You take the humble, city-bound Renault R5 — a car rarely seen without car park dings or scuffed plastic bumpers, a machine so simplistic and loveable it becomes a companion more than a simple mode of transport — crank the crazy up to eleven and the result is a car destined for the history books. The 1980s motorsport scene was a melting pot of insanity and innovation in equal measures, with the World Rally Championship paving the way for brands to truly let loose on the changing terrain in cars seemingly straight from Frankenstein’s lab. The Renault R5 Turbo was just that: pure insanity, and yet enthusiasts couldn’t get enough, so much so that Renault made two generations of it.
Unveiled in 1983 as the more accessible successor to the original R5 Turbo, the Turbo 2 retained the core recipe: a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder mounted directly behind the occupants, and clothed in outrageous, box-arched bodywork. While it looked straight from crazyville via insane avenue, Renault had spent some time ensuring the the cabin was simplified in the new generation, with parts borrowed from the standard Renault 5. The resulting car was every bit as charismatic as its predecessor, yet easier to put into production and, crucially, homologate for competition.
Performance figures of the Turbo 2 are still enough to keep up with the hyper-hatches today, boasting around 160 horsepower and crucially weighing just shy of a tonne. But the magic of the Turbo 2 lies not in the numbers, but rather in the theatre. The whistle of the turbo spooling, the squat stance as it devours corners, and the sheer audacity of a hot hatch designed with the heart of a rally car. This was a hatchback the likes of which nobody had ever seen on the open road before, one seemingly picked straight from the rally stage. Despite only claiming a few World Rally Championship event victories, the R5 Turbo’s rally story is less about sustained dominance and more about character. It proved that even a humble hatchback could be transformed into a rally giant-slayer with enough engineering daring. Its two WRC wins, especially the Monte Carlo debut, remain legendary and today, whenever a Turbo 2 lines up at historic rally events, it still draws crowds as one of the most charismatic rally cars of its era.
It is believed around a mere 3,100 examples exist of the Turbo 2, making this fine example from CarJager a real gem, most likely to be snapped up by an avid rally collector. Residing in France its entire life, this original painted example has just over 68,000 kilometres to its name and is presented in wonderful condition throughout. As rally heroes go, the Quattros, 205 T16s and Lancia O37s may have their place in the sport’s history and the trophies to boot, but the R5 Turbo 2 wins our affection any day!
