The Renault R5 Turbo 3E is already one of the wildest electric hot hatches around, even if most people will only ever see one through a phone screen. Now, though, there is a chance you might at least get to park one on your desk.
A fan-made Lego version of the R5 Turbo 3E has appeared on the Lego Ideas platform, and it is gathering support surprisingly quickly. The project has already crossed the halfway mark towards the 10,000 supporter target needed for LEGO to officially consider turning it into a production set.
The real car, of course, is a tribute to the original Renault R5 Turbo, which was about as subtle as a rally stage accident. The old car packed a turbocharged engine behind the seats, huge wheel arches and enough attitude to make ordinary hatchbacks feel deeply inadequate.
The modern R5 Turbo 3E keeps the spirit alive, just with electricity replacing turbo lag. Renault claims 555 bhp from its electric setup, while the design brings back the dramatic boxy arches and retro racing graphics that made the original such a cult icon.
The Lego model captures that shape rather well, too. According to its creator, British engineer Dave Collins, the car’s angular styling made it ideal for brick form. Frankly, the exaggerated proportions already looked halfway to a Lego set anyway.
If the project reaches its target, it will join a growing list of successful automotive Lego Ideas kits, including the Ghostbusters Ecto-1, the Back to the Future DeLorean, and even a Caterham 620R. Which means there is clearly an audience for tiny plastic cars that adults insist are “collectables”.
For enthusiasts outside Europe and in select markets, this may also be the easiest way to own an R5 Turbo 3E. The actual car is expected to remain extremely limited and market-specific, while Lego tends to be considerably easier to import and slightly less stressful to insure.
Now all it needs is enough supporters. Though given the internet’s weakness for retro hot hatches and Lego, this one already feels halfway built.
