Renault 5 Turbo

Renault 5 Turbo
Overview
Manufacturer	Renault
Production	1980–1984
Assembly	Dieppe, France (Alpine)
Designer	Marc Deschamps Marcello Gandini at Bertone (interiors)[1]
Body and chassis
Class	Sport compact
Body style	3-door hatchback
Layout	RMR layout
Related	Renault 5
Powertrain
Engine	1.4 L C6J turbo I4 1.5 L C7K turbo I4 (Maxi)
Transmission	5-speed type 369 manual
Dimensions
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)
Chronology
Successor	Renault Clio V6 Renault Sport

The Renault 5 Turbo or R5 Turbo is a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout sports car, produced by French automaker Renault, loosely based on their popular Renault 5 hatchback, primarily designed to compete in rally sports. Launched at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1980, the car was sold in a street-legal version, to comply with homologation minimum production numbers regulations, certifying that the R5 Turbo was to a sufficient extent indeed a "production car".

In side profile, the R5 Turbo looked largely the same as any other 2-door Renault 5 of the contemporaneous first generation, sharing the same greenhouse, rear hatch and doors shape, as well as a very similar looking nose, featuring only design tweaks typical of a sporty model, like a low front spoiler, wider front wheels and tires, widened fender flares to accommodate these, and side skirts that continued from the front airdam. But any similarities with a regular Renault 5 ended there.

Instead of the rear bench-seat is the engine compartment, housing a turbo-charged engine, far more powerful than in any other R5, and counter to all other first generation Renault 5s, the rear mid-mounted engine was placed transversely, driving a pair of very wide rear wheels, housed in rear quarter panels, widened by 11.25 cm (4.4 in), featuring near full-height air-intake grilles on their leading edges, as well as hot air exit vents to the left and right of the respective (standard) tail-light units. Behind the engine compartment, a surprisingly usable luggage compartment was, as usual, accessible through the rear hatch. The nose of the car, however lost much of its function. The now wider spare wheel stayed under the hood, and air entering through the front grille was let out via vents in the bonnet, perhaps adding some downforce.

In the interior remained only two sporty front bucket seats, and occupants faced an avant-garde restyled dashboard, including an asymmetrical steering wheel. Series one units were typically red with blue interior upholstery. The alternative was the reverse.

Despite a hefty price-tag, market demand for the Renault 5 Turbos exceeded the required homologation production minimums, such that a total of 4,987 (1,820 Turbo 1 and 3,167 Turbo 2) R5 Turbos were manufactured during their six-year production run.^[2]