The Renault 5 Turbo’s mid-mounted engine was positioned so far back that it required a specially reinforced steering column running the entire length of the car, and this structural compromise meant that in frontal collisions, the steering column could impale backward into the engine bay with nothing to stop it—a safety vulnerability that only became apparent after several fatal accidents revealed that the car’s innovative packaging had inadvertently created a battering ram aimed directly at the driver’s chest.
Car Fact #77 — September 1, 2026
