ROME – Renault’s celebrations continue for the 60th anniversary of the bestseller R4. The latest initiative to celebrate the iconic model comes through a special partnership, the one between the lozenge brand and the designer Mathieu Lehanneur that led to the creation of the concept car. The original interpretation pays homage to the famous R4, produced in 28 countries and sold in over 8 million units in 100 different markets over the span of 30 years of honorable career.
The concept car Suite N ° 4 maintains the same proportions and external lines of the original model, but is able to transform: the rear part of the body and the tailgate are replaced by a polycarbonate window that makes the vehicle as bright as the atelier of an artist. On the roof there is a grid of solar panels which, in addition to being crossed by the sun’s rays, allows you to recharge the battery of the vehicle which, in full harmony with the current energy transition, is 100% electric. The front adopts the same iconic headlights, but also the original shapes and lines, while the grille is in polished aluminum, to offer a silver luminous effect giving fluidity and dynamism to the prototype.
The bodywork instead received three layers of paint to recreate the mineral look of concrete, typical of modern architecture. For the interiors, Mathieu Lehanneur has chosen the use of a furnishing fabric capable of transmitting heat and energy to the passenger compartment, the seats and the dashboard are upholstered in yellow velvet, while for the seat backs he used a thick chenille fabric. ribs, synonymous with robustness.
For the transformation of the trunk, the designer has created a mix of natural fiber, laid on the floor, and wood, used for the pull-out element that expands the interior space, and can serve as a bench, finding itself indoors when the tailgate is opened. Keeping the 4L tradition of the old days, even for the concept car inspired by the idea of a mobile hotel suite, all the fabrics are “made in France” by Parisian producers of exclusive furniture. “Suite N ° 4 opens the way to a mobility that wants us to live new experiences – explained Mathieu Lehanneur – I wanted to create a hybrid between the world of the automobile and that of architecture by creating a hotel room in the open air. . Better than a suite in the most beautiful building, it is located exactly where you want it to be: in front of the sea, in the middle of the fields or on the move in the city of your dreams ”.
After the exhibition at the Renault atelier, the concept car will be presented with a scenography imagined by Lehanneur during the next edition of the Maison & Objet Show, scheduled from 21 to 25 January 2022 at the Parc des Expositions in Paris Nord Villepinte. Suite N ° 4 is the penultimate chapter of a series of initiatives with which the transalpine house celebrates its historic ancestor until the end of 2021.
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