The Renault 4 was a highly popular budget car built by the French manufacturer between 1961 and 1994, and is widely regarded as being the world’s first mass-produced hatchback.
And now it has been reincarnated as an electric SUV for the modern era.
Two years after previewing the newcomer with the 4Ever Trophy concept car, Renault ripped the covers off the production version at the 2024 Paris Motor Show this week.
The new Renault 4 shares its AmpR Small platform with the also-reincarnated Renault 5 hatchback, although the new R4 is larger and taller, riding on a 2.62 metre wheelbase and measuring 4.14 metres in length.
While the exterior styling is decidedly faithful to the original and somewhat rudimentary Renault 4 of the 1960s, it’s a whole ballgame beneath the skin, with a fully electric powertrain and a dual-screen cabin complete with built-in Google.
It also has a “virtual travelling companion”, which Renault describes as an avatar called Reno with a “real personality”.
Buyers in Europe will get to choose from two battery sizes.
The larger battery option is a Nickel Manganese Cobalt unit with a capacity of 52kWh, enabling a claimed range of 402km between charges. This version of the R4 comes with a 110kW electric motor, which allows the R4 to sprint from 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds.
Renault is also offering a 40kWh battery, paired with a 90kW electric motor and offering a range of up to 300km.
“Just as the original Renault 4 was born in response to the challenges of its time, the new Renault 4 E-Tech 100% electric is a retro-futuristic reinvention that reflects Renault’s commitment to accelerating the energy transition,” Renault says.
The new Renault 4 has yet to be confirmed for South African introduction.
IOL
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