The new Renault 5 E-Tech has taken the car world by storm. Not only does it look fabulous, it is also a small EV that is affordable and has decent range. But is it a true Cinq? To find out, Henry Catchpole has paired it up with an original Renault 5 GT Turbo to see if there are any similarities beyond the stylistic. His own Renault Clio 182 makes a brief cameo too!
The design – from the office of Gilles Vidal – is the first thing to catch your attention with the new 5 E-Tech, but you quickly realise that the appeal runs much deeper. For a start, it’s relatively affordable, with prices in the UK as low as £22,995. It also has a decent range of up to 250 miles with the larger 52kWh battery and at 1449kg with the footprint of a Clio 197, it isn’t one of those annoyingly deceptive EVs that looks small but isn’t.
Of course the new car was also an excellent excuse to have a go in an old GT Turbo. The car in the film is a beautiful 1990 phase 2 example owned by Andrew Fulcher and it drives fabulously. It’s a car that remains overshadowed by contemporary competitors like the Peugeot 205 GTI, but driving one today shows that there is a huge amount to love about the Renault. In many aspects it’s better than its more feted French cousin.
We also delve into the history of the Renault 5 and turn up a reason why the latest E-Tech really should make it across the Atlantic to America. If you haven’t heard of the Lectric Leopard, then you need to watch the film. The campaign for the resurrection of some Le Car branding begins here…!
What are your thoughts on the new Renault 5 E-Tech? Let us know in the comments.
