Here’s Your First Look At The Retro-Tastic New Renault 4

Renault has been kicking around since 1899. That’s a lot of history, so it’s no wonder the company’s leaning heavily into its heritage as it makes the transition to electrification. The new 5 E-Tech looks excellent, and the brand’s next car will be another electric revival of one of the brand’s signature small cars from years gone by: the Renault 4.

Now, ahead of a full reveal at the Paris Motor Show this month, Renault has teased the production-ready 4. When we saw it as a concept in 2022, it took the guise of a jacked-up off-roader, but the production version looks as if it’ll be much more of a trad supermini, in the image of the original.

There’s plenty to link it to the classic 4, which was produced in one form or another between 1961 and 1994, and can still be found puttering around much of Europe to this day. There’s the distinctive A-shape made by the rear quarter panel, where the tailgate and trailing edge of the rear door slope away in opposing directions.

The three ridges running along the side of the car reference the rubbing strips on the original, and, most delightfully, it’ll feature a roll-back canvas roof, a commonly seen option on the classic 4 – although we suspect it’ll be electric here, rather than a manual affair likely to provoke lots of animated French swearing.

At 4.14 metres long, the new 4 is being pitched as a slightly larger companion to the 5. This too echoes history – the original 4 was a bit bigger than the classic 5.

Set to be built in France and arrive with customers next year, we don’t have long to wait until we see the car in full – the Paris Show kicks off in less than two weeks. If its reception is anything like as enthusiastic as the 5’s, then Renault looks like it’ll have another success story on its hands.