Renault 4Ever Trophy debuts in Paris

RENAULT has shown its electrified 4Ever Trophy concept model at the Paris Motor Show this month, the model becoming the second to revive a classic nameplate following the Renault 5 Prototype.

The French car-maker said the concept model aims to “create new memories while bringing back old ones” by stylistically tying the car to its 4L predecessor.

It features a familiar silhouette, prominent bonnet, bumper and angled rear section, as well as trapezoidal side windows with rounded corners, bare front guards (with no lights or vents), and wings atop the wheel arches that reach through to the windshield.

Renault said the retro style of the 4Ever Trophy “blends harmoniously with the rest of the otherwise sophisticated and technological lines” of the car’s design, which boasts generous curves and a very elaborate grille.

“(The) Renault 4 is a myth; and myths never die,” said Renault CEO Luca de Meo.

“(The) R4 is a car that everyone can love, and today we want to rediscover this universal dimension through a modern and electric reinterpretation.”

The concept model’s horizontal grille features in-built Matrix LED headlights while at the rear, pill-shaped tail-lights are a clear nod to the iconic 4L.

The lightweight model, finished in Gun Metal Silver for the Paris show, is aimed at those with a flair for the outdoors and is contrasted with Magenta highlights on the roof straps, suspension springs and wheel emblems.

Renault said the “dune-buggy vibe” of the 4Ever Trophy features a carbon-fibre roof to reduce weight and offers a spare-wheel holder alongside shovel and waffle boards on the upper section of the rear door.

The “any road” car is equipped with numerous body protection panels on the lower section of the body and offers 200mm of ground clearance and 19-inch alloy wheels. The underbody has been reinforced to provide greater protection to the battery pack located between the axles.

The European B-segment model CMF-BEN platform will be manufactured at Renault’s ElectriCity facility in northern France. Production costs are expected to be two-thirds that of the current Zoe.

The 4Ever Trophy measures 4160mm in length, 1950mm in width, 1900mm in height and rides on a 2570mm wheelbase.

“To bring (the) 4Ever Trophy into the modern era, we have infused its streamlined shape with technological sophistication,” said Renault vice president of design, Gilles Vidal.

“All these ingredients have been carefully crafted so that the design resonates with those who are familiar with the 4L and its illustrious history, and with younger generations.”

Renault produced over eight million examples of the 4L (also known as the Quatrelle or R4) between 1961 and 1994 which it sold in more than 100 countries – including Heidelberg, Victoria between 1962 and 1966.