The Renault 4 turns 60 in 2021, and the French firm has lined up a year of events and special one-off creations to celebrate its anniversary, including this concept piece.
Studio style
The Suite No.4 has been created by French interior designer Mathieu Lehanneur, and takes the standard Renault 4L and added bespoke rear bodywork inspired by a 'nomad hotel suite'. No, we're not sure what that means, either, but the car is said to be influenced by the worlds of automotive and architecture.
Essentially, Lehanneur has taken a standard Renault 4 and chopped the rear bodywork off, replacing it with polycarbonate windows that retain the same overall shape as the 4L. This fills the cabin with light, while natural fibre flooring has been added, as well as solar panels that are designed to top up the car's all-electric drive system.
Outside, the 4L has been painted with three layers of grey to make it look like cement to keep up the architecture theme, while a polished aluminium grille has been added to the 4L's familiar front end design.
The interior of the Suite No.4 features materials that are sourced from within France and have been manufactured by high-end Parisian furniture makers. There is fabric upholstery throughout, with yellow velvet for the dashboard and seats, while thick, ribbed chenille fabric is used for the rear seats. At the back, a wooden drawer has been incorporated that can be used as seating beneath the open hatchback when parked.
Speaking at the concept's unveiling, designer Lehanneur said: "Suite No.4 opens the door to a new kind of mobility that strives to make people live experiences. I wanted to merge the worlds of cars and architecture to create an open-air hotel room. Even better than the finest palatial suite, the car is exactly where you want it to be, whether that's by the sea, in the middle of a field or driving around the city you've always dreamed of."
According to Arnaud Belloni, Renault Brand Global Marketing Director, "We asked him [Lehanneur] to come up with a concept car showcasing his vision for the 4L. The finished product was extraordinary. A car which really encapsulates everything the brand has set out to achieve through the Renaulution strategic plan: create modern and innovative cars that provoke emotions."
Celebration time
The Suite No.4 is the latest creation to appear during Renault's 60th birthday celebrations for the Renault 4, and lays the foundations for the return of the R4 badge on a retro-inspired budget EV in the coming years.
Renault has been running social media campaigns around the 4L's 60th birthday, and has also fitted a model with an all-electric drivetrain, similar to that seen in Suite No.4. The new concept will be on display in Paris, where it will join a collection of 30 different Renault 4s being shown at the Atelier Renault store on the Champs-Elysées.