Luminous grille and logo: a regulatory opportunity to be seized
Since June 2023, developments in European legislation on automobile lighting have authorized the illumination of new elements such as the logo or the grille. But the regulatory constraints are drastic. It is therefore obligatory that the luminous logo respects a maximum size of 100 cm², is symmetrical in shape, that its light is white, fixed, of a framed and uniform intensity over the entire part and finally that no appendage protrudes from the body.
The Renault 4 E-Tech electric was the right candidate to take advantage of this new opportunity with the idea of reinventing the iconic front end of the original R4, through the use of light. Its frontal diamond and its recognizable grille, both symmetrical in shape, would therefore light up.
The design of Renault 4 E-Tech electric is inspired by the iconic Renault 4
Renault 4 E-Tech electric and Renault 5 E-Tech electric stand out from the rest of the range by their reinvented iconic genetics. In terms of design, “ They have their own reason for being, their own freedom of language in terms of design and stylistic innovation » specifies Stefano. “ For example, Renault 5 E-Tech electric has a unique sparkling look. The car seems alive and recalls the launch advertisement of the original Renault 5 with its famous knowing look “. To once again create something unique with Renault 4 E-Tech electric, we had to imagine something else. “ For the Renault 4, we therefore decided that the illuminated logo and the framing of the front so characteristic of this model should be at the center of our efforts. » adds Stefano.
Unique in its kind, the rectangular grille with round corners of the original Renault 4 was entirely framed with a chrome strip. “ Light is in a way the new chrome of today, it was logical to illuminate this characteristic detail. In addition, taking the very vertical face of the original vehicle allowed us to highlight our new illuminated logo » explains Stefano.
LED lights and futuristic design
Stefano takes it on « As you can see, we didn’t quite respect the original shape of the grille, we took some liberties to make it ultra modern and give it more character. “. The main objective was to make the grille of the Renault 4 E-Tech electric futuristic, “ rather than following a retro nostalgic approach » says Stefano. “ The result is a vehicle whose design lives by itself, addressing both the generations who knew the 4L and often loved it, as well as those who do not remember it » he congratulates himself.
Secondary details visible up close such as carved patterns in the black interior part of the grille deliberately contrast with the pure drawing of bright elements. The logo thus seems floating, as if levitating.
The round lights so characteristic of cars from the 60s and 70s have been suggested and reinterpreted both in their formal appearance and in their function. Thanks to LED technology, they fulfill the function of daytime running lights (DRL) by aesthetically surrounding, like brackets, the main, compact and contemporary lighting module.
« Unlike the original Renault 4 whose indicators were not in the grille, here they have been integrated into the daytime running lights » explains Stefano.
The rear lights also reinterpret those of its ancestor with this three-element capsule shape. “ We interpreted the three elements in a futuristic way and simplified its design by “removing” the outer lens » specifies Stefano.
When design raises technical challenges
Stefano sums up the difficulty of the project for this unique light grille in one sentence: “ The original Renault 4 was simple, robust and easy to maintain. We had to respect this philosophy! »
In terms of design, the difficulties on this illuminated grille were to reconcile the optimization of weight and costs with the technical requirements of resistance and durability over time. Then, mass-producing a technical part of this size was an industrial challenge. Not all suppliers are able to do this because there are many requirements to take into account such as the application of a UV protective coating and another anti-condensation coating.
1.45 m long, the Renault 4 grille lens is a technical feat. “ Proposing an illuminated element in a monobloc format of this size on a production vehicle is a world first in the automobile industry. » adds Stéfano with a smile
Finally, transporting the parts to the assembly plant and then supplying them to the assembly lines also represented a logistical challenge.
In order to optimize repairability, the grille and the two lights are separate elements that can be repaired separately. In the event of LED failure, each of the different light sources in the logo and grille can be repaired individually.
In order to protect it and absorb small shocks that may occur when parking or in difficult traffic situations, the bean shape of the R4’s bumper extensions has been reinterpreted in a modern way.
This illuminated grille is both beautiful, efficient and optimized in terms of repairability. “ I would like to thank the “lighting” teams and those of Engineering as a whole, because they allowed us to keep the initial intention until the industrialization of the project.» concludes Stefano.
