Renault unveils 4 JP4x4 concept

Renault said on May 12 it had unveiled the 4 JP4x4 Concept, a new open-top electric show car based on the Renault 4 E-Tech electric and scheduled to appear at the 2026 Roland-Garros French Open. The French automaker described the vehicle as a modern “beach adventurer” and said it reworks cues from the Plein Air version launched in 1969 and the JP4 conversion introduced in 1981. The concept is the latest in a run of Renault 4 derivatives the company has used to showcase the flexibility of its small electric platform. Renault said the car will make its public debut on May 18 at the brand’s stand at the tournament in Paris. ### Why is Renault showing this car at Roland-Garros? Roland-Garros is one of Renault’s recurring showcase events. Renault said it is a premium partner of the 2026 French Open for a fifth straight year, with the tournament running from May 18 to June 7. The company has used the event to display special editions and concept cars tied to its electric lineup, including the Renault 4 Roland-Garros E-Tech electric show car announced in April. (media.renault.com) The Renault stand at Porte d’Auteuil is also due to feature other vehicles during the tournament. Renault said visitors will be able to see the Twingo E-Tech electric and the Roland-Garros version of the Renault 5 E-Tech electric, while the company is supplying a fleet of 188 vehicles for the event. (media.renault.com) ### What makes the JP4x4 different from the standard Renault 4 E-Tech? The clearest mechanical change is at the rear axle. Renault said the 4 JP4x4 Concept adds a second electric motor on the rear axle, allowing the car to operate with four-wheel drive on sand and beach terrain. That makes it another test case for an all-wheel-drive version of the Renault 4’s AmpR Small architecture, following the Savane 4x4 Concept shown in 2025. (media.renault.com) The bodywork also departs sharply from the production Renault 4 E-Tech. Renault said the concept has openwork doors, an open roof formed as a cross for stiffness, and no soft top. At the rear, the tailgate drops down like a pickup side panel to make loading easier, according to the company. (media.renault.com) ### Which older Renault 4 models is it referencing? Renault tied the concept directly to two earlier leisure-oriented Renault 4 variants. The company said the JP4x4 is a fresh take on the Plein Air of 1969 and the JP4 of 1981, both of which turned the utilitarian Renault 4 into a more recreational vehicle. The new concept keeps that lineage in its name while replacing the earlier cars’ combustion-era underpinnings with an electric drivetrain. (media.renault.com) The styling choices are meant to underline that heritage. Renault said the concept uses Emerald Green bodywork, orange interior trim, bucket seats recalling 1970s Renault designs, and roof-mounted leisure gear including a surfboard and skateboards. (media.renault.com) ### How does this fit into Renault’s recent Renault 4 strategy? This is the fourth concept based on the Renault 4 E-Tech electric, Renault said. The company said the JP4x4 follows FL4WER POWER, Savane 4x4 and Vision 4Rescue in demonstrating how the production model can be adapted for different uses aimed at retail and business customers. (media.renault.com) Last year’s Savane 4x4 Concept pointed in a similar direction. Renault said in 2025 that the Savane added a rear electric motor for permanent all-wheel drive, raised ground clearance by 15 millimeters and widened the tracks by 10 millimeters on each side, presenting it as an exploration-themed derivative of the Renault 4. (media.renault.com) ### What happens next? May 18 is the next date attached to the project. Renault said the 4 JP4x4 Concept will make its public debut that day on the company’s stand at Roland-Garros, where it will appear alongside the Renault 4 Roland-Garros E-Tech electric show car and other models during the tournament, which runs through June 7. (media.renault.com 1) (media.renault.com 2)