Small Screen Renault 4s

[jcarruthers2]

Over the last year or so, a few Renault 4s have featured on television. The aqua coloured R4GTL in the 'Top Gear Nepal Christmas Special', the beige R4GTL in 'Salvage Hunters, Classic Cars' and the coffee cream R4F6 van in 'Lazy Boy Garage'. Growing up in the 70's and 80's I used to watch a lot of tv (still do!) and recalled spotting R4s in a number of series. A few R4s played major roles in one or two series, whilst others were involved in short scenes and a lot were just background vehicles. In some of the series the registration numbers of these R4s are visible. I have compiled a list of the R4s with visible registration numbers, have checked the DVLA website and to my amazement most of them apart from one are still registered but quite interestingly none of them are still on the road. Have these 'famous' R4s gone to the great scrapyard in the sky? Are they languishing in a field or barn somewhere in England? Does a Clementine's member own a 'famous' R4 without realizing it?

I am listing these R4s below. The information includes the name of the series and the years it featured on tv, the season, episode and title of the episode the R4 featured in, approx minutes into the episode the R4 features (if I have been able to watch it again and note this), the date the episode was aired on tv, the model, colour and year of manufacture.

1) 'Outside Edge' (1994-1996), major role, several episodes, 1978 yellow R4TL.

2) 'Boon' (1986-1992), major role, several episodes. Interestingly, two different R4's featured in this series, a 1977 metallic brown R4TL and a 1981 blue R4TL. The blue R4 featured in season 6 episode 9 'Cab Rank Cowboys', aired 19/11/91 for example. The brown R4 featured in season 4 episode 12 'All in a Day's Pork', aired 18/12/89 for example.

3) 'Peak Practice' (1993-2002), season 1 episode 5, 'Impulsive Behaviour', aired 7/6/93, 1981 blue R4TL (the same one as in 'Boon' above, same registration number!),

4) 'The Travelling Man' (1984-1985), season 2 episode 2 for example, 1981 green R4F6 van.

5) 'Inspector Morse' (1987-2000), minor role, season 11 episode 1 'The Wench is Dead', aired 11/11/98, (approx 53 mins in), 1984/5 white R4GTL.

6) 'The Vicar of Dibley' (1994-2007), season 2 episode 1 'Engagement', aired 26/12/97, (approx 9 mins in), blue R4GTL with made up registration number.

7) 'The Professionals' (1977-1983), season 5 episode 6 'Spy Probe', aired 12/12/82, (approx 31 mins in), 1978 white R4TL.

8) 'King and Castle' (1986-1988), season 2 episode 1 'Kicks', aired 10/5/88, 1983 red R4GTL.

9) 'Public Eye (1965-1975), season 7 episode 3 'How About It Frank?', aired 20/1/75, 1972 white R4F4 van.

10) 'The Gentle Touch' (1980-1984), season 3 episode 2 'Doubt', aired 13/11/81, (approx 1 min in), 1974 white R4F4 van.

11) 'The Bill' (1983-2010), season 1 episode 7 'A Dangerous Breed', 1973 white R4.

12) 'Three of a Kind' (1981-1983), season 3 episode 5, aired 10/1/83, 1975 white R4 with 1983 registration number.

If you have any box sets gathering dust, have time on your hands to watch during the lockdown and could add to the info that would be great!

 

[benchseat]

There are quite a few R4s in "The Sweeney" from the 1970s. In "Smiley’s People" (1982), George Smiley’s Hungarian sidekick Toby Esterhase turns up in a very nice Swiss-plate R4 at the end of the penultimate episode.
There is a brief sight of an R4 midway through the cult low-budget film noir (more like film merde) "I Bought A Vampire Motorcycle" (1990). This film starred the cast from "Boon" (see above) who moonlighted, borrowing (unofficially?) the "Boon" sets, equipment etc., in order to lower the budget to rock bottom, thus matching the film’s level of cultural sophistication. It also features Anthony Daniels (C3PO in Star Wars) as a gay motorcycling vicar. Overall, irresistible viewing . . . .

 

[Jnr-Renospeed]

As a child I spent many hours scouring The Italian Job for a 4 and there is one!
A navy blue early grille model floating around in the Turin traffic jam, you can see the windscreen outline in the traffic around the bullion van at some points.

 

[JdeW]

1984 Romancing the Stone Beige/Yellow with Michael Dougles, KathleenTurner. Can you drive a R4 from a waterfall...?

Same movie, Danny DeVito driving...could be the stunt stand-in as well the majority of the U.S. people only understand an automatic gearbox

 

[JdeW]

Also found this forum https://www.imcdb.org/vehicles.php?make=Renault&model=4&page=1

 

[angel]

Big screen in fact...

44:00 - 46:35

 

[happybutsimple]

they feature in the first series of Narcos on Netflix, being used to smuggle cocaine!

 

[RichardIRL]

It's also in Archer.

 

[Jnr-Renospeed]

Just seen this brown (T or Y reg?) TL in the back of shot, during Clarkson's Escort Cossie long term review !

 

[laxeian]

Identification of spotted cars may prove to be difficult, unless its a car parked on the street used during filming most of the film companies use false plates, (although not obviously when the car itself is the focal point ),drove one of my car on a movie set, wrong way around the Aldwych one Sunday, all day, company had ‘hired’ it, so closed to normal traffic, fire hydrants put up,signs changed to look American, plates on car changed to American, it was supposed to be WW2 New York!.
The companies that provide cars for film ( have friends in this business in UK) do usually have large yards with the cars/vans/lorries just parked up until needed, no mot’s etc, quick roller paint job for colour if change needed, transported to set, only a runner if needed, ( cameras can hide many sins) but this is for more period type film work.
Didn’t The Saint’s plate make the news for being driven around on a car ( iirc an XJS) as a false plate?