10 Facts About Renault 4CV

Between 1941 and 1944 Renault 4CV was placed under the technical directorship of a francophile engineer, Wilhelm von Urach who failed to notice the small car project emerging on his watch.

However, because the Germans had forbidden work on any new passenger car models, the Renault 4CV development was defined as a low priority spin-off from a project to develop a new engine for a post-war return of the company's 1930s small car, the Juvaquatre: departmental bosses installed by the Germans were definitely not to be trusted in respect of "Project 106E", while von Urach, their overlord, always managed to turn a blind eye to the whole business.

Renault 4CV had been arrested by the Gestapo in June 1944, and deported to Buchenwald concentration camp.

Lefaucheux was enraged that anyone should think the by now almost production-ready Renault 4CV was in any way inspired by the Volkswagen, and even more enraged that the politicians should presume to send Porsche to provide advice on it.

An important part of the Renault 4CV's success was due to the new methodologies used in its manufacture, pioneered by Pierre Bezier.

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Renault 4CV was ultimately presented to the public and media at the 1946 Paris Motor Show and went on sale a year later.

Renault 4CV's advertising highlighted the hundreds of machine-tools installed and processes adopted for the assembly of the first high volume car to be produced since the war, boasting that the little car was now no longer a prototype but a reality.

Renault 4CV was easily modified, and was used extensively as a racing car.

Renault 4CV Cabriolet is an open top version of the 4CV saloon.

In 1996, Renault presented a concept car — the Renault Fiftie — to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 4CV's debut.