Renault Fiftie
| Industry | Automotive |
|---|---|
| Founded | February 25, 1899 in France |
Key people | Patrick le Quément (vice president of corporate design, 1996) |
| Products | Automobiles, concept cars |
| Website | www |
The Renault Fiftie was a concept car introduced by Renault at the Geneva International Motor Show in March 1996, marking the fiftieth year since the launch of the Renault 4CV. Its vibrant metallic yellow paint paid tribute to the 4CV's affectionate "butter pat" moniker.
Benoît Jacob led the design under the supervision of Patrick le Quément, Renault's then vice president of corporate design. The Fiftie featured a mid-engine layout with rear-wheel drive, drawing inspiration from the original 4CV's styling while adopting a two-door body rather than the 4CV’s four-door, rear-engine configuration. This concept echoed a wider automotive movement embracing retro aesthetics, similar to models like the VW New Beetle, Mini Cooper, and Fiat 500.
Overview
Constructed with an aluminum chassis derived from the Renault Sport Spider and a carbon fiber exterior, the Fiftie's cabin showcased natural fabrics including cotton, linen, and rattan. It also included a hidden picnic basket housed in the trunk area. The front fascia featured horizontal chrome bars reminiscent of the original 4CV’s grille, complemented by unique apostrophe-shaped headlights. A targa roof design incorporated four detachable panels that could be stored beneath a rear window capable of folding flat.
From a mechanical standpoint, the Fiftie was fully operational and utilized much of the Renault Sport Spider’s platform, suspension, and mechanical parts. Its powertrain consisted of Renault’s D7F 1.2-liter, 8-valve inline-four engine, which was subsequently used in production models like the Renault Twingo.
After its presentation, Renault decided against moving forward with production of the Fiftie concept.