The Renault 5 Turbo measured nine inches wider and three inches lower than the regular R5 model, giving it an unmistakably bold appearance. This compact hatchback placed a mid-mounted turbocharged four-cylinder engine where rear seats would normally sit. Built as a homologation special, the car shared only its basic body shell with the standard Renault 5. Designer Marcello Gandini added dramatically flared fenders to fit wider tires and an intercooler. The finished chassis tipped the scales at 2,138 pounds, adding some mass compared to the base R5 yet remaining notably quicker.

A 1.4-liter four-cylinder sat behind the front seats, boosted by a Garrett T3 turbocharger and fed through Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection rather than carburetors. The compression ratio was lowered to 7.0:1 to handle boost pressures, delivering strong power that rewarded decisive driving. Peak output reached roughly 157 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, making the car the quickest French production model of its era.

Rear-wheel drive, four-wheel vented disc brakes, and double-wishbone rear suspension prepared the Renault 5 Turbo for competition far beyond the reach of the standard R5. Acceleration from 0 to 62 mph took 7.7 seconds, while top speed reached 126 mph. A centrally mounted 93-liter fuel tank paired with 25.6 combined mpg delivered more than 600 miles of range. At a steady pace yielding around 33 mpg, the car could theoretically cover more than 800 miles on a single fill-up.

Impressive Fuel Capacity And Strong Rally Heritage

High production expenses limited Renault to barely meeting the 400 road cars needed for Group 4 homologation. Even so, the mid-engined R5 quickly drew notice in motorsport, with Jean Ragnotti securing victories at the 1981 Monte Carlo Rally and the 1982 Tour de Corse, the latter marking part of Group B's first season.

The initial production run ran from 1980 to 1982 and totaled just 1,820 units. Late 1982 introduced the Turbo 2, which retained the same engine and layout but switched to steel body panels instead of aluminum. The extra weight and a more conventional interior aligned it closer to the front-drive R5. Production of the Turbo 2 reached 3,167 units through 1986, rendering the first series twice as scarce today.

In 1985 Renault built 200 limited MAXI 5 Turbos for Group B homologation. This final competition version featured a larger 1.5-liter engine producing about 345 horsepower. The added power benefited the lightweight package, and despite the rise of all-wheel-drive rivals, Jean Ragnotti claimed another Tour de Corse win while Carlos Sainz Sr. finished second in the Spanish Rally Championship. These results marked the R5 Turbo's final competitive highlights before Group B ended in 1986.