
Think a Renault 5 Nurburgring record attempt is madness? It's on!
With 533bhp and 4,800Nm of torque from two electric motors and 0-62mph in less than 3.5-seconds, the Turbo 3E has the firepower to set a competitive lap time.
The fastest production electric car on the 20,832m-long Nordschleife circuit (12.944 miles) is the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra saloon, which posted a time of 7:04.957 in April 2025 and has gone even faster in uprated, prototype form. Advertisement - Article continues below
The Rimac Nevera and Porsche Taycan Turbo GT aren't much slower but it'll be the Tesla Model S Plaid (7:35.579) and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N's 7:45.59 time that Renault has its eye on.
One record is odds-on – the fastest rear-wheel drive EV around the 'Ring – because strictly all-wheel drive cars posted the existing benchmarks.
The 5 Turbo 3E packs two advanced in-wheel motors spinning its rear end and an aluminium and carbonfibre construction that should keep weight below 1,450kg. Much of this technology will be shared with the upcoming Alpine A110 Electric.
'The 5 Turbo 3E has the potential to do two Nordschleife laps at full throttle,' Fabrice Cambolive, the Renault brand CEO, told Auto Express. Can it post a respectable lap in the 7-minute zone? 'We will communicate it at the right time,' winks the boss. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
'With its in-wheel motors and really low centre of gravity, it's like piloting a video game,' claims the CEO, slumping down in his chair and making darty hand movements with an imaginary steering wheel.
Renault Group test driver Laurent Hurgon, who also races a Lamborghini Super Trofeo, is tipped for the record run. He posted the Megane RS Trophy-R's front-wheel drive lap record in 2019, a 7:40.100 time (on a slightly shorter loop) subsequently bettered only by the FL5 Honda Civic Type R. Advertisement - Article continues below
The Nordschleife is a huge challenge for any electric car, with repeated maximum accelerations and decelerations taking a massive toll on the battery, motors and brakes, and thermal management of the power cells critical to prevent a drop-off in performance.
Hyundai's European R&D boss Tyrone Johnson told Auto Express that computer simulation was critical to prime the Ioniq 5 N for its arduous 'Ring run. 'With the Ioniq 5 N, we were the first [EV] to be tested on the Nurburgring with an official lap time by Sport Auto, a German magazine. Before Porsche,' he said. 'We did two laps and simulated that for a couple of months beforehand, to get the battery temperature and the [brake] rating just right, just to be able to make the two laps.' Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below
Turbo 3E prototypes should be out testing in public soon, with the record run expected before the weather becomes too unsettled.
The pumped-up little hatch takes its inspiration from the original mid-engined versions of the Renault 5, which first appeared in 1980. That number is the production ceiling for the Turbo 3E, with Renault claiming to have more than 1,000 prospects lined up for the £135,000 superhatch.
'We want to demonstrate that a pure BEV car can also be a sporty car,' says Cambolive. 'The sportiness of the Renault 5 is already quite good, now we can replicate what we did in the past when the Turbo arrived.'
The 5 has given Renault real electric car momentum, says UK managing director Adam Wood. The charismatic supermini was Britain's top-selling EV in April and May, with 70 per cent of buyers retail rather than the fleet customers lured by low company car tax.
And its formula – mixing a retro form and nameplate with modern details and zero emissions tech – is being expanded into the small electric SUV segment with the Renault 4. Order books have just opened, after a UK introduction at this month's Goodwood Festival of Speed.
In early 2024, with Renault reliant on just the Megane E-Tech, EVs contributed about 5 per cent of the French brand's sales. The introduction of the Scenic E-Tech grew this to 15 per cent by the year's end, and with Renault 5 deliveries now on song, one-in-four new Renaults are currently electric-powered. This is critical to meet the UK's Zero Emission Vehicle sales target which is pegged at 28 per cent of passenger car sales in 2025.
The boss is confident this share can be maintained with another EV – the Twingo city car – confirmed for right-hand drive and arriving in 2026.
