Wednesday 2nd July

Delta 4x4 previews new R5 Mini Off-Roader

A Renault 4 Savane is cool - a lifted Renault 5 even more so

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Delta 4x4 can always be relied upon for some funky off-road builds, from Urus to Purosangue to Cullinan, but, well, you can see the problem - they’re all quite expensive SUVs. What’s needed, ideally, is some Delta 4x4 know-how on a more affordable platform. Its latest preview suggests that could well happen. 

Because, yep, it’s a Renault 5 E-Tech. The small car of the moment, thanks to its brilliant design and offshoot models that extend from the sublime (Alpine A290) to the ridiculous (Turbo 3E). Very much not four-wheel drive, either, but then that never stopped the classic rally cars. There’s always the 4 Savane for dedicated off-roaders as well; should this go well then Delta surely has its next project ready and waiting. 

As you might have guessed, this R5 by Delta 4x4 isn’t the real deal just yet. It’s been rendered, and some spec details shared, all of it eminently doable according to them. This isn’t a crazy, pie-in-the-sky overhaul - it really could happen. The significant changes are Loder all-terrain tyres in a 255/55 R18 size, which look fantastic tucked up in seriously extended arches and accommodated by a 100mm lift kit. Nobody’s talking yet about what they might do for rolling resistance and range, but then that’s probably missing the point. 

It wouldn’t be an off-road build without some spotlights, so the Delta 5 gets four PIAA units up front, neatly evoking the old rally car aesthetic. The roof rack looks great, because they so often do when they’re unexpected, and is said to add ‘real utility for outdoor adventures’. You wouldn’t need to carry any jerry cans, at least, but a spare of those giant tyres certainly takes up a lot of room. 

What a Renault 5 E-Tech would be like off the beaten track isn’t clear, though it’s hard not to be intrigued by the idea when it looks as good as this. “Our goal was to combine the charm of the new R5 with a healthy dose of adventure”, said a Delta spokesperson. And this really could exist given sufficient demand.

‘Anyone who wants to see the R5 Mini Off-Roader move from digital concept to real-world machine is invited to register their interest directly with delta Geländesport’, concludes the press release. They reckon on less than €20,000, or £17,000, for the conversion. Call it £25k for a standard 5 at the moment and away you go. Bet it’d look great in yellow…

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• Delta 4x4 preps Purosangue for Panamericana
• 2025 Renault 5 E-Tech | UK Review

[Andy83n]

Wonderful

And plenty of roof space to carry a generator and cans of diesel if you want to take it off road.

[Justin-ow582]

Delta 4x4... definitely not to be confused with the other Delta 4x4 (HF4WD)

[Noe]

Really totally pointless and not interesting

[The Pistonsdead]

That is rather cool and why not..

[Evil.soup]

I like it, although having recently seen the normal one in the tin, I was surprised at the size of the thing. EV supermini the size of a Megan at least!

[Turbobanana]

Just the thing for packing a few essentials into and heading off across 1,000 miles of desert. Oh, wait...

[dxg]

Does the standard car also run six stud hubs???

How much must it weigh...?

[plfrench]

Justin-ow582 said:

Delta 4x4... definitely not to be confused with the other Delta 4x4 (HF4WD)

No, there's an EV one of those coming too:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-la...

[Motormouth88]

Would look much better on a set of steels as opposed to those chav wheels but other than that I like it, and as others have said, why not.

[wistec1]

Great work PH. Keep Showing me the stee as well as the beauty and the ever declining ice offerings. It's what keeps my fingers busy on my android . This subject matter is an object piece of automotive eye achne that is ready to burst if any more money is pumped into it. Any one good at squeezing Delta spots.

[Gad-Westy]

I m struggling to understand from the article whether the intention is to actually make this 4x4 or whether it s just a hugely misleading company name? Would have been quite interested in the engineering aspect of that.

[rodericb]

Gad-Westy said:

I m struggling to understand from the article whether the intention is to actually make this 4x4 or whether it s just a hugely misleading company name? Would have been quite interested in the engineering aspect of that.

Misleading company name. Maybe they'll stick a "Delta 4x4" badge on the rear hatch. It's the next thing after the electric Porsche Turbo models

When I saw the title of the thread I first thought it was some fancy Lancia, then someone has done up a Mini. Then oh, it's a Renault 5. Hmmm, but aren't they front wheel drive????? I'm surprised that there's not an all wheel drive variant of the 5, as electric cars are supposedly cheaper to build that ICE cars (not counting the cost of the battery) and this car is on a shared platform with Nissan.

