The Renault 5 Is Getting A Special Edition With Added Tennis

The regular version of the reborn electric Renault 5 hasn’t even started landing with customers yet, but already, Renault has unveiled the first of what we imagine will be many special editions.

It’s a tie-in with the French Open tennis tournament, of which Renault has been a sponsor for the last couple of years, and is named after Paris’s Stade Roland-Garros complex, where the tournament takes place. If that name seems familiar in an automotive context, it’s because Peugeot – previous partner of the French Open – did a long run of special edition cars with the same name, beginning with the 205 and lasting right up until the 108 and first-gen 208.

Renault’s now picked up that mantle for what it’s calling a ‘Roland-Garros special series’ of the new 5. It’s available in four colours, including a shade of matte slate grey that’s exclusive to the model. Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be plans for a bright green one with white stripes and a slightly fuzzy texture.

There’s a smattering of Roland-Garros logos inside and out, and the interior also gets some extra tennis-y bits. A special recycled light grey fabric upholstery is said to be “inspired by technical clothing from the world of sport,” while the column-mounted gear selector, in an utterly delightful move, has been redesigned to resemble the grip of a tennis racket.

Both the floormats and the grippy stuff that lines the wireless phone charging pad are finished in a colour resembling the red clay surfaces of Roland-Garros’ courts – apparently, actual red clay powder has been involved in the manufacture of the latter.

The Roland-Garros 5 will be available later this year, while order books for the regular car are open now. Presumably, it’s only a matter of time before a full set of tennis gear joins the foosball tables and pétanque sets in the brilliantly mad Renault 5 merch store.