Configure your perfect Renault 5 through our Find A Car service now. Alternatively, check out the best deals out there on a new Renault 5 from stock or top prices on used Renault 5 models...
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Reuters
7 minutes ago
- Reuters
Wiegman hails most chaotic tournament ever
BASEL, Switzerland, July 27 (Reuters) - Sarina Wiegman broke into a celebratory dance when Chloe Kelly struck the winning penalty in Sunday's shootout to help England clinch a second consecutive Women's Euros title, capping a wild ride that the coach called the most chaotic tournament ever. The 55-year-old, who is under contract with England through 2027, had already made history by becoming the first football manager to coach in five consecutive major tournament finals. Euro 2025 proved to be a roller-coaster of emotions for Wiegman, with England fighting back to win all three knockout games in extra time or a shootout, including the final in which they beat world champions Spain 3-1 on penalties after the match ended in a 1-1 draw. "This has been the most chaotic tournament, from the first game there was chaos … turns out we love football chaos!" a jubilant Wiegman said. Asked how she plans to celebrate, she said: "Maybe with some more dancing. I might have a drink but I will not be drinking as much as the players." Wiegman's players had raved about her motivational speeches throughout the tournament, and she must have delivered another memorable one on Sunday. "The main message was enjoy it," said Wiegman, who completed a hat-trick of Euro triumphs on Sunday having also guided her native Netherlands to the 2017 title. "We've got so far now in this tournament. I think we all created something again together. So these are the moments where you dream of, well some couldn't even dream of because it wasn't possible when they were little kids. "But go out there and enjoy it and play your very best game." There was controversy in the weeks leading up to the tournament after Euro 2022 winning goalkeeper Mary Earps announced her international retirement. She had recently lost her starting job to Hannah Hampton. But Hampton was brilliant in Switzerland, including in the two shootouts and was named player of the match on Sunday after saving two penalties from Spanish players and making several other key saves. "Every player has their one story and journey and hers has been incredible," Wiegman said. "Starting the tournament and losing the first game, there was so much riding on every game, we had five finals. She had to step up and I think she has been amazing. "It's a little bit like a fairytale to stop those two penalties (during the shootout) in the final." England lost their opening game to France, but preached about confidence and not giving up since that night, and their tournament was a remarkable show of resilience. They led for a total of just four minutes through their three knockout matches. "It's been incredible," Wiegman said. "Around in the camp, the training sessions, everything about the team was very calm. "Just the games were chaotic and very close and tight and we were behind in a lot of games. We lost the first game, but then afterwards it was all very calm." Michelle Agyemang, the 19-year-old who scored late goals in the quarter-final and semi-final, won the Young Player of the Tournament award.


BBC News
7 minutes ago
- BBC News
England 'rode luck but not lucky'
England won Euro 2025 after all three knockout matches went to extra time, two of them to penalties - but captain Leah Williamson says they were not "lucky".The Lionesses retained the European title they won on home soil in 2022 by beating world champions Spain 3-1 on penalties in Basel, the game finishing 1-1 after extra become the first nation to retain the women's Euros since Germany won six in a row from 1995 to came after they also required penalties to beat Sweden in the quarter-finals, then won late in extra time against Italy in the semis."You know what? I don't realise it yet. I am still in the stage where it's 'this is unbelievable', 'did this really happen?'" manager Sarina Wiegman told BBC Radio 5 Live. "Very, very happy but a little strange. Just unbelievable."But while Williamson said there had been a stroke of good fortune in England's run to glory at Euro 2025, she added they were not fortunate champions, but deserving ones."We have ridden our luck, but I don't think we were lucky," she told the BBC amid a party atmosphere on the pitch at St Jakob-Park."Total disbelief, but at the same time I knew it was going to happen. There's always a moment when I think 'right girls, let's turn it on'. The way we defended as a team, nothing came through us. It felt like it was going to