Renault’s Brightest Electric Stars Shine as Renault 5 Turbo 3E and Twingo E-Tech Electric Win at the Inaugural Car Genius Awards

• 555 hp ‘mini-supercar’ Renault 5 Turbo 3E named ‘Idea of the Year’ at the first CAR Genius Awards
• Renault Twingo E-Tech electric claims ‘Small Car of the Year’ crown
• Judges celebrate Renault 5 Turbo 3E’s spectacular performance and the ambition behind its creation
• Twingo E-Tech electric praised as a keenly priced small car filled with unmistakable Renault charm
• £100 Twingo R Pass available now, providing priority access to ordering and a range of exclusive benefits

Renault’s latest electric models have come top of the class at the inaugural CAR Genius Awards, with the spectacular Renault 5 Turbo 3E named ‘Idea of the Year’ and the new Renault Twingo E-Tech electric crowned ‘Small Car of the Year’.

The two awards recognise very different expressions of Renault’s approach to electric cars. Renault 5 Turbo 3E turns one of the brand’s most celebrated performance icons into a phenomenal 555 hp electric ‘mini-supercar’, while Twingo E-Tech electric brings clever technology, character and accessible pricing to the heart of the small-car market.

Created by the extended editorial team at CAR, the new Genius Awards recognise “innovative thinking, brilliantly implemented”, celebrating standout ideas across the industry.

Renault 5 Turbo 3E praised for performance and concept

Renault 5 Turbo 3E secured the ‘Idea of the Year’ title after impressing the judges with both its extreme performance and the ambition of bringing such an uncompromising car to production.

Ben Miller, Editor of CAR, said: “The wild French super hatch is back. God it’s exciting; not just to ride in – and to drive, we’re pretty sure – but also for the fact that a mainstream European car maker has had the nerve and the bandwidth to build it.”

Reimagining the spirit of the legendary Renault 5 Turbo and Turbo 2 of the 1980s, Renault 5 Turbo 3E combines dramatic retro-futuristic design with cutting-edge electric performance. Two rear-mounted in-wheel motors produce a combined 555 hp and 4,800 Nm of torque, making it the most powerful road-going Renault ever created.

Custom-made to order and priced from £140,000, Renault 5 Turbo 3E is limited to 1,980 individually numbered examples, referencing the year in which the original Renault 5 Turbo was launched. Reservations are open now, with customers able to select from an extensive range of exterior liveries, interior materials and finishes.

“Twingo is surely the most welcome new car of the year, as well as one of the best.”

At the other end of the electric-car spectrum, Renault Twingo E-Tech electric was named ‘Small Car of the Year’, with CAR praising the personality, value and sense of occasion it brings to an increasingly important part of the market.

Miller described the Twingo as “a keenly priced creation that buzzes with timeless small-Renault charm”, adding: “Twingo is surely the most welcome new car of the year, as well as one of the best.”

With its bright green paintwork and expressive, wide-set headlights, Twingo E-Tech electric has already earned the nickname “Le Frog”. Its cheerful design is combined with a compact, city-friendly footprint and modern electric technology, creating a small car designed to be as useful and accessible as it is characterful.

Targeting a starting price below £20,000, Twingo E-Tech electric offers a WLTP driving range of up to 163 miles* from its LFP battery and is powered by a lively 60 kW electric motor. Features associated with larger cars include One Pedal driving and the availability of the OpenR Link multimedia system with Google built-in (depending on version).

Customers keen to secure early access can now purchase a Twingo R Pass for £100. This provides priority ordering ahead of the general public, exclusive model updates, a dedicated concierge service, a miniature Renault Twingo E-Tech electric model and a distinctive green Renault key cover.

Adam Wood, Managing Director, Renault UK, said: “These awards capture two sides of Renault at its most creative. Renault 5 Turbo 3E is a dream idea made into reality, combining our performance heritage with cutting-edge electric technology in a way that could only come from Renault. Twingo applies the same spirit of invention to a very different challenge, making electric mobility accessible, versatile and full of personality. Together, they show that ingenuity can be just as powerful in a highly accessible city car as it is in a 555 hp icon.”