the rear wheels, 4,800 Nm of torque, and production limited to 1,980 units to transform an urban compact into an electric “mini-supercar.”

Written by Valdemar Medeiros

Published on 14/05/2026 at 18:11

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Renault revives the legendary R5 Turbo with 540 hp, wheel motors, 0 to 100 km/h in less than 3.5 s, and only 1,980 units.

In March 2025, Renault officially unveiled the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, one of the most radical projects ever presented by the French brand since the Group B era of the World Rally Championship. The electric model was announced as a modern reinterpretation of the historic Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2 from the 1980s, but with a much more extreme proposal: transforming a compact hatch into a 540 hp electric “mini-supercar” with motors installed directly on the rear wheels. The presentation was made by Renault itself on March 17, 2025.

The project quickly caught the attention of the automotive industry because it is not just a common retro electric car. The Renault 5 Turbo 3E combines 800-volt architecture, carbon fiber bodywork, rear-wheel drive, drift mode, and performance figures close to much more expensive supercars. According to Renault, the model goes from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 3.5 seconds and can reach up to 270 km/h on the track.

Renault revived the legendary R5 Turbo from the 1980s using electric technology that seems straight out of a race car

To understand the impact of the Renault 5 Turbo 3E, it is necessary to go back to the early 1980s. The original Renault 5 Turbo was created as a homologation model for rally competitions.

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Electric motors inside the rear wheels eliminate traditional transmission and create a rare behavior in the market

The most unusual technical detail of the Renault 5 Turbo 3E is precisely in its motorization. Instead of using conventional electric motors connected by axles and differential, the car uses two electric motors installed directly inside the rear wheels.

Each motor delivers about 200 kW, totaling approximately 540 hp. Renault also released a number that immediately became a topic in the automotive sector: 4,800 Nm of torque on the rear wheels.

Although this value is not directly comparable to the traditional torque measured at the crankshaft in conventional cars, it helps explain the model’s extreme proposal. According to Renault itself, the Turbo 3E was developed to allow controlled drifts, violent accelerations, and behavior inspired by rally cars.

The great advantage of motors in the wheels

The configuration with motors in the wheels also eliminates traditional mechanical components such as the rear differential, half-shafts, and part of the conventional transmission. This reduces mechanical losses and improves the instant response of electric traction.

Moreover, the car will be exclusively rear-wheel drive, repeating the philosophy of the classic 1980s Renault 5 Turbo. At a time when many sporty electric vehicles rely on heavy all-wheel drive and extremely electronically filtered systems, Renault is taking the opposite path: less weight, more aggressiveness, and a focus on fun.

Renault 5 Turbo 3E will have 800-volt architecture and ultra-fast charging of up to 350 kW

Another point that places the Renault 5 Turbo 3E above most current electric compacts is its 800-volt electrical architecture. This technology, still mainly restricted to premium models and electric hypercars, allows extremely fast charging and better thermal efficiency.

According to Renault, the car will use a 70 kWh battery and can recharge from 15% to 80% in just 15 minutes using DC chargers of up to 350 kW.

Renault 5 Turbo 3E will return in 2027 with 540 hp, electric motors inside the rear wheels, 4,800 Nm of torque, and limited production to 1,980 units to transform an urban compact into an electric 'mini-supercar' — Renault 5 Turbo 3E /Disclosure

The hatch will also have an estimated range of over 400 km in the WLTP cycle, although the main focus is clearly not maximum efficiency, but performance.

Weight reduction

To reduce weight, Renault claims that the model will use extensive carbon fiber components. The goal is to keep the mass close to 1,450 kg, a relatively low value for a high-performance electric with a 70 kWh battery.

The weight-to-power ratio announced by Renault reaches approximately 2.7 kg per horsepower, a range normally associated with extremely expensive mid-engine supercars.

Interior will have a vertical rally handbrake, bucket seats, and drift modes inspired by competition

Renault also made it clear that the Turbo 3E was not developed just for straight-line acceleration. The car’s interior was designed to reinforce the competition and aggressive driving atmosphere.

The model will have bucket seats, six-point harnesses, and a large vertical handbrake directly inspired by rally cars. According to Renault, the vehicle will even feature a dedicated drift mode.

