The 1980 Renault 5 Turbo
Why It's Special:
Many famous and certainly familiar cars were developed out of ‘silhouette’ racing classes, and one of the most successful was the Renault 5 Turbo. Developed as a rally homologation special, the first 400 production models were used for this purpose, specifically for Group 4 World Rally Championship competition.
The formula for the 5 Turbo is certainly interesting, as the Renault 5 was designed as an economical commuter car. By the time Renault’s engineers finished, they had changed from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive, threw in a turbocharged and intercooled engine mounted mid-ship, completely revised the rear suspension and for good measure threw on some 10-inch fiberglass fender flares!
They had basically built a new car but still marketed it as part of the Renault 5 series. The car was an immediate success both on the world rally circuit and showroom floors. Debuting for the 1981 World Rally Championship season, the factory backed 5 Turbo won the Monte Carlo Rally, the first event of the year. Unfortunately the two-wheel drive 5 Turbo quickly became outclassed by the four-wheel drive rally cars from Audi and Peugeot.
Under the Hood:
The car proved a better match for public use, taking full advantage of the turbocharging know-how Renault gained in Formula 1 and Sports Car racing. When originally introduced the 5 Turbo featured a pushrod 1.4 liter turbocharged and intercooled 4-cylinder engine. With 0.8 bar (12 psi) of boost the tiny engine was producing 160 horsepower!
Coupled with a curb-weight under 2200 lbs (1000 kgs), the 5 Turbo was a real performer. 0-60 mph took 6 seconds and the quarter mile was covered in 15 seconds flat, outstanding performance for the early 1980’s. Like many French cars the chassis may have endured a slow demise into obscurity had it not been for the massive cult-like following the road cars had developed. Renault embraced their new found customer’s desire for tuning the 5 Turbo and released various upgrade kits.
Enthusiasts could upgrade their engines to 180, 200 or 250 horsepower and could purchase other goodies including upgraded suspension components. The ultimate evolution of the 5 Turbo was realized with the appropriately named Maxi 5 Turbo. Engine capacity was increased to 1.5 liters and was fed by a massive T3/T4 Garrett turbocharger, resulting in 350 horsepower! This Maxi marked the end of factory development and the program was shelved for other projects.
The Verdict:
There are many ways to judge the success of a particular automobile but one of the most telling is the community of owners. Even today the Renault 5 Turbo enjoys a massive following of die-hard gear-heads, continuously restoring, upgrading and tuning their beloved cars, assuring us that it will continue to be driven and enjoyed for many years to come.
// Continue to the 1973 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am //