New concept car is inspired by French beachcomber from the 1980s, with open sides and a pick-up bed
Renault has revived the JP4 – an open-sided version of the original 4 similar to the Mini Moke – as a futuristic take on the beach buggy.
Based on the Renault 4 EV, the new JP4x4 concept reprises the dual-motor, four-wheel-drive powertrain from the 4 Savane show car but wraps it in a more flamboyant shell.
Its doors, for example, have been replaced with blade-like items that stop short of the B-pillar, intended to allow easier entry and exit.
Meanwhile, the roof and rear deck have been hollowed out, effectively turning the crossover into an open-air pick-up.
Completing the package is a revised interior with a freestanding centre console, bucket seats and grabhandles along the doors.
The JP4x4 is based on the same underpinnings as the 4 Savane, meaning it has 15mm more ground clearance and a 10mm-wider track than the regular 4.
Advanced design director Jean-Philippe Salar said the JP4x4 was “designed first and foremost as a leisure vehicle” inspired by the 1960s and 1970s, when cars such as the Moke, Citroën Méhari and Meyers Manx came to prominence.
It also serves as a fresh hint at Renault’s intent to put a four-wheel-drive 4 into production. A spokesperson told Autocar that the company is yet to confirm such a variant and that it’s currently monitoring customer feedback.
Autocar has already driven a 4 Savane, finding it to be a “stable, confidence-inspiring car” over the sand of Tversted Strand in northern Denmark.
It felt front-biased, with the small rear motor aiding the more powerful front motor only when the front wheels began to struggle for traction. The extra ground clearance was also noticeable when approaching ruts in the surface.
