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The Renault 4CV, also known as the 'butter pat' due to its original only-yellow paint, was introduced in 1946 at the Paris Auto Show. As peace gradually started spreading across Europe, Renault, much like Volkswagen, decided to create a car for their people, the French, who had been deeply scarred by a furious five-year war. In secret, without official agreeance, three Renault colleagues decided to bring this idea to life. They did so without much regret, as over the years, the 4CV evolved into an essential icon for Renault.
Louis Renault, the founding father of Renault, saw cars and automobiles as luxury items that the average Joe could not afford. Despite having seen the concept of the Volkswagen Beetle in 1939, he had no intention of manufacturing a budget-friendly car. Moreover, the German occupation ruling the Renault factories made the future look bleak. Though, secretly, three Renault executives conceived the unexpected and unwanted. Their view stood in stark contrast to Louis Renault's, as they believed the people needed an affordable, small car. They began designing the 4CV as early as 1940, but it wouldn't be available until after the war, following the arrest and death of Louis Renault and the subsequent appointment of a new CEO at Renault, who would grant approval for a car for the people – a car with four doors instead of the original two-door prototypes.
It wasn't until 1947, after factory rebuilding and sufficient gathering of production components, that the production of this mass-produced car began. Initially, only fifteen 4CV’s were built per day, but production quickly accelerated to 375 per day. The 4CV was a success, even in America, where in 1951, they ordered a whopping 170,000 of this people's car equipped with a 747 cc straight-four engine, originally delivering 17 horsepower, which was gradually increased to 21 horsepower over the years. Production continued until 1961, running in parallel with the production of the Citroën 2CV, which was also the direct rival to the 4CV due to the interminable waiting times at Citroën.
Early on, the 4CV managed to influence legislation in its favour; its headlights were mounted lower than legally specified, prompting a change in French law. Furthermore, it became the first French-of which a million were sold, eventually reaching 1.1 million. Today, it stands among the ranks of classic cars with a high degree of compliment, alongside the Mini, Fiat 500, Beetle, and 2CV.
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