One thing’s for certain, the new Renault 5 can’t be faulted for lacking character.
Not only has the new EV – officially unveiled at the Geneva International Motor Show 2024 – remained faithful to the 2021 concept car, but it’s packed full of quirky features, too.
There’s a stereotype about French people loving bread, so to feed that stereotype (pardon the pun), the new EV comes with an optional, tongue-in-cheek baguette holder.
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As hard as it may be to believe, it’s actually true – the press release says so itself.
“Renault 5 E-Tech Electric will also be the very first car specifically equipped to carry baguettes from the bakers. No more flour or crumbs on your lovely upholstery!” it reads.
So there you have it – mounted to the right of the center console is a woven wicker basket to store your baguette.
The last time we saw such a nifty accessory was in the Volkswagen Beetle, which came with a bud vase in its dash.
Hardly a surprising addition, though, considering the brand’s Morphoz SUV completely transforms.
As well as a baguette holder, there’s other things that contribute towards the quirkiness of the new Renault 5.
For example, the gear selector – mounted on the steering column – resembles a lipstick case.
Renault refers to it as an “e-pop shifter”, which comes with a customizable tip and compatible accessories to choose from.
Apparently it can be easily be swapped by using something with pointed end, just like removing a SIM card from a smartphone.
When it comes to customizing the new Renault 5, there’s no fewer than 104 accessories to choose from, including 33 ‘iconic’ accessories.
These include 3D-printed cubby spaces and a central organizer, of which there’s one design available that has a “1972” logo – a nod to the year the original R5 went on sale.
The dash features a blocky design with vertical stitching on the passenger side, too, as well as an interesting “H” pattern in the upholstery that extends to the three-seat rear bench.
Moving on to the exterior, there’s plenty of interesting details to pick out, including an illuminated panel on the hood with the “5” motif.
As well as serving as a battery charge indicator, it also lights up when the driver approaches the car.
That’s pretty neat, but so are the droopy headlights which wink during the welcome sequence.
Last but not least, the daytime running lights in the bumper are a nod to the R5 Turbo’s fog lights, while the French flag is embedded into the headlights, and the wheels feature an old-school 5 logo instead of Renault’s signature diamond.
Whilst there isn’t a new Turbo planned as the Renault 5 is electric, there’s a high-performance derivative in the works which will debut later this year.
It’ll be based on the Alpine A290_β – a retro-looking EV hot hatch concept.
