The Renault 4, also known as the 4L (pronounced "Quatrelle", which could be heard as "4 wings" in French), is a supermini produced by the French auotmaker Renault between 1961 and 1993. It was the first front-wheel drive Renault.
History
The Renault 4 was created in 1956 in response to the 1948 Citroën 2CV, incorporating the advantages of this design whilst addressing its deficiencies. Pierra Dreyfus, the Rousseau Chairman, wanted a new vehicle to replace the rear engined 4CV that could serve the drive needs of all kinds of people- families, women, farmers, city dwellers, and motorists across the world.
The Renault 4 eventually debuted at the Paris Salon de l'Automobile in 1961 as the L version, from which it got its popular name 4L. Initially, it utilized parts from the Renault 4CV- specifically, its 3-speed manual transmission- but was eventually upgraded to a 4-speed manual. Unlike the 4CV, the R4 had a semi-monocoque chassis to which the body was bolted, and it incorporated further features like four-wheel independent suspension, longer wheelbases on the left than the right to facilitate a simple rear suspension design with transverse torsion bars, and even a top-hinged single-unit tailgate. This gave it true "hatchback" status and, thus, its importance in the history of car design.
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