Delta4x4 will transform the Volkswagen ID. Buzz and Fiat Ducato vans into off-roaders. It will also build you a gravel-ready Ferrari Purosangue or a Mini Countryman. This one is very special and it is inspired by classic rally racers. It takes the Renault R5 EV and creates an off-road monster that's full of 1980s spirit and flair. It's just a concept for now, but if Delta gets enough interest it will build one. And for a lot cheaper than you might expect.
Renault R5 EV Gets Four-Inch Lift
The Delta4x4 Renault R5 starts with a 3.9-inch suspension lift. Delta calls its kits "body lift" setups, so it doesn't seem like the R5 will get more suspension travel, at least not in base form. But its lifts are TUV approved, and the German safety regulator's stamp of approval is not an easy one to get. In short, these kits are very thoroughly designed.
Huge new fender arches add to the rally car look. They're not just for show, though; they're also there to hold chunky Loder AT #1 all-terrain tires in 255/55R18 size. That's a huge upgrade from the 195-width tires the R5 comes with stock. The original Renault 5 would have come with 145/70R13s, and this absolutely eclipses those.
Delta4x4 wasn't done, so it added a hefty roof platform to the vehicle. In the concept, it is shown holding things like extra fuel cans and spare tires. And then there is the ultimate rally-spec upgrade: four huge PIAA spotlights on the nose turn dark into day. More importantly, like the best rally-inspired cars, they look amazing.
Don't expect any changes to the power system of the R5 E-Tech, which offers 120 and 150 horsepower variants. That first one might have some trouble turning those big tires. Range will almost certainly be down versus the 250 miles (WLTP) that the standard R5 offers from its larger 52-Kilowatt-hour battery. The Renault is also front-wheel drive, not AWD.
But none of that really matters when a car is this cool. Plus, there are plenty of off-roaders and rally cars that are front-wheel drive. Not the original R5 rally car, though. That turbocharged beast only drove two wheels, but they were the two in the back. That's because the widebody Renault 5 Turbo moved its engine from in front of to behind the driver for more space and traction.
Delta4x4 hasn't built the car yet, but it said that it will. The company has done this before, revealing a car through renderings and then building it if there is enough demand. Delta estimates the cost of the conversion at between 15,000 and 20,000 euros ($17,500-$23,500). That's on top of the basic Renault, which runs from 29,000 euros ($33,000) in Germany, including VAT.
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