Anyone seen one like this before?

[kevinandkate]

It was apparently a prototype which has been recently restored from quite good original condition and is now in use on the road although I am not aware of where in France it is.

 

[jjad]

Hehe! I've only seen photos of this in a book (I think it was "Album Renault 4" by Robert Sejourne).

 

[borgeb]

Not many of these around! According to Claus V Schraml "DER RENAULT R4, Eine legende" (very nice book, you can get it as E-book on amazon.com) this is the R4 Bertin, the first SMART in car history. It was planned to enter the marked in 1971 as a city car named R2.

 

[malcolm]

Good to see they've restored the car. It looked a knocked around mess in the 4L magazine article a couple of years ago. Found a previous post with a question about how to restore it which has a little background: http://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/threads/information-needed-for-special-r4-restauration.3976/

 

[kevinandkate]

Good to see they've restored the car. It looked a knocked around mess in the 4L magazine article a couple of years ago. Found a previous post with a question about how to restore it which has a little background: http://www.renault4.co.uk/forum/threads/information-needed-for-special-r4-restauration.3976/

Very interesting Malcolm. I have to say it is an ugly thing but then again I am no oil painting so who am I to comment. Bet it was a bit bouncy sitting over the rear axle.

 

[angel]

There is an article about it in the last issue of Gazoline. The original Bertin prototype was found some years ago in a sad but complete condition, and was consequently restored. Most of the body and chassis work was done as a project by the students of a French technical school.
There are a lot of interesting photos, one of them shows the chassis upside down, and it is funny to see the front torsion bar anchoring points on just in front of the fuel tank!

 

[Stuart Delahoy]

Thanks for that...I had forgotten about Gazoline, I always buy it when I'm in France. Turns out they post quite happily to the UK and had a new book on R4 rally raid prep, so there goes another 70 quid! Expensive stuff this having a day off work ill...

 

[iMacThere4iAm]

Someone is apparently attempting the 4L Trophy next year in a ridiculous 2-seater shorty like that