Renault 5 Turbo 2

The Renault 5 Turbo 2 sits in an unusual corner of the Dream Car Garage catalogue: its place is not defined by headline performance. With a power rank of 593 out of 600 cars, a 0 to 100 km/h rank of 580 out of 600, and a top speed rank of 592 out of 600, it is a reminder that a dream collection is not built from numbers alone. Its appeal comes from how distinctly it occupies its space among the 600 cars available.

The Renault 5 Turbo 2 is a hot hatch with a combination that remains uncommon in the catalogue. It is one of just 30 cars that pair an inline-4 engine with rear-wheel drive, and one of 58 turbocharged inline-4 cars. That pairing gives this French three-door hatchback a character defined by its layout as much as its output. The 1,397 cc turbocharged inline-4 produces 158 bhp and 221 Nm of torque, with a 0 to 100 km/h time of 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 200 km/h.

The numbers also show where the Turbo 2 sits financially. Its used price of £110,000 places it at 274 out of 600 in the catalogue, meaning it is more expensive than 326 cars here. At £696 per bhp, it is not a purchase measured purely by performance return. Instead, it represents a different kind of selection, where the specification, configuration and place in automotive history are represented through the car itself rather than through outright statistics.

Production adds another layer to its position. A total of 3,167 were built, and among the 177 cars in the catalogue with known production figures, 165 have a higher production count. That makes the Turbo 2 a car with a defined production figure and a measurable place within that group, while also showing that rarity alone is not the sole reason to consider it.

Renault’s 5 Turbo 2 brings a distinct French presence to a collection where only 23 of the 600 cars come from France. With Renault represented by six cars in the catalogue, this is a choice that changes the shape of a garage through its compact form, rear-wheel-drive layout and turbocharged character. Without it, the collection has another fast car. With it, the garage gains a 1.4-litre, rear-driven hot hatch that stands apart from the usual assumptions of what a performance car should be.