In this instalment of John Murdoch’s Drive Time, Johntakes a look at a blistering but pricey version of the all-electric new Renault 5 and how Skoda is adding new Design trim level to popular compact Kamiq SUV.
French giant Renault has confirmed it will be putting a sizzling hot version of its all-electric new Renault 5 into production.
A modern take on the Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E was first revealed at the 2022 Paris Motor Show.
In production form the car will pump out more than 500bhp giving it a supercar 0 to 62mph sprint time of 3.5 seconds.
Few details have been released but Renault says the Renault 5 Turbo 3E will have a rear-wheel drive layout with two electric motors housed in the rear wheels.
With the looks and livery of a car built for the track, it sports the historic colours of one of the rallying versions of the early 1980s.
The company says the Renault 5 Turbo 3E is an all-electric hot hatch of retro-futuristic design, with an eminently modern charging socket in one of the rear air intakes, bringing to mind the styling of the original ‘Turbo’ with a carbon superstructure which is both lightweight and extremely stiff, two qualities that are fundamental for a ‘pocket rocket’ worthy of its name and heritage.
Production is likely to be limited to a few thousand models and the price is rumoured to be in excess of £100,000.
The car will have its ‘official’ reveal in a Prime Video documentary which tells the story of how the Renault Group turned itself around.
Making the reveal in a documentary is an unusual idea, but one that Renault says is well suited to a model that is truly unique.
It will be followed this year by more events further lifting the curtain on the Renault 5 Turbo 3E.
Meanwhile, a fresh trim level is being added to the Skoda Kamiq compact SUV with the arrival of Design Edition models.
Positioned between the existing SE Edition and SE L Edition models the newcomer takes the total number of trim options for Kamiq up to four.
The new Design Edition is equipped with 17-inch aero alloy wheels, a black roof and door mirrors and privacy glass as standard.
Inside, it features sports seats, cloth and microsuede upholstery, a three-spoke sports steering wheel and red trim on the dashboard as well as ambient lighting, black headlining and aluminium pedals.
The new Kamiq Design Edition is available with two engines and three drivetrain options.
The 1.0 TSI 95ps and 1.0 TSI 116ps engines feature a manual gearbox as standard with the higher output unit also available with a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox.
CO2 outputs range from 122g/km for the 1.0 TSI 116PS manual to 126g/km for the 1.0 TSI 116PS DSG.
The 1.0 TSI 95ps model returns 51.9mpg on the official combined cycle while the 1.0 TSI 116ps manual has an official consumption figure of 52.3mpg. The range-topping 1.0 TSI 116ps DSG returns 50.6mpg.
Prices start from £25,855 for the 1.0 TSI 95ps model, rising to £28,185 OTR for the 1.0 TSI 116ps DSG model.
First UK deliveries are expected in the spring.
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