Renaultβs R4 Concept Just Became A Beach Buggy That Moonlights As A Pickup
- The R4 JP4x4 Concept is inspired by beach buggies of the β70s.
- It gets a custom body, a lifted stance, and dual electric motors.
- Renault has confirmed there are no plans for production.
Renault has unveiled a new concept based on the R4 E-Tech, this one built around summer use. The R4 JP4x4 wears an open-air two-door body, a reworked two-seat cabin with an exposed cargo area, and an AWD powertrain for tackling whatever hypothetical sandy beach you have in mind.
The study borrows from two R4 variants of the past, the 1969 Plein Air and the 1981 JP4. Its name is short for JournΓ©e Γ la Plage, French for βa day at the beach.β
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Visually, the highlight is the pair of half-doors that replace the production carβs five-door layout. They work with a redesigned roof structure built around an X-shaped element for carrying a surfboard. There are no side windows and no canvas top, which leaves the cabin permanently open to the elements.
The concept wears a custom Emerald Green finish that plays against a vibrant orange interior. Beyond its beach buggy identity, it also serves as a pickup with a drop-down tailgate for easy loading. The roof-mounted surfboard is joined by a pair of skateboards stowed in the cargo area.
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Inside, the highlights include βEgyptian mummyβ seats with integrated headrests and mixed-fabric upholstery. The dashboard and digital cockpit carry over from the production EV, though the concept adds a passenger-side grab handle and a floating center console.
As with last yearβs R4 Savane 4Γ4 concept, the JP4x4 runs a dual-motor powertrain for AWD, a setup Renault still hasnβt offered on the production R4.
The concept rides 15 mm (0.6 inches) higher than the standard R4, with front and rear tracks widened by 10 mm (0.4 inches) per side. The 18-inch wheels carry a futuristic design and wear chunkier Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ tires. Renault made no mention of changes to the EVβs 2,624 mm (103.3 inches) wheelbase.
No Plans For Production
Renault has been clear that the JP4x4 will stay a one-off, with no production plans on the table. The show car will be displayed at the Roland-Garros French Open alongside the R4, R5, and Twingo E-Tech production EVs.
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For buyers who want an open-air R4 E-Tech, the automaker already sells the Plein Sud variant with an electric-powered canvas roof. That one went on sale earlier this month starting at β¬37,290 ($43,800).