3. Renault 5 Turbo
When Renault sought to compete in the explosive world of mid-1980s Group B, it looked inward to its humble R5 supermini. The solution was the Renault 5 Turbo: a purpose-built, rear-engine, rear-drive road rocket introduced in 1980. Drop the standard R5’s 1.4 L motor, reposition a 1.4 L turbocharged four-cylinder behind the driver, and widen the track by moving the floorpan 15 cm ahead. Output was about 162 hp—enough to uproot that 2,200 lb city car in under seven seconds to 60 mph.
The Turbo’s chunky fenders, giant intakes, and short wheelbase created a car both ferociously quick and notoriously twitchy. Its racing counterpart wreaked havoc on tarmac rallies, while the street version delighted enthusiasts craving exotic performance from an ostensibly ordinary hatchback. Only around 4,987 Turbos were built by Renault Alpine, but each one remains a potent symbol of 1980s turbocharged audacity.