Renault’s insane 5 Turbo 3E electric hot hatch ships in 2027, limited to 1,980 units

Published

15 hours ago

March 17, 2025

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Renault has released more information about its upcoming Renault 5 Turbo 3E electric rally car, and boy howdy, does it look hot as hell.

For background: auto enthusiasts look very fondly on the rally scene in the 1980s, when there was a serious arms race between auto manufacturers (particularly European ones) to make wilder and wilder race cars.

One of the most famous cars from that time period was the Renault 5 Turbo, with its iconic boxy design and chunky rear fenders which stood out even against other boxy cars of that age. It was based on the old Renault 5 hatchback, which recently got an electric rebirth of its own.

Calling on that history, Renault first showed off a 5 Turbo-inspired drift car concept back in 2022, but it was very clearly a concept – it didn’t really have an interior, for one.

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Then, this last December, Renault came back and said no, really, we’re serious – we want to make this thing, and we want to put 540hp of electric power in it. At that time, it was just renders, but now Renault has a real prototype, and is putting plans in writing as to how it’s going to bring this crazy concept to market.

Today Renault unveiled what it’s calling “the first electric mini-supercar,” with lots of extra details on what looks like eye-watering performance in an actual sporty package (unlike so many of the giant electric SUVs we keep seeing these days…).

The biggest headline specs are these: 540hp (400kW), 3,196lbs (1,450kg), 160 inches (4,080mm) long, with a 0-60 time of <3.5 seconds and a top speed of 168mph (270km/h).

Heck. Yeah.

The power is delivered by dual motors – but rather than putting them inboard on the front and rear axles, like so many EVs do, the Renault 5 Turbo 3E uses in-wheel motors, with one in each rear wheel. So this thing is rear-wheel drive, just like the original 5 Turbo.

But unlike the original 5 Turbo, which topped out at around 163 lbft (220Nm) of torque (and only after you got it up to 3,250rpm first), Renault claims the 5 Turbo 3E’s motors are capable of an absurd 3,500lbft (4,800Nm) of torque (though that number is measured at the wheels, not at the driveshaft… because it doesn’t have a driveshaft, since it’s using in-wheel motors. So it’s not really directly comparable to other vehicles’ torque numbers).

All that torque on the rear wheels means one thing: this car will surely go sideways at will. But to make that job even easier, Renault offers a truly silly giant handbrake right smack in the middle of the car’s two front (and only) seats.

And if that wild dash and seat design doesn’t do it for you – Renault says it will offer basically unlimited customization to its customers.

Along with a long list of personalization options, many of which are inspired by famous versions of the original Renault 5 Turbo, Renault designers will help customers put together these options to make each vehicle unique.

But despite all this excitement, there’s one (or, more than a hundred thousand) big downsides: it’s not gonna be cheap. While Renault hasn’t listed a price yet, rumor is that it will start firmly in the six figure range, and potentially go up to around 200,000 (Dollars, Euros or Pounds – take your pick), depending on which personalizations you select.

But even more disappointingly: there’s no good reason for us to quote that price in dollars, because like every other fun thing it’s not coming to the US. Renault plans to offer it in “several key markets including Europe, the Middle East, Japan and Australia.”

And the last caveat: even with the money, it might be hard to get your hands on one of these. Renault will only sell 1,980 examples, referring back to the year that the original 5 Turbo was introduced. So, better get chummy with your local Renault rep, cause we can’t imagine those will last long.

Electrek’s Take

In a world where EVs (and cars in general) seem to just be getting bigger and bigger, heavier and heavier, this one is finally putting us back in the right direction.

Now, of course, it’s still quite a lot heavier (+~1,000lbs) than the 1980s version, and longer too (+~16 inches). Part of this is due to changing consumer tastes, part of it is due to stricter safety standards, and part of it is because companies aren’t pushing the envelope as hard as they were in the time of Group B rally cars. And then of course there’s the battery – a chonky 70kWh for ~250mi (~400km) of range, per WLTP standards (it will also have 350kW, 800V charging, taking 15 minutes to go from 15-80%).

But it’s also one of the first times we’ve seen an actual date associated with what looks like a truly violent electric hot hatch. Renault actually put out, in writing, that they plan to get this car to road in 2027 – unlike the Mercedes EQA concept, which turned into a freaking SUV; or the Golf GTI, which we’ve heard nothing about since 2023; or the Rally-inspired Rivian R3X, which looks awesome but we’ll have to wait until after the R2 comes out first.