The energy regeneration system will have multiple configurable levels, while the driving modes include Snow, Regular, Sport, and Race. The Race mode will activate specific functions for controlled drifts and more aggressive track behavior.

Only 1,980 units will be produced and Renault wants to turn the car into an instant collector’s item

Renault confirmed that it will produce only 1,980 units of the Turbo 3E, a number chosen in reference to the launch year of the original Renault 5 Turbo. Each car will be individually numbered, and buyers will be able to choose the unit number during the reservation process.

The first deliveries are scheduled for 2027 in selected markets in Europe, the Middle East, Japan, and Australia.

The model is expected to occupy an extremely exclusive position within the Renault range. Unlike the conventional Renault 5 E-Tech, aimed at the European mass market, the Turbo 3E will function almost as a technological and emotional showcase for the brand.

Industry experts already point out that the car may inaugurate an important trend: compact electrics focused on driving excitement, low weight, and aggressive dynamics, rather than just range and efficiency numbers. In a market increasingly dominated by heavy, silent, and filtered electric SUVs, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E tries to revive precisely the irrational and fun side of sporty driving.

If Renault really delivers the promised performance, the Turbo 3E could become one of the first modern electric cars remembered not just for its technology, but for the driving experience. This could directly influence the next generation of compact electric sports cars in the industry.

The question now is: will future electric sports cars follow the path of two-ton SUVs, or can the Renault 5 Turbo 3E pave the way for a new generation of lightweight, aggressive machines made for fun?

Renault 5 Turbo 3E will return in 2027 with 540 hp, electric motors inside the rear wheels, 4,800 Nm of torque, and production limited to 1,980 units to transform an urban compact into an electric “mini-supercar.”

Renault revives the legendary R5 Turbo with 540 hp, wheel motors, 0 to 100 km/h in less than 3.5 s, and only 1,980 units.

Renault revived the legendary R5 Turbo from the 1980s using electric technology that seems straight out of a race car

Electric motors inside the rear wheels eliminate traditional transmission and create a rare behavior in the market

The great advantage of motors in the wheels

Renault 5 Turbo 3E will have 800-volt architecture and ultra-fast charging of up to 350 kW

Weight reduction

Interior will have a vertical rally handbrake, bucket seats, and drift modes inspired by competition

Only 1,980 units will be produced and Renault wants to turn the car into an instant collector’s item

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Renault 5 Turbo 3E will return in 2027 with 540 hp, electric motors inside the rear wheels, 4,800 Nm of torque, and production limited to 1,980 units to transform an urban compact into an electric “mini-supercar.”

Renault revives the legendary R5 Turbo with 540 hp, wheel motors, 0 to 100 km/h in less than 3.5 s, and only 1,980 units.

Renault revived the legendary R5 Turbo from the 1980s using electric technology that seems straight out of a race car

Electric motors inside the rear wheels eliminate traditional transmission and create a rare behavior in the market

The great advantage of motors in the wheels

Renault 5 Turbo 3E will have 800-volt architecture and ultra-fast charging of up to 350 kW

Weight reduction

Interior will have a vertical rally handbrake, bucket seats, and drift modes inspired by competition

Only 1,980 units will be produced and Renault wants to turn the car into an instant collector’s item

A Chinese factory in Guangdong is assembling a humanoid robot every 30 minutes while Tesla, Figure, and Boston Dynamics still struggle to deliver 10 thousand per year.

In Niger, mud buildings have stood for ten generations while the world spends billions on concrete and steel, now African architects are proving at the Venice Biennale and in real projects that red earth can be the smartest and most sustainable building material of the 21st century.

Seven world powers including the US, China, and Russia are spending €22 billion on a reactor in the south of France that aims to confine plasma at 150 million degrees Celsius, ten times the temperature of the Sun’s core, using a magnetic field capable of lifting an entire aircraft carrier.

Secret chamber sealed 4,500 years ago found in the Pyramid of Khufu, and Hawass announces its opening to the world in 2026

With a wingspan of 152 meters, 76 tires, and a capacity to carry 1,270 tons, the Boeing Pelican was the giant “flying ship” that promised to cross oceans close to the water on an invisible air cushion beneath its wings.

A public school student single-handedly created a machine capable of treating water for up to 50 people using only solar energy. It was awarded third place at one of the most important science fairs in the world.

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