Though not well-known in North America for performance cars, Renault has always been a leader in clever engineering, leveraging platforms for a wide range of uses and innovating mechanical features with cost-conscious production methodologies.
This methodology continues to make Renault one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world. Largely unknown to US auto buyers in the 1970s, the Renault Le Car made its debut in North America in 1976 primarily as an entry level, fuel-saving offering just after the major fuel crisis of that era.
That same year the European Renault 5 was given Alpine treatment which gave the formerly sedate offering a bit of a performance boost. Essentially becoming one of the first “Hot Hatches” of this era, the folks at Renault were not content with a mere boost in performance. Somewhere in the Renault lab, scientists began tinkering with genetic material that would result in an impressive Hulking Out of the formerly mild-mannered Dr. Banner based Le Car.
Motivated by the success of Lancia and their dominance in rally racing with the Dino-powered mid-engine Stratos. Renault began the transformation of the Le Car platform. To do this, a significant level of engineering needed to happen to reconfigure the formerly front engine, front drive car to a rear-biased mid-engine design. Marc Deschamps, under the direction of Marcello Gandini, at Bertone were called upon to pump the rather sedate body design into a totally new vehicle – one that would emphasize the mid-engine configuration but stillcomply with Group 4 homologation rules.
400 Renault 5 Turbos were built in the initial offering followed by the R5 Turbo 2, also constructed in limited numbers. Though not available for US import at the time, Grey Market cars did enter the US via a complex conversion process to achieve federal compliance. Today the R5 Turbo and Turbo 2 are highly sought after for their audacity and visual delight as a pugnacious and visually arresting micro powerhouse that commands just as much attention as it did when launched decades ago.
When it comes to the design aspects of the R5 Turbo, there is a great deal to talk about. The most impressive overall feature of the finished execution is the economy of the changes which resulted in a complete transformation of the overall form. Being mindful of costs, the doors and hatch were sacred due to tooling and production costs, so those parameters had to remain. This left fenders and trim, including front and rear bumpers to convey a whole new character for a formerly sedate economy car.
The most impressive result is of course at the rear of the car. Beginning at the rear of the door jamb, the rear fenders swell outward immediately hulking out the width adding an impressive number of inches to the rear of the car. Designed to accommodate the wider rear wheels and tires, the forward surfaces are cut open feeding air through black grilles which aid in cooling but also break up the massive swelling from this dramatic corner.
Beautifully managed without appearing boxy or angular, the wheel arches echo the front fender line which is also widened for bigger wheels and tires. The driver’s side upper surface of the rear fender is treated to a NACA duct intake which takes advantage of fast air flowing off the body side surface, feeding the offset induction system for the mid-engine design. Curiously, the width of the car at the rear is not driven by the engine width (it is longitudinally mounted) rather it is more the result of suspension, wheel, and tire combinations to manage the power and handling requirements while under the stresses of rally racing.
The direct rear view is even more impressive when compared with the original Le Car design. Here too we can see how cleverly Gandini and Deschamps leveraged their limitations while retaining key features of the existing design to save money and retain production qualifications for Group 4 homologation.
Remarkably, the hatch and rear glass remain the same, but the entire rear view is transformed via the width of the fenders and new rear bumper cap. Even the taillights and upper rear trim remain within the original design. Another delightful detail,both license plate lighting elements, formerly flanked within the recessed area on the Le Car, are moved to the outboard position emphasizing the width of the rear end.
The front of the car is also transformed though toned down significantly from the lurid heft of the rear fenders. The front fender wheel arch repeats the forward step that defines the front grille opening, but increase in thickness, supported by the wider grille opening and flush headlight treatment.
This new front fender line pushes our eyes further back towards the midsection of the car adding both physical width and visual length to the car. This visual length is also enhanced by the lower stance and forward rake of the body.
Side view is also dramatic due to the rake and stance, but lesser so in direct profile in part because the alterations to the Le Car platform are managed entirely by virtue of width as an enhancement to both structural and visual stability.
The side view is almost stealthy under quick glance, but then again, how often does anyone evaluate the visual qualities of a car in pure side view. The captivating impact of the Turbo is the combination of short wheelbase and amazing width.
The interior of the R5 Turbo is worthy of an entire article in and of itself. The seats are unique in design and impressively constructed with bolstered side flanks reminiscent of the bulging rear fenders.
This feature is in harmony with the exterior themes as the hulking effect is not limited to the exterior surfaces alone. Even the dashboard and steering wheel are unique to the R5 Turbo.
One of my favorite views of the R5 Turbo is ¾ front view looking down from about 20 ft above the car. As a big fan of scale models and toy cars, I enjoy this view on certain cars because it often conveys the form from a childlike perspective – when we were more easily delighted by fresh and fun visual experiences.
The exaggerated features, vivid colors, and dramatic visual transformation of the R5 Turbo make for an impressive statement – one that even mild-mannered Dr. Banner would have to approve.
