The Renault 5 Turbo

Renault’s astonohing mid-engined 5 Turbo seemed nothing more than another interesting engineering exercise when the prototype made an appearance some little while ago. Now it is a production fact to be put on sale in France this Spring.

With 165 b.h.p. at 6,250 r.p.m. produced from its 1,396 c.c. engine, the Renault 5 Turbo is claimed to be the most powerful current French model and the first French petrol-driven car to be equipped with a centrally-mounted turbocharged engine. It will be built in the Renault Alpine plant at Dieppe at a rate of five cars a day.

The 5 Turbo boasts “an unusual interior design”, a five-speed gearbox, ventilated disc brakes all round and a maximum speed of 124 mph.

Group 4 homologation, based on 400 examples, is projected for the end of May, and Group 3 (1,000-off) is hoped for by the Autumn. Development is proceeding apace on a 250 b.h.p. competition version ready for a works rally programme in the second half of the year

The price of the road car is expected to be about 98,000 francs, about £12,000. No data has been fixed for its introduction in the UK. — C.R.

Morgan Calendars

We said that the Morgan Sports CC has copied the Morgan 3-Wheeler Club in selling a 1980 calendar. The latter has, however, again issued its own attractive calendar, with six paintings, three of “tribes”, three of four-wheelers, which costs £2.25, or £2.50 if Air-Mailed Overseas. Sales help Club funds — apply to Alan Sharpe, 68 St. Peter’s Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RM15 8JL.

W.B.

Jones is Champion!

Alan Jones may have missed winning the World Championship, but he has at least won the Tarmac British Racing Championship.

The provisional final table puts Jones 36 points ahead of last year’s winner Gordon Spice, who took the 1978 title after successfully appealing to an RAC stewards’ inquiry, thus making Jones runner-up.

Jones’ final tally of 242 points came from results in the F1 Williams FW06 and FW07, the CanAm Lola T33CS and the BMW M1 Procar. Spice was runner-up, ahead of Brett Riley and John Watson. — C.R.