Renault 4Ever Trophy concept is an egalitarian electric SUV

"Renault 4 is a myth. And myths never die! R4 is a car that everyone can love”

If there’s something the French know how to do, it’s the egalitarian car. Renault did it with the original 4 as Citroen did with the 2CV.

The 4Ever Trophy concept revealed at the 2022 Paris Motor Show is the latest evolution of the people’s car from France.

A cool, off-road-focused concept it may be when finished in matte grey paint, but Renault says it "paves the way for a future full-electric [light] SUV".

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"Renault 4 is a myth. And myths never die! R4 is a car that everyone can love, and today we want to rediscover this universal dimension through a modern and electric reinterpretation", said Renault CEO Luca De Meo.

What does the 4Ever mean for future Renaults?

This concept is the second instalment of Renault’s small, affordable electrification journey following the 5 light car. In production guise, the future 4 will share the CMF-BEV with the 5.

Full details aren’t confirmed for the 5, and certainly not the 4, however expect around 100kW of power from a single electric motor, with potential for AWD in hotter variants.

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Driving range for the Renault 5 EV is expected to cap out at around 400km, though battery sizing and charge speeds are as-yet unconfirmed.

Renault says that both the 4 and 5 concepts point to cars that will play in the same space as the Clio light car and Captur light SUV do.

The future production vehicles of both 4 and 5 will be built in Renault’s ElectiCity plant in the North of France.

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Design and packaging

The Renault 4Ever concept follows the digital retro design flavour of the brand’s 5 concept. It has sharp LED signatures and modern twists such as camera mirrors, but the overall proportions are inspired by cars of the past.

The 4Ever pushes each wheel right to the corner of the body to maximise interior space. Measuring just 4160mm long, the 4Ever's 2570mm wheelbase is considerable.

At 1900mm tall and 1950mm wide, the concept is imposing, though expect the final production version’s proportions – especially width – to be changed to fit narrow French streets.

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There are heritage design details, too, including the trapezoidal side windows, unadorned front fenders and nod to the 4L in the grille design.

Renault has decided to push the 4Ever concept towards off-road with chunky 30-inch tyres mounted on 19-inch alloys and plenty of black cladding around the wheelarches. There’s also 200mm of ground clearance to play with.

On the roof, this example is topped with a spare wheel and storage for a shovel as well as recovery tracks to help free the car from sand.

“To bring 4EVER Trophy into the modern era, we have infused its streamlined shape with technological sophistication.

“All these ingredients have been carefully crafted so that the design resonates with those who are familiar with the 4L and its illustrious history, and with younger generations” said vice president, Renault Brand, Design Gilles Vidal.