be our day."They led for just four minutes and 52 seconds in the knockout stage of the tournament - all of those coming after Chloe Kelly's late winner against three of England's knockout games went to 120 minutes - which has never happened in a major women's Spain's players and manager felt that luck was not on their side in a final where they had 22 shots and nearly 65% possession."We tried everything, all the different ways, and then the penalties didn't go our way," Spain captain Irene Paredes told TVE. "I thought we deserved it more but in the end it is not about who deserves it."It is about having that bit of luck and England had that throughout the whole tournament. We thought we could overcome that but we weren't able to."I think we had more control of the game than they did, we created more clear chances, we had more possession. But yeah, nothing else." 'No-one thought we'd win after the first game - fair enough!' Yet stats can be misleading. While there was some luck in Sweden and Spain being poor from the spot, and in Laura Giuliani spilling the ball at Michelle Agyemang's feet after 95 minutes of the semi-final, England always had a plan."I am pretty calm during the games," Wiegman said. "This tournament every single game has challenged us. We took those on board and how the team recovered from some setbacks, again today. That's the most important thing."England looked to win games late thanks to firepower off the bench. Kelly's assist against Spain meant England had 10 goal involvements by substitutes at Euro 2025 - five goals, five assists - out of the 16 they if they cannot win it in open play, they have won all four penalty shootouts under Wiegman."I didn't doubt we would win the shootout," defender Jess Carter told the BBC. "I would have been next, and I don't know if my nerves would have taken it. But I fully believed this team would have won it."The joy on the pitch at St Jakob-Park was amplified by the unorthodox journey taken by England to retaining their Euros crown - which started with a limp 2-1 loss to France in their opening group stuck to her guns, resisting the urge to deploy super-subs Kelly and Agyemang from the start in the final, instead trusting them to make the impact when it counted."It was so hard coming from a loss in the first game to this," Agyemang told the BBC. "Everything happens for a reason.""Relentless - we have players who absolutely love it," added Williamson. "It's just unbelievable to do it again."And after that first game, no-one thought we would - and fair enough! But nothing has changed." Carter completes comeback with superb display Carter, meanwhile, had her own remarkable journey at Euro struggled in that opening game against France, torn apart at left-back by Delphine Cascarino and was moved to central defence - but she was exposed in pace and possession against Sweden in the two early goals then suffered racist abuse following the quarter-final, and was taken out of the firing line by starting the Italy match on the substitutes' she then returned to the starting XI for the final - and produced a superb performance."I just couldn't be prouder," Carter said. "I'm speechless, relieved, excited."I want to say a massive thank you to our fans, my family who have been incredible, and everyone else who has doubted us and me personally - we have shown what we are capable of."It's been crazy for me. I was disappointed with how I played through the tournament - but now I couldn't give a damn. Figuring out how to win games is what we do as England." 'We did it for our angels in the sky' For Ella Toone and Beth Mead their medals meant far more than just footballing glory - they were ways of celebrating loved ones lost since the 2022 triumph at mother passed away in 2023, while Toone's father died last posted an emotional Instagram story alongside Mead, captioned: "We did it for our angels in the sky. Forever with us and forever proud."She also revealed her mother had an empty seat next to her in the stands at St Jakob-Park."If that's not a sign, I don't know what is," said Toone. "I know you were there dad."After the memories came the party. Mead strode through the media mixed zone post-match holding a can of lager and pulling a boombox playing Don't Stop Believin' by Journey."There were times when people thought we were down and out but we never did," Toone told BBC Sport while eating a slice of celebratory pizza."We had that belief in the squad that we were going to come out and win. That's the quiet confidence we have in ourselves. "We're going to enjoy the night. I love a party."Even the boss will join in."I'll do some more dancing," Wiegman said. "I'll have a drink but I don't think I'll drink as much as the players will do."