There are some other extant cars that you might consider an electric hot hatch – like the Ioniq 5N – but that’s more than two feet longer and ~1,600lbs heavier than the 5 Turbo 3E claims it will be, so they’re really not in the same class at all. Closer to the same class is the Volvo EX30, at 7 inches longer, ~800lbs heavier, and ~120 less horsepower. Then there are the similarly-sized Mini Cooper SE, and even-smaller Fiat 500e Abarth, but both of those pack less than a third as much horsepower at comparable weights to the Renault.

So, with the specs we’ve seen, it’s in a class of its own – at least on paper, and at least for now. Your turn, Rivian – and the rest of the industry, too. Renault looks like they’re throwing down a gauntlet and showing us what can be done, but let’s stop seeing cancelled concepts and limited-edition prestige cars, and get some more fun, small, powerful EVs – and some of us would love to see them outside of Europe, too.

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Trump’s World Liberty Financial crypto project says it sold $550 million in tokens

Published

2 hours ago

March 17, 2025

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Trump's World Liberty Financial crypto project says it sold 0 million in tokens

The World Liberty Financial website arranged on a smartphone in New York, US, on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025.

Gabby Jones | Bloomberg | Getty Images

President Donald Trump’s World Liberty Financial crypto project said on Monday that it raised $250 million in its second token sale, bringing the total amount of coins sold to $550 million.

WLFI, a venture backed by the first family that describes itself as a sort of crypto banking platform, launched in October, weeks before Trump’s election victory. In a document published at the time of launch, WLFI said the Trump family could take home 75% of net revenue.

In Monday’s release, WLFI said more than 85,000 participants underwent so-called know-your-customer verification to gain access to the token sale. Co-founder Zach Witkoff, son of billionaire U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, is quoted in the release as saying that “WLFI is on track to supercharge DeFi,” or decentralized finance.

In January, Tron blockchain founder Justin Sun upped his stake in WLFI tokens to $75 million. A court filing the following month showed that Sun and the SEC were exploring a resolution to the regulator’s civil fraud case against the crypto entrepreneur.

WLFI is one of several crypto projects in the Trump family that are kicking off just as the president is pushing a crypto-friendly agenda. Earlier this month, President Trump signed an executive order to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

According to a memo from the White House last week, David Sacks, the Trump administration’s AI and crypto czar, sold over $200 million worth of digital asset-related investments personally and through his firm, Craft Ventures, before starting the job. Sacks said in a podcast that he “didn’t want to even have the appearance of a conflict.”

At the end of February, the SEC declared that meme tokens are not securities. The announcement came after the president and First Lady Melania Trump launched their own meme coins in the days leading up to the inauguration.

WATCH: Trump’s bitcoin reserve leaves crypto investors disappointed

Environment

Volkswagen just revealed the 2025 ID.4’s initial pricing and trim [update]

Published

3 hours ago

March 17, 2025

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Volkswagen just revealed the 2025 ID.4's initial pricing and trim [update]

Volkswagen of America announced the initial pricing and trim for the 2025 Volkswagen ID.4 – here’s the lowdown on the latest rebate.

March 17, 2025: The 2025 VW ID.4 is already arriving on dealer lots, and VW is already offering it with a $5,000 Retail Customer Bonus across all 2025 ID.4 trims. However, the rebate is only available when paying cash or financing at a standard rate, which means it can’t be combined with VW’s 72-month 0% APR offer also available for the 2025 ID.4.

CarsDirect crunched the numbers and estimated that over a 72-month term, consumers will save “about $61 per month by choosing the 0% deal over the $5,000, which adds up to almost $4,400 over the course of the term.”

But if you want a better deal on an ID.4, then opt for a 2024 model, because you can stack 0% APR for 72 months with the $5,000 bonus.

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The offers are good until the end of April.

Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Volkswagen ID.4 in stock. –trusted affiliate link

February 3, 2025: Volkswagen has restarted production of the ID.4 at its Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant with 82 kWh models rolling off the line. The 62 kWh version will follow later, and all models are set to get additional features starting midyear. Pricing and more details are coming soon.

The 82 kWh ID.4 models stick to a similar trim lineup as 2024. Both the Entry and S trims come in rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, while the top-tier S Plus is exclusively all-wheel drive.

