04/19/2026
Today’s feature is another 4Lug legend, the Renault 5 Turbo! Since it was never sold in the US, getting to see one here is a rare thing. Luckily I was able to come across one at the event this year. It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before and not just because it’s French.
In 1980, following two consecutive gas crises, the automotive industry was in mid pivot, focusing on small, fuel efficient and affordable cars. France’s hit car at the time was the Renault 5, and they decided to take it rally racing. In typical French fashion, they threw convention to the wind and turned the light-duty front engined, front wheel drive car into a rear engined, rear wheel drive car by turning the engine around and putting it behind the rear seats! Luckily for the public, Renault had to homologate this hare-brained racer and develop a production version. The Turbo 1 was sold with a 1.4L four cylinder with a turbo, obviously, pumping out 160hp at 12lbs of boost. The real trick to this car was the chassis development. Not only was it one of the first production vehicles fitted with an intercooler, it also came with four wheel independent suspension and disc brakes. This, paired with its meager curb weight of just over 2000lbs (564kg), made it one of the best performing cars of its time. It even outperformed Ferraris of the time, granting it its legendary status.
Unfortunately, its success as a production car was not shared on the racing circuit. Although it was a very fast and capable race car, Audi launched its first quattro rally car at the same time, thus dooming the poor Renault. Production ended in 1984, after only about 5000 cars were produced, making it a rare and sought-after automotive anomaly.