The Independent
36 minutes ago
- The Independent
Hannah Hampton's comeback story defies belief and leads England to Euro 2025 glory
It was, as Sarina Wiegman said, a 'fairytale'. But Hannah Hampton had believed from the start, having proved everyone wrong just to reach Euro 2025. Even when Hampton overcame the doubts and the advice of doctors who said she would not become a goalkeeper, she did not believe the England fans would welcome her after replacing a legend between the posts in Mary Earps. Hampton finished the Euros as England's hero in the penalty shootout win over Spain, perhaps as the tournament's best player, and with Wiegman jumping into arms after saving the spot-kicks from Aitana Bonmati and Mariona Caldentey. 'Every player has her own story and her journey has been incredible too,' Wiegman said. 'It's a little bit like a fairytale when you then stop those penalties in the final.' "We're the team that never gives up,' said Hampton, but she had saved them. England led for just four minutes and 52 seconds of the knockout stages but finished Euro 2025 as the champions. They relied on their spirit and determination but also their new No 1: the player of the match in the quarter-finals and final. The defiant stopper of four penalties across two shootouts, aided by the help of a 'cheat-sheet' on her water bottle. There are many sliding doors moments of England's Euros win, a tournament Wiegman described as the 'most chaotic and ridiculous' she had experienced. Some came in the final, as Spain led 1-0 and pushed for more. Other came three months ago, such as when Michelle Agyemang was called into Wiegman's squad for the first time because of an injury to Alessia Russo, beginning a timeline where the 19-year-old would twice rescue them. But many of those fateful moments where England stood on the brink of crashing out, only to remain alive, involve Hampton. There was the diving stop to deny Fridolina Rolfo when England were 2-0 down to Sweden in the quarter-finals. The point-blank save from Emma Severini when England were 1-0 down to Italy with just minutes to go in their semi-final. In a tournament where England clawed their way through, Hampton ensured England's heartrate never went completely flat. It is fitting, as Hampton's own story is a comeback in itself. She was born with an eye condition called strabismus and as a child underwent several corrective procedures. Doctors told her that she couldn't play football and then said to her parents that she wouldn't be able to become a professional. To this day, Hampton does not have full depth perception, but has still made it to the highest level of the game. Hampton was part of England's squad at the last Euros but was dropped by Wiegman after the tournament amid reports of her behaviour and attitude at camp. At 21, Hampton was left out by her club Aston Villa, too, while the negative headlines and stories circulating made her want to quit completely. She didn't, and instead put her head down, proving herself to first Emma Hayes and then Sonia Bompastor to claim her place at Chelsea. But Hampton also arrived at the Euros with more pressure on her shoulders than anyone in the England squad, at her first major tournament a starter while stepping into the gloves left by a legend. Earps' retirement, just weeks before the Euros, added to the scrutiny Hampton faced as she inherited the No 1 jersey. For all that the 24-year-old paid a glowing tribute to Earps and her legacy, it is to Hampton's immense credit that her predecessor's name has barely been mentioned this month. Hampton, simply, has raised the level. She would have been England's No 1 anyway, even if Earps had not retired. She not only made crucial saves throughout the tournament, showing immense athleticism and reach, but also commanded her box and showed bravery to come for crosses. Even with a bloodied nose against Sweden in the quarter-finals, Hampton pushed through the bodies to punch clear. Against Spain, too, Hampton's aggressive decision-making under pressure ensured the world champions did not create any more chances from crosses after Caldentey's first-half header. Her quality on the ball was never in doubt. Hampton's upbringing in Spain and her early years playing as a striker meant she developed excellent technique and at the Euros she has displayed her passing range. Against Spain, England were comfortable going back towards their goalkeeper, who was able to then play out or go long with accuracy. In a Euros that was defined by exceptional goalkeeper, Hampton stood out as the finest at the tournament. She has a claim, too, to have been England's best player, and was certainly their most consistent from the opening defeat to France to their final victory over Spain. If Bonmati, for all of the Ballon d'Or holder's obvious quality and her own inspirational moments, felt like a default pick for player of the tournament, Hampton may have a more persuasive claim. 'There are a lot of things I had to deal with before the tournament, my teammates helped me through,' Hampton said. And there she stood, as a back-to-back Euros winner, but now firmly in the spotlight and shining in it.