[1994TomcatTurbo]

Evil.soup said:

I like it, although having recently seen the normal one in the tin, I was surprised at the size of the thing. EV supermini the size of a Megan at least!

Having looked at the dimensions, it's about the same size as a VW Polo, and not much larger than our i3s was. It's still about 15cm shorter than a Mk1 Megane from the 1990s though.

Cars having gotten bigger than their equivalents from 40 years ago shocker.

[Evil.soup]

rodericb said:

Gad-Westy said:

I m struggling to understand from the article whether the intention is to actually make this 4x4 or whether it s just a hugely misleading company name? Would have been quite interested in the engineering aspect of that.

Misleading company name. Maybe they'll stick a "Delta 4x4" badge on the rear hatch. It's the next thing after the electric Porsche Turbo models

When I saw the title of the thread I first thought it was some fancy Lancia, then someone has done up a Mini. Then oh, it's a Renault 5. Hmmm, but aren't they front wheel drive????? I'm surprised that there's not an all wheel drive variant of the 5, as electric cars are supposedly cheaper to build that ICE cars (not counting the cost of the battery) and this car is on a shared platform with Nissan.

Fact is, its just an advert piece, it's not really a 4x4 concept. Anyone with a R5 will be able to make theirs look exactly like this if they are happy to spend a few quid on cosmetics and of course a suspension lift. Engineering wise, it doesn't seem a far stretch from the original car. Wonder if half this stuff will end up on the options list....

I still think it looks cool, but it's just for that, to look cool.

Pop enough crap and tat on the roof and they may be able to pull in some of the VW fan boys, maybe add an old leather suitcase and rusty BMX up there...

[Evil.soup]

1994TomcatTurbo said:

Evil.soup said:

I like it, although having recently seen the normal one in the tin, I was surprised at the size of the thing. EV supermini the size of a Megan at least!

Having looked at the dimensions, it's about the same size as a VW Polo, and not much larger than our i3s was. It's still about 15cm shorter than a Mk1 Megane from the 1990s though.

Cars having gotten bigger than their equivalents from 40 years ago shocker.

Yes everything has grown and I know the reasons why, but in real life, this looks disproportionately larger than maybe it actually is. Maybe its a trick of the eye, but it was bigger in life than the advertising suggested, another big shocker. I am not dissing it as the kids would say, I like it, it just looked a little odd when I saw if for real.

I do have fond memories of the R5 Turbo in the early 90's, now that was a supermini!

[1994TomcatTurbo]

Evil.soup said:

Yes everything has grown and I know the reasons why, but in real life, this looks disproportionately larger than maybe it actually is. Maybe its a trick of the eye, but it was bigger in life than the advertising suggested, another big shocker. I am not dissing it as the kids would say, I like it, it just looked a little odd when I saw if for real.

I do have fond memories of the R5 Turbo in the early 90's, now that was a supermini!

I remember looking at a R5 Turbo in my University days in the early '90s. Sat down in it, waggled the gear stick as you do and the gearknob came off the stick! I gave the salesman a very old fashioned look and moved on. Shame though.

New R5 is on my watch list as a potential 2nd car for us when our current leases are up, but then so are a lot of things including another BMW i3s if I can find one I like the spec of at the time.

Did see one the other day in the midnight blue and liked the look, but I think it has to be the yellow for me!

[Evil.soup]

1994TomcatTurbo said:

Evil.soup said:

Yes everything has grown and I know the reasons why, but in real life, this looks disproportionately larger than maybe it actually is. Maybe its a trick of the eye, but it was bigger in life than the advertising suggested, another big shocker. I am not dissing it as the kids would say, I like it, it just looked a little odd when I saw if for real.

I do have fond memories of the R5 Turbo in the early 90's, now that was a supermini!

I remember looking at a R5 Turbo in my University days in the early '90s. Sat down in it, waggled the gear stick as you do and the gearknob came off the stick! I gave the salesman a very old fashioned look and moved on. Shame though.

New R5 is on my watch list as a potential 2nd car for us when our current leases are up, but then so are a lot of things including another BMW i3s if I can find one I like the spec of at the time.

Did see one the other day in the midnight blue and liked the look, but I think it has to be the yellow for me!

These are lovely looking cars, certainly something I could see myself owning as a daily driver one day. Hopefully better screwed together than the early R5, but it was still a great little car. I never actually owned one, 2 of my friends had them, I went down the fast Ford ownership road. One of the 2 was in Renault dark blue with gold alloy wheels, it was a lovely looking thing.