| Manufacturer | Renault |
|---|---|
| Production | 1980-1984 |
| Successor | Renault Clio V6 Renault Sport |
| Class | Hot hatch |
| Body style | 2-door hatchback |
| Layout | RMR layout |
| Engine | 1397 cc Cléon turbo I4 |
| Wheelbase | 2,430 mm (95.7 in) |
| Length | 3,660 mm (144.1 in) |
| Width | 1,750 mm (68.9 in) |
| Height | 1,320 mm (52.0 in) |
| Curb weight | 970 kg (2,138 lb) |
| Related | Renault 5 |
The Renault 5 Turbo or R5 Turbo is a high-performance hatchback automobile launched by the French manufacturer Renault at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1980. The car was designed for rallying, but was also sold in road-going guise, with a total of 3576 being produced during its four-year production run.[1]
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In response to Lancia's rallying success with the mid-engined Stratos, Renault's Jean Terramorsi, vice-president of production, asked Bertone’s Marc Deschamps to design a new sports version of the Renault 5 Alpine supermini. The distinctive new rear bodywork was styled by Marcello Gandini at Bertone.[2]
Although the standard Renault 5 has a front-mounted engine, the 5 Turbo featured a mid-mounted 1397 cc Cléon turbocharged engine placed behind the driver in mid-body in a modified Renault 5 chassis. In standard form, the engine developed 160 PS (118 kW; 158 hp) and 163 ft·lb (221 N·m) torque.
Though it used a modified body from a standard Renault 5, and was badged a Renault 5, the mechanicals were radically different, the most obvious difference being rear-wheel drive instead of the normal version's front-wheel drive. At the time of its launch it was the most powerful production french car.[3] The first 400 production 5 Turbos were made to comply with Group 4 homologation to allow the car to compete in international rallies, and were manufactured at the Alpine factory in Dieppe.
Once the homologation models were produced, a second version named Turbo 2 was introduced using more stock Renault 5 parts replacing many of light alloy components in the original 5 Turbo version.[1] The Turbo 2 was less expensive, but had nearly the same levels of performance, top speed of 200 km/h (120 mph) and 0-100 km/h in 6.6 seconds.[4] In retrospect, the original 5 Turbo was called "Turbo 1".
The concept of a mid-engined small Renault returned with the 1998 announcement of the Renault Clio V6.[5]
All the racing derivatives were based on the Turbo 1. The factory pushed the engine output up to 180 PS (132 kW; 178 hp) for the Critérium des Cévennes, 210 PS (154 kW; 207 hp) for the Tour de Corse, and by 1984 as much as 350 PS (257 kW; 345 hp) in the 5 Turbo Maxi.
Driven by Jean Ragnotti in 1981, the R5 Turbo won the Monte Carlo Rally on its first outing in the World Rally Championship. The 2WD R5 turbo soon faced the competition of new Group B four-wheel drive cars that proved faster on dirt.
In 2004, Sports Car International named the R5 Turbo number nine on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1980s.
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