1956 Renault 4 CV Saloon
Chassis no. 2453722

Summer Motoring Online|30 June 2021, 13:00 CEST|Geneva

1956 Renault 4 CV Saloon
Chassis no. 2453722

• Landmark Renault model
• Appears highly original
• Not driven for some considerable time
• Requires re-commissioning/restoration

* Please note that this motor car will be available for viewing by prior appointment in Switzerland.

Footnotes

Conceived in secret during wartime, the 4CV had been influenced by the most advanced small car of the pre-war period: the FIAT 500 Topolino. Better equipped than many cars twice its size, the Topolino, with its hydraulic brakes, independent front suspension and 12-volt electrics, set a new benchmark of refinement for small cars when launched in 1936. In production from 1946, the Renault 4CV improved on its Italian rival's specification by virtue of its four-door, four-seat body, all-independent suspension and overhead-valve engine, though the FIAT would soon gain the latter. The 4CV's rear engine also set it apart from the FIAT, of course, and this layout would characterise all Renault's mainstream passenger cars until the 1960s.

Initially of 760cc (it was downsized to 747cc in 1950) the four-cylinder engine produced around 19-22bhp and drove via a three-speed gearbox. The 4CV's top speed was around 60mph (96km/h), but for those who wanted more excitement there was a high-performance version: the R1052 Sport. 4CV production had totalled over one million units by the time the model was withdrawn in 1961, the car's outstanding commercial success providing the foundation for Renault's post-war resurgence.

This Renault 4CV is finished in blue with grey velour interior and seems to be highly original. The car has not been driven for some considerable time and failed to start when inspected. It will need a thorough check over and careful re-commissioning before returning to the road. Registered in Switzerland.

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