Plans for a contemporary R5 are at a very early stage, not least because Renault has many new models under development as well as an ambitious electric-vehicle program, and they are highly unlikely to include a version for the U.S.
But well-placed insiders believe that the reinvention of one of Renault's best-loved and most stylish models would give it a chance to cash in on the fast-growing market for specialty small cars in Europe and many other markets, besides offering an alternative to premium compacts like the Audi A1 and the Alfa Mito.