Revived Renault 4 cancellation (in 2011)

[RichardIRL]

https://www.motor1.com/news/38670/renault-planned-r4-reboot-but-instead-launched-captur/

I just came across this story.

It seems Renault had advanced plans for a new post-modern iteration of the Renault 4, but that sudden personnel changes within Renault lead to the project being canned, in favour of the Renault Captur.

I'm not much of a fan of any of the new versions of the VW Beetle, Mini or the Fiat 500 but there are some successes, including Renault's own new version of the Alpine.

Renault seems to be in dire financial difficulty at the moment, so the likelihood of this revival being revived (so to speak) seems unlikely

 

[angel]

Good news!
Neither am I positive to the reborn-trend that manufacturers try to get buyers into. Both the 2CV and "our" R4 seem to have escaped from this.

 

[Jnr-Renospeed]

I'm not opposed to the idea of new retro inspired cars, I quite like the 500, Alpine and old new Minis. But I've never liked the New Beetle.

Without sounding like too much of a cynic I have zero faith in Renault pulling off a modern 4L and keeping any of the character of the original. I think the 4 is also a bit too of a difficult design to pull off, i.e it wouldn't have an proper umbrella handle gear change for a start or be super roly poly.

I'd rather that Renault made new chassis' and other spares up to original quality, there would certainly be a market, but that's wishful thinking.

 

[RichardIRL]

Without sounding like too much of a cynic I have zero faith in Renault pulling off a modern 4L and keeping any of the character of the original. I think the 4 is also a bit too of a difficult design to pull off, i.e it wouldn't have an proper umbrella handle gear change for a start or be super roly poly.

I would have been curious to at least see it, given how well they did the Alpine. I wonder if they would ever show any of the designs

 

[petak]

I would like R4 to be left as it is where he belongs.
In the past as reminder for many generations to some other times.
New one would be to moderan, to fancy, to much not original R4 and that would kill thrill about R4.

At least to me.

 

[Jnr-Renospeed]

I just feel the gear change, roly handling, soft sprung spring suspension, thin window pillars etc that the 4 is known for are impossible to pull off now with proper safety regs and modern driving preferences.

I'm not sure whether the 4 design would be easy to translate to a modern body either, but I too would be interested in seeing some sketches.

 

[Niels Svane]

If they made it a bit like the mk2 Fiat Panda, and in that price range I would be interested. Keeping ALL the good points from the original car in a totally no nonsense, bare, cheap, utility car, but with quirks making it stand out.

 

[angel]

Quirks are not being accepted today from buyers/press on modern politically correct cars. Neither are "bare" cars, too. That's why modern cars have absolutely no personality. In the past you could tell a car was French, Italian, British, German, Japanese...now they are all the same "washing machines" and the only difference comes from the badges.