Renault has unveiled the 4EVER Trophy all-electric show car at the Paris Motor Show as a tribute to the 25th anniversary of the 4L Trophy humanitarian rally open only to Renault 4 vehicles.
But this high-riding, adventure-ready SUV is more than just a throwback to the Renault 4's versatility and all-terrain capability. As Renault says in the press release, the 4ever Trophy paves the way for the brand's future electric subcompact SUV.
The 4ever Trophy is Renault's second iconic model to get an electric reboot, following the Renault 5 Prototype last year. While the vehicle boasts a muscular exterior and modern details, the stylistic ties to the 4L are also present, such as the shape of the headlights and illuminated faux grille, the vertical taillights and the third lateral windows.
That said, the headlights are modern and give the Renault 4ever Trophy a unique front signature thanks to the round Matrix LEX lights housed inside of the wide horizontal grille with illuminated contours. The pill-shaped LED rear lights are also modern, despite being easily recognizable as a nod to the iconic 4L.
The Renault 4ever Trophy features adventure-ready elements such as the shortened front overhangs for greater clearance capability, vast body body protection panels on the lower section, spare tire placed on the carbon fiber roof, as well as shovel and waffle boards on the upper section of the rear door.
Gallery: Renault 4ever Trophy Concept
Other distinctive elements include the low section painted Gun Metal Silver, which has been designed for the great outdoors, the hollowed-out hood with huge air exhaust to improve the efficacy of the radiator, and silver coat contrasted by magenta highlights (on the roof straps, suspension springs and wheel emblems).
Speaking of the wheels, they consist of 19-inch rims shod with 255/55 tires. Each wheel has a visible compressor that can be readily adjusted from inside the car to adapt the tire pressure to suit the terrain. The vehicle features 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) of clearance around the wheel arches, and if the driver pushes it too far, the reinforced underbelly will make sure that the battery located in the middle of the chassis is protected.
Like the Renault 5, the future Renault 4 electric subcompact SUV will be based on the new CMF-BEV platform. Renault says the architecture will guarantee "the best performance in terms of range, acoustics, and on-road behavior, without compromising on the design."
The 4ever Trophy features a 42-kWh battery pack good for approximately 250 miles (402 kilometers) of range. The battery powers a 138-horsepower electric motor driving the front wheels and capable of a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in less than nine seconds. As far as the size is concerned, the Renault 4ever Trophy is 4,160-mm (163.7-in) long, 1,950-mm (76.7-in) wide and 1,900-mm (74.8-in) high, with a wheelbase of 2,570 mm (101.1 in).
The future Renault 4 EV previewed by this show car will be made in France alongside the Renault 5 EV at the automaker's ElectriCity hub in the north of the country. The 5 EV and 4 EV will be positioned similarly to the Clio and Captur, respectively. Production of the electric subcompact SUV is expected to start in 2025.
