Renault 5 Turbo

See also: Renault 5
Renault 5 Turbo
Overview
Manufacturer Renault
Production 1980-1984 (France)
1980-1986 (Belgium)
Assembly Dieppe, France (Alpine)
Haren-Vilvoorde, Belgium (RIB)
Body and chassis
Class Hot hatch
Body style 3-door hatchback
Layout RMR layout
Related Renault 5
Powertrain
Engine 1397 cc Cléon-Fonte turbo I4
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 high-performance hatchback automobile launched by the French manufacturer Renault at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1980. The car was primarily designed for rallying, but was also sold in a street version. A total of 3576 R5 Turbos were manufactured during a four-year production run.[1]

Design

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-Fonte turbocharged engine placed behind the driver in mid-body in a modified Renault 5 chassis. In standard form, the engine developed 160 metric horsepower (118 kilowatts; 158 horsepower) and 163 lb·ft (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 and rear-mid-engined instead of the normal version's front-wheel drive and front-mounted engine. 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.

Renault 5 Turbo 2

Renault 5 Turbo 2

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 6.9 seconds.[4] To differentiate it from the Turbo 2, the original 5 Turbo is often referred to retronomously as "Turbo 1".

The concept of a mid-engined small Renault returned with the 1998 announcement of the Renault Clio V6.[5]

Motorsport

All the motorsport 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 R5 Maxi Turbo.

Driven by Jean Ragnotti in 1981, the 5 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.

WRC victories
Renault 5 Maxi Turbo being demonstrated by Jean Ragnotti
Problems playing this file? See media help.
No. Event Season Driver Co-driver Car
1 Monaco 49ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo 1981 France Jean Ragnotti France Jean-Marc Andrié Renault 5 Turbo
2 France 26éme Tour de Corse 1982 France Jean Ragnotti France Jean-Marc Andrié Renault 5 Turbo
3 France 29ème Tour De Corse 1985 France Jean Ragnotti France Jean-Marc Andrié Renault R5 Maxi Turbo
4 Portugal 20º Rallye de Portugal Vinho do Porto 1986 Portugal Joaquim Moutinho Portugal Edgar Fortes Renault 5 Turbo
R5 Turbo rally version

References

  1. 1 2 "Octane classic car specs". Classicandperformancecar.com. Retrieved 2011-10-16.
  2. ↑ "''Evo magazine'' Birth of an icon: 1980, February 2008". Evo.co.uk. February 2008. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
  3. ↑ Evening Times (Scotland) December 7, 1979
  4. ↑ Car Catalogue International 1983, page 79
  5. ↑ "Independent 17 October 1998". Independent.co.uk. 1998-10-17. Retrieved 2011-10-16.

Further reading

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