Renault Renault 4 L
A flat floor, a huge rear door and soft torsion-bar suspension made one little car useful almost everywhere.
1961 Renault 4 displayed at Autoworld Brussels. · Rutger van der Maar · CC BY 2.0 Generic
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
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More than a set of wheels.
Renault unveiled the 4 in 1961 as a practical 'blue-jean car' for city streets, country roads, families and workers. The first French range included R3, R4, R4 L and R4 L Super Confort versions. This page follows the 747 cc Renault 4 L, not the smaller 603 cc R3 or later 845, 956 and 1,108 cc models.
Look a little closer.
Because the left and right rear torsion bars sit one behind the other, a Renault 4's wheelbase is slightly different on each side.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
The hatch before hatchbacks were normal
Renault's designers joined the passenger space and luggage area into one two-box body, then gave it a large top-hinged rear 'service door.' With the rear bench folded or removed, the low sill and flat floor made awkward loads much easier to carry.
Source: Renault Classic · Renault 4, the blue-jean car ↗Built to travel beyond smooth roads
Independent torsion-bar suspension gave the wheels generous movement, while a sealed cooling system reduced routine maintenance. Renault tested the design over about 2.9 million kilometres in climates ranging from Sweden to African deserts before launch.
Source: Renault Germany · 60 years of Renault 4 ↗Where these facts come from
- Renault Classic · Renault 4, the blue-jean car
- Renault Germany · 60 years of Renault 4
- The Originals Renault Museum · Renault 4
- Renault · October 1961 French-market brochure
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed September 29, 2026.