Renault 4 showcased at Paris Motor Show

The reborn Renault 4 made its debut at the Paris Motor Show as a retro-styled electric SUV with a global launch slated for 2025. Twinned with 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 alongside the 5 at the brand’s new ElectriCity production hub in northern France.

The concept shown at the Paris Motor Show was with a bold, off road-themed bodykit in reference to the modified Renault 4s that participate in the annual 4L Trophy rally across the Moroccan desert.

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 concept’s more rugged cues, the focus on practicality and utility will remain, states Renault.

Measuring 4,060mm in length and with a wheelbase of 2,570mm, the concept is slightly smaller than the Captur but larger than the Clio sold abroad. 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 402km. The power will be sent to a synchronous motor on the front axle, which should give the EV a 0-100kph time of under 10 seconds. There is a chance that Renault 4 could get a more powerful variant or four-wheel drive at a later stage.

The original 4 was a significant car for Renault and sold more than eight million units across a three-decade production run. In reviving 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 if the production-spec Renault 4 will make it to the Indian market.