A Bold Price Tag for the Renault 5 Turbo 3E Signals a New Era
Renault has stunned the automotive world with a record-setting price tag of €155,000 for its upcoming Renault 5 Turbo 3E — the highest ever for the French carmaker. While this may raise eyebrows, it also marks a bold step in a new direction for the brand, with this model set to become a collector’s item. The electric hot hatch will offer a staggering 540 horsepower and can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.5 seconds. Its launch is expected in 2027, with production limited to only 1,980 units.
Few will have the privilege of driving this beast, but Renault deserves credit for taking such a daring leap. Who would have imagined six years ago that the company would roll out a car this audacious? Back in 2019, Renault closed the year with a net loss of €141 million amid the turmoil surrounding Carlos Ghosn’s arrest and a tense relationship with Nissan. At that time, factory closures seemed more likely than the launch of a “mini-hypercar.”
However, things began to change with the arrival of CEO Luca de Meo in early 2021. Under his leadership, Renault initiated a strategic overhaul known as the “Renaulution,” shifting the focus from sales volume to profitability. The new approach comes with firmer pricing strategies, evident in models like the Clio, which now starts at €19,600 — a steep price for a car with just 65 horsepower. The goal? Sell fewer cars but at higher margins. “It’s better to sell two slightly more expensive vehicles than three unprofitable ones,” de Meo famously said in 2021.
The strategy seems to be working. Renault is now making significant profits on every unit sold, especially in segments C and D, where SUV models dominate and generate more revenue. On the engineering side, under the guidance of Gilles Le Borgne (who retired in late 2024), the company restructured its development processes to cut costs across all product lines. A smart partnership with Google, for instance, helped avoid expensive in-house software development — a route Volkswagen took with less success.
Renault’s success story also includes Dacia, which sold 676,340 vehicles in 2024, a 2.7% increase compared to 2023. The upcoming Bigster SUV is expected to further boost sales in 2025. Meanwhile, the Alpine brand posted a 5.9% sales increase, reaching 4,585 units last year.
Electrification is another major focus. According to the Financial Times, de Meo aims to raise the proportion of zero-emission vehicles from 12% to 20% of Renault’s global sales, while also closing the gap with Toyota in Europe’s EV market.
Renault’s limited presence in the U.S. — once seen as a disadvantage — is now proving to be an asset. Unlike competitors exposed to U.S. tariffs, Renault has largely avoided the fallout from protectionist policies. “I’ve faced many challenges as Renault CEO over the past four years, but at least this time, I’m not at the front of the queue,” de Meo recently commented regarding U.S. trade tensions.
On the corporate front, Renault and Nissan are reshaping their long-standing alliance. The plan is to reduce mutual shareholdings from 15% to 10%, reflecting a shift toward a looser and more flexible partnership. With Nissan still reeling from a failed merger with Honda, its survival now depends on strategic recalibration — and Renault is clearly distancing itself from past dependency.
Looking ahead, de Meo is expected to unveil the next phase of Renault’s strategy in the coming months. The focus will be on tech innovation, software, and financing — the latter being spearheaded by the fast-growing Mobilize brand. Upcoming launches include the Renault 4 E-Tech electric, Alpine A390, and the quirky Mobilize Duo and Bento.
And of course, there’s the R5 Turbo 3E — an electrifying statement of intent. Renault is already accepting €50,000 deposits for the futuristic hot hatch, a price point that rivals the luxury Rafale, the company’s premium flagship. Bold moves indeed — and a sign that Renault is no longer playing it safe.
