The Renault 4 nameplate ran from 1961 to 1992, accumulating more than eight million units and becoming the most-produced French car of the 20th century. Its return as a fully electric crossover hatchback, officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 2024 and on sale from early 2025, is one of the more loaded product launches in recent European automotive history. Norev, whose catalogue has long tracked Renault's model range, has translated that moment into a die-cast 1:18 scale model in the Open Roof variant and Light Green finish.
The Second-Generation 4L: Electric Architecture, Familiar Character
The 2025 Renault 4 E-Tech 100% is built on the CMF-B EV platform, the same architecture that underpins the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric. Power comes from a 90 kW (122 hp) electric motor driving the front wheels, fed by a 40 kWh usable battery rated at approximately 400 km on the WLTP cycle. At 4,144 mm overall, the new 4 is a proper compact hatchback-crossover, longer and more practical than its 1961 ancestor while retaining the upright stance and accessible character that made the original a European icon.
Open Roof and Light Green: Two Heritage Codes in One Model
The Open Roof designation references the Renault 4 Plein Air, a removable-fabric open-body variant produced from 1968 to 1970 — one of the rarest and most collectible 4L derivatives. On the 2025 car, the specification translates to a panoramic glass roof or optional textile folding section, keeping the lineage legible without nostalgia-pandering. Light Green — vert amande — is equally deliberate: Renault's design team selected it as a launch colour explicitly to echo the pastel tones of the original 1960s range while signalling the car's electric identity. It is the most visually direct connection between the two generations of the nameplate.
Norev's 1:18 Die-Cast: Material and Maker
Norev is a French manufacturer with a longstanding licence relationship with Renault, making their interpretation of the new 4 an official and contextually fitting reproduction. The model is constructed in die-cast metal and renders the Open Roof specification in the vert amande launch colour. As a 1:18 scale model car produced in the launch year of the real vehicle, it documents the R4's electric relaunch at the moment of its debut — a detail that distinguishes first-year editions from later catalogue additions.
In the Display Cabinet: Where This Model Sits
The natural companion piece is the Norev 1:18 Renault 5 E-Tech Electric, the CMF-B EV platform sibling launched a year earlier, which makes for a coherent two-car display of Renault's current electric revival. Collectors building a chronological 4L lineage will want to pair this alongside a classic Renault 4L from the 1961–1992 production run — Norev and Solido both cover that period at 1:18. The Renault 4 Plein Air at any scale rounds out the narrative thread running through the Open Roof specification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the real car behind this model?
The 2025 Renault 4 E-Tech 100%, a fully electric crossover hatchback unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 2024. It shares its CMF-B EV platform with the Renault 5 E-Tech Electric and is powered by a 90 kW electric motor with a 40 kWh usable battery.
What does 'Open Roof' mean on this version?
Open Roof designates the panoramic or textile-roof specification on the 2025 Renault 4, which Renault designed as a direct reference to the Renault 4 Plein Air beach car produced from 1968 to 1970.
Why Light Green specifically?
Vert amande (almond green) is one of the launch exterior colours chosen by Renault's design team to echo the pastel palette of the original 1961 Renault 4, while also communicating the new car's eco-electric positioning.
Who makes this 1:18 scale model and what material is it?
The model is made by Norev, a French manufacturer with a long-established Renault licence relationship. It is constructed in die-cast metal at 1:18 scale.
