Renault 4L , the 60s. Yes that's right. This year marks the 60th anniversary of one of the most iconic models in Renault's history.
It remains, after all these years, the best-selling model in the history of the French brand. But its roots go far beyond commercial success. This is a model full of stories and it is no longer just a car. It's a real pop icon.
And I'm sure that most of those reading this chronicle know or have known someone who had, at some point in their life, a story with one of these models. And that, in itself, says it all.
But better than noticing through history books the reasons that made this model so important, only being able to lead it. And that's precisely what we did, at the invitation of Renault: we traveled to Paris and drove some 4L models.
The heart of Renault Classic
The adventure began in the Champs Elysees, already lit up by the Christmas lights that light the streets of Paris every year. This was followed by a quick visit to L’Atelier Renault, which is the oldest store still in operation on that famous avenue.
It was there that we got to know some of the most special examples of the model up close, where a temporary exhibition with the Renault 4L as the protagonist is mounted.
But this was just a small taste of what was to come the next day: we visited the Renault Classic garage at the factory in Flins (outskirts of Paris), where the Zoe is produced, and saw a special exhibition with 22 cars.
From a model that entered the Dakar to a model that traveled 40,000 km between the City of Fire, in Argentina, and Alaska, in the United States, all the cars on display exude mythical and passionate stories.
Renault 4L: A 41-year-old trial…
But at the base of all this is one of the most easily recognizable silhouettes in the automotive industry. And we went to meet her on the road, for an experience quite different from the one we usually tell you about.
Forget about fuel consumption, accelerations from 0 to 100 km/h, infotainment systems and driving assistance systems. Now let's go back to the past, to a purely mechanical and analogue era.
If the new Renault Mégane E-Tech Electric belongs to the streaming era, this 4L we drive still has the charm of vinyl. But does it still have a place in the "real world", where the conversation is more and more about mobility and less about cars? Is there just a place for these models in our imagination?
Well, it's not that I had any doubts, because I don't. But this 4L tried to show me in the first kilometers that it still has a lot to offer.
Still current?
In a contact like this, the experience started right from the moment I sat down on the seat, put on my seat belt and grabbed the steering wheel for the first time. And it didn't take many kilometers to notice that this is still a car with very up-to-date arguments.
Easy to use, with compact dimensions, with a much more spacious interior than the exterior image reveals and, above all, very versatile. These are all attributes that we find in many current models. And that this Renault 4L has preserved so well over all these years.
And not even the luggage space is out of adjustment, or had this car not appeared at a time when the first large supermarkets began to appear. Or had he been thought to be as capable in the city as outside it, even in rural settings — which played a particular role in his conception — where he was sometimes even 'called' to transport animals.
Motor surprised
Under the hood is a 1.1 in-line four-cylinder engine that produces 34 horsepower and can accelerate up to 121 km/h of top speed — not far from the numbers of a Dacia Spring. The business card is far from glamorous, even more so these days, where any small townsman easily presents himself with a power of around 100 hp.
But the truth is that this engine has more breath than I was expecting: in low regimes it "shoots" very well and in medium regimes it is always able to give us quite satisfactory power.
And then we have to talk about that four-speed manual gearbox. I confess that this gearbox was one of my biggest curiosities.
With a very peculiar use and with a location very different from what we are used to, it proved to be very easy to operate and in great shape. But after driving this 1980 Renault 4 GTL I still tried, very briefly, a 1968 Renault 4 and the sensations were not quite the same. Here, 12 years was really a long time.
smooth and comfortable
Comfortable, very good at responding to the irregularities of the asphalt and always competent at overcoming a modern invention that this model did not need to deal with at the time it was launched: speed-reducing humps in localities.
Interestingly, I expected a much more pronounced body roll when cornering. Of course, we are pulled to the outside of the curves, but it is never a nuisance.
And then there's the way…
The shape still doesn't go unnoticed, especially in the most recent models, like the one I drove. The front grille, including the round headlights and all the chrome, are still as charming as they were at the beginning. And I believe this is consensual. Because truth be told: no car survives for so long with an image that (almost) everyone doesn't like.
Is it the right car for you?
I couldn't finish this chronicle without answering the usual question we usually ask at the end of all our essays. I confess that I had never driven a Renault 4L before this experience and the truth is that it was a positive surprise.
In an era marked by electrification and digitalization, and moving towards autonomous driving, this Renault 4L is a good reminder of what the car started out to be: the ultimate expression of freedom and also utility.
It helped put France on its wheels in the difficult post-war period, was the first car for many families and often passed on to future generations. But more important than that, it achieved something that cannot even be quantified: it marked a lot of people. A lot of people. Me included.
I heard many stories of the countless kilometers my father drove behind one. And the truth is that even today, when I see a 4L in the street, I usually “pull out” my smartphone and take a picture. And that says a lot about the meaning of an automobile, right?
That's why I say: yes, it's the right car for you. Even for a couple of hours, as it was for me these days. It's a journey into the past. A piece of history on wheels. And while we are behind the wheel, we are also part of it.