If you have any great stories about the R4, useful
information, news of events,
perhaps a poem, or some grand idea you'd like to tell the world, send it here.
The best material sent in can also be found in the star
story section. Please
note that material should be original and not subject to any copyright restrictions.
Send all info to 4play@renault4.plus.com
with articles in the subject line.
select an article from the table below
| link to article | description | author |
| Foreword part 1: So What's So Special About the Renault 4? | A foreword by the site owner, explaining some of the many merits of the R4 | Peter Gumbrell |
| Foreword part 2: The Antithesis of the Modern Car | 2 years on, an update to the previous article, setting out more reasons to join the culture of the R4 | Peter Gumbrell |
| 102 Dalmatians | Can you 'spot' the Renault 4? | Tonia / Peter Gumbrell |
| The Prototype | It all started here | Peter Gumbrell |
| R4 Meetings in Portugal | Pictures of a meeting at Cernache do Bonjardim and Vila de Rei (the geographic center of Portugal) | Fernando Palma / João Seabra |
| Ten Years in JI | The story of an R4 that didn't want to leave home | Fernando Palma |
| R4 Rally Adventure | The Renault 4L world championship rallying exploits of driver Ant�io Pinto dos Santos and co-driver Nuno Rodrigues da Silva | Alexandra Abreu / Jorge Unha/Aifa / Fernando Palma / Peter Gumbrell |
| R4 Birthplace | Photos of the factory in Paris where the Renault 4 story began in 1961 | John Armstrong |
| Suicidal R4! | Life just went downhill for this car | Esteban Bardi |
| 50 Years of the Renault Owners Club GB | Pictures and info from the main 50th birthday celebration held at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, England in August 2002 | Phil / Lynne Walters |
| First Great National Meeting of The Renault 4 in Portugal | Photos from a meeting held in Santarém, Portugal, September 2002, plus a short rant from the sender | Andre Barbosa |
| International Meeting of the R4 in Italy 2003 | Info regarding a big gathering due to take place in northern Italy in late May / early June 2003 | Andrea Molinari / Daniele |
| R4 Charentaise | An article taken from a French newspaper about a rather bizarre car | Benoît Perrot |
| 24 Heures 4L - Onzain | A day-long Renault 4 rally held in France, spring 2003. Includes link to info on 2004 events. | Olivier Doiteau / anon |
| A Crushing Blow | An article from local Brighton newspaper the Evening Argus in June 2003 | James Lancaster |
| Renault 4 Rail Tales | A 3-page article based on my European Interrail experience in summer 2003 - covers the meetings with R4 owners Asier, Luis, João and Fernando in San Sebastián and Lisbon | Peter Gumbrell |
| La Laranja Mecânica 2003 | A set of 95 photos of a Portuguese enthusiast's 1973 Renault 4LC, pictured out and about before and after its makeover | João Seabra |
| R4 Meeting in Italy 2004 | Following the successful meeting held in Italy in 2003 (see above), a further event is planned for May 2004 | Daniele |
| R4 Goes Supersonic! | How was the Renault 4 involved with the world's fastest commercial airliner? | Peter Gumbrell |
| Renault 4 Rallies | Photos from various Renault 4 rallies held over recent years, sent by one of the famous drivers | António Pinto dos Santos |
| The Twingo - A Worthy Successor? | With Renault set to launch the Twingo in the UK for the first time in 2007, do the comparisons made with the R4 over many years have any foundation? | Peter Gumbrell |
| Still in Fashion in 2007! | An image from a fashion feature in a UK magazine | Peter Gumbrell |
Foreword part 1: So
What's So Special About the Renault 4?
by Peter Gumbrell
Okay. Let's imagine you've stumbled across this site by accident, become lost in a world of unnecessary hippy lava lamp graphics, and now find yourself immersed in a sea of brown with no obvious pornography in sight. You're thinking, 'What the hell is so good about this weird looking car anyway, and why am I bothering to read this?'
Well, until the day I can create an online virtual Renault 4 experience in glorious technicolour and 3D surround sound, any explanation of this car's qualities will be no substitute for actually travelling in one. Since owning my first R4, I cannot remember one occasion when a person has failed to be thrilled at being given a lift in it. Quite simply, the car has character, something so many cars around today are completely lacking, no matter how hard the big manufacturers and their marketing men try and pretend otherwise. Be it the trusty little purr from the engine, the dashboard mounted gears, the quaint curvy figure, or the simple horizontal sliding half windows, you cannot fail to notice that there are several things that make this car different, and yet completely unassuming.
It's nonetheless practical and economical. It has the luxury of 5 doors, ample space for carrying goods, has excellent performance and mpg compared to many other cars of the same size, and with a bit of imagination can sleep 2, but all contained within a body that gives the appearance of a small, cute car.
Many people will be familiar with the cult status surrounding cars like the VW Beetle, the Citroen 2CV or a Mini, and the Renault 4 has often been forgotten. Many of these other cars well deserve the attention they receive, but when you notice that every other Beetle or Mini has been acquired by some yuppie who's souped it up beyond recognition, and that even joyriders have taken a shine to driving them, the Renault 4 offers a unique, unpretentious alternative.
This is at least the perspective in Britain, which will always be too fashion-conscious, trendy, and full of attitude, meaning the R4 currently possesses a niche profile for its owners. In the UK, finding or spotting a Renault 4 is becoming increasingly difficult. Although still popular in areas such as Brighton and West London, back in Manchester where I used to reside, I only spotted six or seven in about 5 years. It's a very different story in much of the rest of the world, such as Portugal and parts of South America, where they are still quite abundant, but always admired. It may surprise many to know that the R4 is one of the most successful cars in history, selling well over 8 million vehicles to every corner of the globe. At one point, it was the 3rd biggest selling car of all time, outperformed only by the Ford Model T and the VW Beetle. Even lesser known is its predecessor, the Renault 3, of which only 4 are known to still be in existence. This was a stripped down version of the R4 aimed at the lower range of the market, having only 3 gears and more basic furnishings. You can find out more about this car from somebody who owns one, at The Remarkable Renault 4 site - visit the links section.
There is much more I could say about the Renault 4, but I'm in danger of making this article look threateningly long and taxing, so for anyone who has yet to experience driving or travelling in one, I hope your chance comes soon, and for those people who are lucky enough to own one, I urge you to keep the Renault 4 alive, it's a design classic that's well worth preserving, and a dream machine that laughs behind the back of a motor industry full of blandness.
click here for Foreword part 2: The Antithesis of the Modern Car
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