- Rare basic R4 model from the start of production

- Fairly sound bodywork, good basis for restoration

- A legendary model

- No reserve

This car is particularly interesting, as it is one of the first Renault 4s built, and, above all, a basic version of which few survive. Without the third side window at the rear and with tubular bumpers (the front one is missing from this car) and modestly equipped, it was similarly finished to the Renault 3, but had the more powerful engine from the 4L. This example is not complete, but the bodywork is fairly sound and the engine is original. The seats are in good condition, but are not to the original specification for the model. This car was bought from a private owner in 2009 and was used by Renault for its ‘forgotten garage’, where it was shown in the setting of an abandoned barn at events such as that celebrating the 50 years of the Renault 4.

The Renault 4, it may be recalled, was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1961 as a replacement for the 4CV as well as the firm’s response to the Citroën 2CV. With its tailgate, it was more modern, more spacious and more powerful than its rival. Renault’s first car with front-wheel drive (which had been trialled on the Estafette van in 1959), it was the second best-selling French car in the world, with more than eight million cars sold. Its popularity makes it a model much liked by enthusiasts today, and the rarity of this version should not leave them unmoved.