Renault 4CV & 4L

Sunday 2 August 2009
The 4CV was originally conceived and designed covertly by Renault engineers during the German occupation of France during World War II, when the manufacturer was under strict orders to design and produce only commercial and military vehicles. A design team led by Fernand Picard, Charles-Edmond Serre and Jean-Auguste Riolfo envisioned a small, economical car (similar to the Volkswagen Beetle) suitable for the difficult years which would inevitably follow the war. The first prototype was completed in 1942 and two more prototypes were produced in the following three years, with the 4CV ultimately presented to the public and media at the 1946 Paris Motor Show.
The replica was bought as a kit. It was put together and painted by me.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 750 cc
- horsepower: 17 HP
- gearbox: 3+1
- top speed: 90 km/h

The Renault 4L was a hatchback economy car produced by the French automaker Renault between 1961 and 1994. It was the first front-wheel drive family car produced by Renault.
The car was launched at a time when several decades of economic stagnation were giving way to growing prosperity and surging car ownership in France. With the first million cars produced in 1966, less than four and a half years after launch, it was a commercial success for Renault because of the timing of its introduction and the merits if its design: it was exceptionally spacious for its size, and is one of several models that pioneered the hatchback revolution which the European motor industry underwent during the 1960s and 1970s.

Technical data:
- engine: 4 cylinders
- capacity: 750 cc
- horsepower: 17 HP
- gearbox: 3+1
- top speed: 100 km/h