Renault Sport engineers quickly began studying the incredibly powerful saloon from the Renault range. Development of the Renault 21 2-litre Turbo 4x4 began in October 1987. Five months later, the car took part in its first French Superproduction championship race, where it finished in the top three. Renault won six out of ten races (three each for Jean Ragnotti and Jean-Louis Bousquet), bringing home a second consecutive French Superproduction championship for Renault, following on from Erik Comas' 1987 win in a Renault 5 Turbo Production. 

In the workshops, the original 170bhp engine had been souped up (and limited) to 430bhp. The transmission shaft, made of carbon fibre, was 2.35 metres long. It was subsequently used on the standard production Espace Quadra. 

Engineers did not overlook the bodywork, using wind-tunnel tests to change the spoiler and skirts and to adjust the rear wing. The finished product, weighing 1,220kg, could reach speeds of over 290kph (180mph). 

In 1988, Jean-Pierre Malcher (pictured here) broke the world speed record on ice behind the wheel of a Renault 21 Turbo 4x4 that had been customized for the occasion: over 246kph (153mph) with snow tyres and over 250kph (155mph) with stud tyres.