If any firm could be said to have got a firm grip on the concept of what a desirable EV should look like, it’s Renault. The retro-tastic Renault 5 was so well received that it has not only proved a worthy foundation for a battery-powered hot hatch (the splendid-looking Alpine A290), it has also led to the Turbo 3E - arguably the first supercar-fast EV that doesn’t make you stifle a yawn when you read about it. Then there’s the Renault 4, a compact crossover (kerching!) that also uses a spiritual ancestor to get under your skin quicker than a John Williams soundtrack.
If there is a problem with the recently launched 4, it’s that the car sits even more precariously on the shoulders of its giant than the 5 does. The latter is a supermini through and through; the former, though, must contend with its predecessor’s renowned ability for going just about anywhere with the can-do attitude of a mountain goat. Visually speaking, Renault certainly gave the new 4 all the right cues - but mechanically not so much.
Granted, the original version did not need all-wheel drive to scale Columbian ravines, but it weighed the equivalent of a gnat’s shopping. The latest 4 is going to need some help in this respect, and the new Renault 4 Savane 4x4 Concept is very obviously a first step in a rather more rugged direction. (We say first step, brand devotees might recall the earlier FL4WER POWER concept that also hinted at things to come - but let’s not get sidetracked.)
At any rate, the name very pointedly pays tribute to past Savanes, and according to its maker is intended for ‘the modern-day gentleman explorer’. Clearly, that’s marketing fluff taken directly from the designer’s mood wall - but this time around Renault has added some notable grist to the mill, including not just wider tracks, 15mm more ground clearance than in the standard model and funkier Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ tyres, but also a second electric motor on the rear axle for permanent available four-wheel drive.
Now, this being a concept car, Renault doesn’t divulge any technical details about the size or performance potential of this additional motor (though clearly the Savane is furnished with greater output than is available to the 150hp front-drive version), but it makes no bones about the purpose of its installation: “It is agile on muddy, snow-covered, and unsurfaced routes, and even on terrain that demands off-roading capabilities. This show car demonstrates the potential of the AmpR Small platform to create a B-segment electric vehicle with four-wheel drive.”
Potential worth exploring? Is the new Pope from Chicago? Probably it’s safe to assume some version of the Savane is being primed for the showroom; the opportunity seems too good (i.e. profitable) for Renault to turn down, especially given buyer preference for exactly the kind of ready-for-adventure lifestyle the Savane is selling. Tellingly, the styling makeover is fairly subtle (i.e. doable), the Jade Green bodywork and gloss black trim being conventional enough; even the shock-absorbing, 3D-printed bits in the bumper seem relatively tame. As does the Deep Brown textile liberally deployed in the cabin.
"True to the spirit of exploration of the Renault 4 Savane from the ‘60s, the Renault 4 Savane 4x4 Concept show car pushes the adventurous side of the Renault 4 E-Tech electric to the maximum,” reckons chief designer, Sandeep Bhambra. “Its increased ground clearance and widened tracks are combined with a permanently active all-wheel drive system to allow it to tackle the most rugged terrains. With its unique Jade Green colour combined with Glossy Black elements and the Deep Brown interior, it adds a chic spirit worthy of 'gentlemen explorers' eager for limitless journeys."
The car will be publicly revealed at the Roland Garros French Open on Monday (Renault is a partner and the official transport provider) alongside the Turbo 3E and a new Roland-Garros edition of the 5 E-Tech. Exactly the sort of all-bases-covered electrified triumvirate you want on a stand at a ritzy sporting event and further evidence, were it needed, that Renault is currently knocking it out of the park. Bitter rivals take note.
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