Forget the thick bumpers and you see the new Renault 4
This study model shows more of the new Renault 4 than meets the eye. Forget the big wheels, roof rack and exaggerated black bumpers, side skirts and flared wheel arches and voilà… the 4 Series as it will be in 2025.
Why does Renault go back to the past to go to the future? We asked this question to Renault designer Sandeep Bhambra. He had a clear answer to that. “With the transition to electric drive, cars are losing some of their character. And if there’s one thing older models have in abundance, it’s character. The Renault 4 and 5 have been out of production for decades but are still loved. If you meet one on the street, you can’t help but smile.”
The design of the classic Renault 4 has so much character
It will, but the younger generation, the generation that will buy the electric cars of the future, don’t know the Renault 4 and 5? “You may be right about that,” says Bhambra, “but that doesn’t change the fact that older designs have so much more character. Check out the modern Fiat 500 and Land Rover Defender. Modern cars with a clear reference to the past.”
Can you go too retro? “Yes,” thinks Bhambra. “We tried different designs for the Renault 4, some very retro. But in the end they didn’t. Retro designs are quickly becoming obsolete.”
The silver part is a production model, forget about the black elements
Nevertheless, the Renault 4Ever Trophy clearly shows that it is inspired by the original four. The overall shape of the body, the characteristic window in the C-pillar, vertical taillights, of course, the horizontal grille with two “round” headlights, but also the small spoiler above the rear window, reminiscent of the rain gutter of the old 4 .
“The silver part is the production model,” explains Bhambra. “Everything that is black, except for the roof, is reserved for the study. So if you think about these elements, you get a picture of the finished car.”
The Renault 5 becomes a classic hatchback, the 4 an SUV
By the way, in 2025 the Renault 4 will be a real B-segment SUV with black edges around the wheel arches. With a length of 4.06 meters, it is shorter than the Peugeot 2008 (4.30 meters), also designed by Sandeep Bhambra.
The all-new Renault 5, coming in 2024, is shorter than 4 meters and a conventional hatchback. Both are based on Renault’s CMF-BEV platform and naturally have a fully electric powertrain. You can compare the 4 and the 5 to the Clio and the Captur.
What will the new Renault 4 be called? This is not known yet
Specifications for the Final 4 are not yet known. Renault specifies an output of 140 hp and a battery capacity of 42 kWh for the concept car. The French manufacturer keeps the range under wraps. Incidentally, the final name of the production model has not yet been decided. “Will it be 4, R4, 4 Ever? We haven’t made a decision on that yet,” said Bhambra. It’s a pity that we have to wait so long for the new 4 and 5.