It was the first model made in France to exceed one million units sold
The Renault 4CV was a car produced by the French manufacturer between 1946 and 1961. An inexpensive “popular car” inspired by the Volkswagen Beetle, which has the merit of becoming the first French car to sell more than a million units . In Spain it was known as 4/4. On August 12, 1953, the first models of the Renault 4CV produced in Spain paraded through the streets of Valladolid.
The 4CV was originally conceived and covertly designed by Renault engineers during the German occupation of France during World War II, when the manufacturer was given strict orders to design and manufacture only commercial and military vehicles.
A design team led by Fernand Picard, Charles-Edmond Serre and Jean-Auguste Riolfo devised a small, low-cost car (similar to the Volkswagen Beetle) suitable for the economically difficult years that would inevitably follow the war. The first prototype was completed in 1942 and two more prototypes were produced over the next three years, with the 4CV finally being presented to the public and media at the 1946 Paris Motor Show.
At launch, the Renault 4CV was nicknamed “La motte de beurre” (the piece of butter) due to the combination of its shape and the fact that many early models were painted in sand yellow German army surplus paint, assigned to the Afrika Korps.
The 4CV was powered by a 748cc engine that produced 17 horsepower, mated to a three-speed manual transmission. Despite an initial period of uncertainty and poor sales due to the devastated state of the French economy, the 4CV had sold 37,000 units by mid-1949 and was the most popular car in France.
It remained in production for over ten years and was replaced by the Renault Dauphine, launched in 1956, but the 4CV actually remained in production until 1961, just a year before the more expensive Dauphine was discontinued. It was eventually replaced by the Renault 4 which used the same engine and name as the 4CV and sold for a similar price. 1,105,547 cars were produced.
The 4CV, with various modifications, was used as a racing car and won both the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Mille Miglia. The first collaboration between the Alpine company and Renault, a partnership that in later years would win the World Rally Championship with the legendary Alpine A-110, was the Alpine A-106, which was based precisely on the 4CV.
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
