The revamped Renault 4 made its debut at the Paris Motor Show as a retro-styled electric SUV, with a global launch scheduled for 2025. Joining the Renault 5 hatchback, the production-spec Renault 4 will be the second car to use the carmaker’s CMF. -BEV Architecture, and will be built with 5 in the brand new Electricity production hub in northern France.
The concept shown at the Paris Motor Show was in reference to the modified Renault 4s with a bold, off-road-themed bodykit that takes part in the annual 4L Trophy rally in the Moroccan desert.
Renault said the new 4 is expected to be the most versatile car in its segment and while the production model is set to lose some of the more drastic cues of the concept, the focus will remain on practicality and utility.
At 4,060 mm in length and with a wheelbase of 2,570 mm, the concept is slightly smaller than the Captur but larger than the Clio sold overseas. As there is no engine up front, and no transmission tunnel running through the cabin, it is likely to be quite spacious.
The Renault 4 will get its power from a 42kWh nickel-cobalt-manganese battery placed under the floor and is expected to give a range of around 402 km. Power will be sent to a synchronous motor on the front axle, which should time the EV to 0-100kph in less than 10 seconds. There is a chance that the Renault 4 may get a more powerful version or four-wheel drive at a later stage.
The Original 4 was an important car for Renault and sold over eight million units in a three-decade production run. To revive its name and some of its defining design cues, Renault is hinting at similar volume aspirations for the new EV.
However, it remains to be seen whether the production-spec Renault 4 will make it to the Indian market.