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Mercedes-Benz will launch its first car equipped with by-wire steering next year, a system  which will also replace its traditional steering wheel with a yoke.

The system replaces the mechanical connection between the steering and the front wheels with an electronic connection – the ‘wire’ – that is said to provide a greater bandwidth of feedback.

For example, the steering quickens at low speeds to reduce the physical effort required for manoeuvres such as parking.

And, because the wheel no longer needs to be spun through multiple revolutions to achieve full lock, Mercedes has done away with the traditional wheel.

It is now a flat-bottomed yoke similar to that in the recently updated Lexus RZ, which is due to become the first car sold in Europe with a steer-by-wire set-up.

This new design is said to free up knee-room, making it easier to get in and out of a car, as well as provide a better view of any interior display screens.

Mercedes claimed the new set-up also brings a more natural interaction with the rear-wheel-steering set-up available on its flagship models, such as the S-Class and EQS saloons. The latter has been used as a test mule for the system, and given it is due a facelift within the next year suggests it could be the first to be equipped with the new technology.

Mercedes added that the removal of the physical linkage between the steering wheel and the front end of the car “almost completely” removes the feel yielded by rough road surfaces.

The set-up is backed by a second (‘redundant’) group of sensors and cables, meaning you could still steer a car in the event that its main steer-by-wire system fails.

“Steer-by-wire is another big step towards the mobility of tomorrow, and we’re proud that we will be launching such a system in 2026,” said Mercedes tech boss Markus Schäfer.

He added that the technology also “enables a unique customer experience that goes far beyond steering alone”. He suggested that, in combination with Level 3 conditionally automated driving – hands and eyes off the road in certain situations – the “flat steering wheel provides a better view of the display when streaming your favourite show”. Level 3 is not yet legal in Europe.

The wait list for the radical Renault 5 Turbo 3E has opened, pricing the extreme hot hatch from £135,000.

An electric reincarnation of the 5 Turbo of 1980, it is said by Renault to have created an entirely new segment: the 'mini-supercar'. 

Renault Group design chief Laurens van den Acker said: "Essentially there were no restrictions with this. I think we're living in quite a good era in design at Renault Group at the moment. All our dreams seem to be coming true, and to do a little car with these proportions is a dream."

This was achieved through a one-of-a-kind role reversal between designers and engineers, he said: "We had designed a car before the engineers got their hands on it and then the engineers made it happen, whereas in a normal world it would be the other way around."

The 5 Turbo 3E is loosely based on today's retro-styled Renault 5 electric supermini but with a bespoke platform, its own bodywork and a pair of in-wheel motors. 

These combine to produce a claimed 3540 lb ft of wheel torque, although the torque transferred to the road is likely to be more like 10% of that figure.

The resulting performance is a 0-62mph time expected to take less than 3.5sec, 0-120mph in under 9.0sec and a track-only top speed of 168mph.

The in-wheel motors are said to deliver their power to the rear wheels more immediately than conventional ones, while enabling more precise control of each wheel and providing a "significant" weight and space saving at the axle. 

The technology – which Autocar understands has been supplied by British specialist Protean Electric – removes the need for an electronic differential.

The motors draw their power from a 70kWh battery pack that is fitted in a way that optimises agility and offers "spectacular" drift capabilities, claims Renault. It even has a dedicated drift mode and a rally-style vertical handbrake.

The battery pack is good for a range of 250 miles, although Renault has admitted that it will last between 15 and 20 minutes when driven flat-out on a track.

Given its track credentials, the thermal management of the battery is such that it can be driven at speeds of up to 168mph before being fast-charged at 350kW, enabling it to charge from 15% to 80% in 15 minutes.

Renault CEO Fabrice Cambolive said: "For me, it was very important to be able to have as extensive as possible coverage in terms of customer needs for the 5 - beginning with a very interesting price bracket but opening the adoption of this car to people who want extreme sensations.

"When you have such a car which is such fun to drive, why not push the boundaries?"

The all-aluminium platform was developed by Renault’s sporting sister brand Alpine and has been designed to achieve no compromise in performance, lightness, agility or efficiency. It aims to be "in line with supercar standards".

The platform sits under a bespoke body made of lightweight materials, with only the mirror, door handle and taillights carried over from the standard Renault 5. Its carbon composite structure means it has a kerb weight of around 1450kg, which is just 1kg more than the Renault 5 despite its larger battery pack, extra performance and additional motor.

It has been designed to look like a supercar while referencing the original 5 Turbo and 5 Turbo 2, with aero-optimised front and rear bumpers as well as a front splitter and a large air outlet on the bonnet to maximise downforce. It also has side scoops to funnel air under the rear lights and make it as slippery as possible, along with rear wing extensions, large intakes to cool the motors, 20in alloys and a squat overall appearance.

The menacing appearance has been achieved thanks to a change in dimensions. It's 158mm longer, 256mm wider and 118mm taller than the standard 5, with the windscreen moved back and the wheelbase extended to help it achieve "the length of a city car for the width of a supercar". 

Talking about the challenges faced when designing the car, van den Acker said: "The big enemy is weight because of the battery. This car is 1450kg and we're trying to get it lower knowing that an Alpine A110 in aluminium is 1000-plus kilos. This is the biggest drawback: weight and price. Weight is a never-ending battle."

When asked about the subsequent learning curves during development, van den Acker said: "I think we've learned that conceptually it's possible to put our dreams on the road. I've had a long career in design and we've stood there in front of a concept car and said 'this gives you an impression of the future direction, but it won't be like this, because A, B, C, D, F'. The biggest eye-opener to us is how close to the concept we can get if the company is behind it."

Inside are a pair of bucket seats upholstered in Alcantara, hand-woven tartan cloth on the dashboard, six-point harnesses, a raft of weight-reducing carbon and the same 10.1in instrument display and 10.25in infotainment touchscreen from the standard 5, although in this the instrument display will have its own, 1980s-inspired look. The driver's seat will be upholstered in its own colour.

Cambolive previously suggested to Autocar that there could be more performance models in the pipeline for Renault after this. "I prefer to speak about Turbo 3E, and after that to see what we can do on top of that if Turbo 3E is a success," he said. "Let's build our 'sportivity' step by step."

Just 1980 examples will be built, in reference to the launch year of the original 5 Turbo, and deliveries will begin in the first half of 2027.