UK engineer Dave Collins has built a Lego version of the electric Renault 5 Turbo 3E that’s taken the fan community by storm.
The creation reached 10,000 supporters on the Lego Ideas platform in just 44 days. That’s the threshold needed for official review by Lego’s judging panel.
Most projects get 32 months to hit that same milestone.
Collins’ tribute to the all-electric Renault 5 Turbo 3E now sits on the cusp of entering production after garnering votes from Lego fans globally at record speed.
Builder calls success ‘surreal’
Collins described watching his creation’s popularity explode as surreal.
“I knew there was something special about the car when I started building it, but I never expected this kind of reaction. Watching the numbers climb so quickly has been surreal – every time I checked, it felt like another big jump.”
The global response caught him off guard.
“What’s really struck me is how global it’s been. People from all over the world are getting behind it, sharing it, voting for it – it’s turned into something far bigger than just my model. Hitting 10,000 supporters this quickly is incredible.”
Adam Wood, Renault UK’s managing director, shared Collins’ enthusiasm.
“We all fell in love with Dave’s creation when we first saw it – and to see that love resonate around the world has been incredible.”
Wood sees the project’s success as validation of the car’s appeal.
“To reach the point where Dave’s model will now be reviewed for production is a fantastic achievement, and it says a lot about the connection people have with the Renault 5 and the excitement around the Renault 5 Turbo 3E.”
Electric homage to rally legend
The Renault 5 Turbo 3E reimagines the Group B rally car from the 1980s with modern electric power.
Priced from £135,000, Renault’s “mini-supercar” delivers 547bhp and 3,540lb ft of torque through two in-wheel rear motors.
Production will be limited to 1,980 units – a nod to the original car’s 1980 debut year.
If Collins’ Lego version makes it to production, it’ll likely be more accessible than it’s full-size counterpart. Both the real Turbo 3E and Collins’ brick creation will appear together on Renault’s stand at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The rapid success demonstrates the enduring appeal of the Renault 5’s design and the excitement surrounding its electric future.