Without further ado, let’s get to it. Here’s the meat-and-potatoes pricing and trim of the 2025 Volkswagen ID.4:

Entry

RWD Pro: starting at $45,095 MSRP

AWD Pro: starting at $48,995 MSRP

Exterior features

19-inch alloy wheels on RWD models
20-inch wheels on AWD models
Gloss black grille
LED head- and taillights
Automatic headlights with rain-sensing wipers
Heated windshield (AWD only)
Heated washer nozzles
Heated mirrors
Black roof rails
3-door KESSY® with proximity unlocking
Tow hitch (AWD only)

Interior features

12.9-inch Discover Pro Max infotainment display with navigation and backlit sliders
Wireless App-Connect (AndroidAuto, CarPlay, and MirrorLink) and charging with compatible devices
45W USB-C charging
Intuitive voice control
5.3-inch ID. Cockpit
Volkswagen Car-Net with Plus Nav and Plus Speech packages included at no additional charge for three years
SiriusXM® with three-month Platinum Plan trial subscription included
Manual cloth and leatherette seats
Heated front seats
Dual-zone Climatronic
10-color ambient lighting ID. Light
Auto-dimming interior mirror
Stitched dashboard
Variable cargo floor cover.
Driver assistance features include standard IQ.DRIVE; plus Park Distance Control; Park Assist (Parking Steering Assistant); Dynamic Road Sign Display; and Light Assist (High Beam Control for headlights).

S

RWD Pro S: starting at $50,195 MSRP

AWD Pro S: starting at $54,095 MSRP

Exterior features

The equipment set from the entry models
20-inch wheels
Illuminated front and rear VW logo and light line in the front fascia
Premium LED projector headlights with Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS)
Poor weather lights
Mirrors with memory function

Interior features

30-color ambient lighting
Perforated leatherette seats
Door-panel stitching
Heated steering wheel
12-way power seats with memory
Ventilated front seats
Rear-seat pass-through
Center armrest with cupholders
Panoramic fixed glass roof with electric sunshade
Power tailgate with Easy Open and Close

S Plus

AWD Pro S Plus: starting at $57,295 MSRP

Exterior features

Features build on the S models
21-inch wheels
Black roof with silver roof accents, C-pillar, and roof rails
Silver accents on front and rear bumpers
Power-folding mirrors with signature lighting

Interior features

Additional features include heated rear seats
Three-zone Climatronic
Harman Kardon premium audio with 14 total speakers including subwoofer
Area View (Overhead View Camera)

Click here to find a local dealer that may have the Volkswagen ID.4 in stock.–trusted affiliate link

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Kia’s first electric hatch actually looks pretty cool in real life [Video]

Published

3 hours ago

March 17, 2025

admin

Kia's first electric hatch actually looks pretty cool in real life [Video]

Is the hatchback finally coming back? Kia’s first electric hatch, the EV4, looks like the one we’ve been waiting for. It almost looks more like a low-riding crossover on the road, but it could be a cheaper option. Check it out for yourself in the video below.

Kia’s first electric hatch is almost here

We finally got our first look at the EV4 during Kia’s 2025 EV Day last month. Four models, two sedans and two hatchbacks, were showcased.

Both will kick off new segments in Kia’s rapidly expanding EV lineup. The EV4 is part of Kia’s new mass-market electric car lineup, with prices starting at $30,000 and even lower in some markets.

After opening orders for the EV4 sedan in Korea last week, the hatchback version is expected to arrive later this year. The EV4 hatch was recently spotted driving on the road for the first time in Korea, giving us our best look at its bigger backside.

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You can immediately see this is not your average Ford Focus or VW Golf. In Kia’s words, the “EV4 introduces a new typology” for sedans and hatchbacks. And that it does.

The video from ShortsCar shows the EV4 hatch from all angles as it drives by on a public street. It looks about the same as the sedan from the front, but you can’t miss the extended backside.

While the sedan has more of a sports car-like back end, the hatch almost looks like a mini crossover, and not in a bad way.

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Kia EV4 hatch spotted on the road in Korea (Source: ShortsCar)

The EV4 sedan starts at about $29,000 (41.92 million won) in Korea. Although the sedan is built at Kia’s Autoland Gwangmyeong EVO Plant in Korea, the hatch will be built in Slovakia, as it’s primarily aimed at Europe.

Kia plans to begin building hatchback models in the second half of the year. The sedan model will also launch in Europe later this year. It will be offered with two battery options, 58.3 kWh or 81.4 kWh, for up to 630 km (391 miles) WLTP range. The hatchback is rated with up to 590 km (366 miles) range by WLTP standards.

For those in the US, don’t worry. Kia confirmed that the EV4 sedan will launch in the US. However, no specific date has been set. When it arrives, it’s expected to be among the most affordable EV options at around $35,000 to $40,000.

The hatchback will start at around 37,000 euros ($40,000) in Europe. Sorry to disappoint anyone, but it’s not expected to arrive in the US.

Would you buy the electric hatch if it was sold in the US? I actually like the look. It reminds me of a smaller, low-riding EV6. Let us know what you think of it in the comments below.

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