Renaut resurrects its legendary 4L modernized to meet ecological requirements.
Called R4, it will be unveiled this Monday at the Paris Motor Show which opens in Paris.
TF1 was able to discover it exclusively and visit the factory where it is manufactured in the North.
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The electric car, the vehicle of tomorrow?
She will be one of the stars of the Paris Motor Show which opens its doors this Monday October 14 in Paris. This Sunday, TF1 exclusively unveiled the R4, the new electric 4L! Or how to celebrate the heritage of the French manufacturer while adapting to the demands of today’s world. It is already being manufactured in a factory in Maubeuge, in the North, where our cameras have been authorized to film.
The ultimate family car, the R4 is manufactured on the same assembly line as Renault vans. This site employs nearly 2,000 people, including 200 hired in recent months just for the news. “Currently, we are producing 40 vehicles per hour“, explains Marie Steenhout, team leader at the Renault Electricity factory. “The objective is to increase to 47 vehicles per hour by the beginning of November.”
Old-world charm meets modern technology
To give a facelift to the 4L of yesteryear, the Renault teams are using sophisticated means such as painting robots with articulated arms, a first in the automobile industry. Thanks to them, it is possible to paint a two-tone car in no time. “It’s the same principle as your inkjet printer at home. We have zero paint waste and 100% yield“, underlines Katell Lavisse, head of the painting trades department.
From an aesthetic point of view, the R4 has retained the style of the old 4L, as have the protections on the sides. On the other hand, its luminous facade is both a novelty and a world first, intended to combine the charm of yesteryear with the most modern technology in order to stand out from the competition and attract new customers.
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Renault is not the only manufacturer to look back on its glorious past. DS is thus preparing a new version of the Citroën SM from the 1970s.They do this because electricity is scary today“, explains Mathieu Chevalier, editorial director of the magazine AutoPlus. “To reassure, what could be better than nostalgia and making a bodywork that reminds a car of its childhood, linked to good memories.”
