Classic Renault 4 and 5 Restomod review – would you modify classics like this? Thanks for stopping by The Late Brake Show. Based in France, RFit (https://rfitvintage.com/) is a specialist outfit for developing government approved EV conversion kits for direct fit into classic 2CV, Renault 4 and Renault 5.
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Huge thanks to The 2CV Shop https://the2cvshop.co.uk/ and https://www.mehariclub.com/en/ for arranging to make this video possible. These conversions are not for long range, or big performance. Instead the criteria to be type approved in France means they need to give out no more power than the original piston engine, and weigh no more, thus explaining why the original brakes and suspension are retained.
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Jonny Smith
Creative content maker, car presenter & car pervert for hire since ’98
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CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
1:35 EV converted in 1970s
2:10 French regulations
2:40 Power output
3:15 Renault 5 history
3:51 Under bonnet
4:10 Original gearbox kept
5:02 Charging
5:30 Li-ion battery pack
6:10 Driving Renault 5
8:30 Brake feel
8:52 Still has gears
9:30 Conversion cost
11:05 Acceleration test
12:56 LeCar in USA
15:35 Mehari Club Cassis owner
16:25 Officially endorsed by Renault
20:35 RENAULT 4
20:50 Rival to the 2CV
21:15 2nd in the Paris Dakar!
22:30 Renault 4 boot
23:24 Renault 4 motor
24:10 Driving Renault 4
25:36 Acceleration
29:00 Attempted overtake
29:22 BODYROLL!
#electricrenault5 #evconversion #renault5 #thelatebrakeshow #4k
42 Comments
First generation R5s were front mid engined, just like the R4 and had the gear lever protruding from the dashboard until 1973, when a floor change was introduced. U.S Electricar built an EV version called the Lectric Leopard. A friend in Minnesota still has one.
Jonny looking (and dressing) more and more like Chris Harris as time goes by…
Starting at 16k is still out of range for many people, and that's on top of the cost of sourcing and restoring, as necessary, the base vehicle, which are rising in value thanks to their rarity and appeal. It's a better idea than all these 1000kW+ supercars from Porsche, Audi and Lucid, and a better use of limited resources when considering a change to electric, however I still cannot see any benefit over a properly maintained ICE car…
You lost me at the words EV-kit. No matter what excuse there is for it being electrique worthy
All that money and they couldn’t get the bumper on straight.
Whenever I see a R4 they remind me of family holidays in France as a kid. If I lived in France I'd definitely be looking at getting one of those!
2 mins in.. and I’m out! Can’t stand e.v’s let alone a classic ruined! Petrol all the way!! 👌👌👌
Urgh.
Approximately 1 minute in you said that they were EV’s so I didn’t waste any more of my time.
EV = BS
My junior infants teacher had a red Renault 4. I don’t remember any other teacher’s car but that one stuck with me to this day. The gearstick in the dash was so strange to five year old me in 1983.
Is that a gap between door and roof or that the rear door of the 5 is not closed properly? 4got about the 5 and the 2cv similarities. gR8 cars
Pity that the French Government introduced the scrapping scheme in 1999 after piloting it mid 90s so a lot of their classic cars of late 60s 1970s and 80s cars were trashed that could now have been converted. So finding one of these is difficult as I would love to do that conversion on a Renault 12 or 16 or even a 25 Monaco – keep the content up its entertaining & informative
👍🏼👍🏼 great video.
I’d rather have a bog standard car with new or reconditioned ancillaries and a balanced engine if I was living in France.
Love conversions that are completely reversible. Gears and clutch are great. Don’t like battery position in the boot as loses so much space. Otherwise I love it!
It would be brilliant if Renault drove the converted R5 out to the waiting press, followed by the new R5.
14:55 I think it would be because the salaries are not as high…? (ie The French buy smaller cheaper cars?)
So to sum up
Its expensive, it has poor range and no boot space anymore
So its made for wealthy people to not use
Sounds like a waste of time and a waste of a usable classic R5 to me
Love it.
Shame the rules on EV conversions are so strict over there. Must put a lot of folks of attempting something similar.
UK has it right IMO. You can go as mad as you like so long as you're willing to go the IVA route …Although subsidies for conversions would be nice.
Surprised they couldn't split the pack in two, putting one half underneath where the tank would go, and the other half in the bottom 4-5" of space in the boot, leaving a flat floor. But yeah, the range on this seems plenty for most folk's regular day to day use.
this makes sense to me. The engine isnt what makes these type of cars great. But electrifying somethings like a classic like a V8 or V12 destroys a cars soul.
On the Renault 4, I notice the strict tolerances the car has been built to with the gaping gap between the body and the door shut just behind your head on the test drive. Would defo leak in the uk with our horizontal rain😂
I liked the way your watch strap matched the body colour of the Renault 4!
Top flight video as usual, the 4 was absolutely beautiful to behold ( minus the rear window frame gaps )😅 ,the French have a much more level headed approach to cars & life in general ,cheers Johnny ❤
Probably not, unless I could DIY it at a reasonable price.
More dull EV shite😊
More dull EV shite…
I’d love an electric R4. And I know where there is a great example in Southern Italy. Maybe I should go and knock on their door next time I’m down there 👍🤗
I could live with that no problem no drama no showing off just ensible slim daily driver with load space
Wonder if you will ever electrify your Charger !!see what I did there 😂 great video Jonny
I had a Renault 5 when I first got married in 1982. We only needed 1 car and kept my wife’s R5. It was, by far, the worst car we have ever owned. Take into consideration we moved to North America in 1989 and have driven mostly North American cars since. As soon as we could afford it we sold it and bought a fiat 128!
Really 2 terrible car now made into 2 terrible milk floats 😂😂
Renault 4 only looks at home in rural France
Absolutley brilliant restoring true classic cars. Just wanted to highlight something important and spread the word. New software is being downloaded onto EV cars called GEO FENCING & GEO TIMING CAPABILITIES. WTF is that you ask ?? Manufacturers can set range limits and time limits remotely. It would not be done without consent UNLESS required by LAW…..Please stick to old vehicles with no computer capabilities your freedoms will not be eradicated….
Love the r4. Charming
Analogue EV is a big feature. No big brother software and conplicated infotainment contracts to be agreed to
Loved this but the tiny petrol engine is part of the charm for me.
We had R4 and R5 growing up. I learnt to drive on R5 Diesel and then drove the R5 with automatic… #OTSOT she had lost 3rd gear… black vinyl top with silver… she was a bit of a looker, and all that!
I love the 2CV and enjoyed the 2CV-E video, but for me it will always be the Renault 4!
An electric one would tick every single box as a car for me! Effectively the car I would choose over any other, even expensive ones!! I am as poor as the proverbial church mouse, so probably not the target audience. I would love to find one with a broken engine, but rust-free bodywork and floor pan, then bare metal it, and before painting fully galvanise it. It would then become a forever car for me, aged sixty two.
Best wishes from George
PS: This is the best EV video I have seen yet.My second favourite is the Fully Charged Show's review of the Microlino EV. The Renault 4 is a far better car than the BMW microcar ever was …
I love the 30min mark where you can just see a massive air gap in the driver rear door…. It really was a tin can on wheels… Safety first!
I will mod every 2 door hot hatch from the 80s/90s …. no doubt about it and have been doing it since my 1st hot hatch, a 86' G11 Daihatsu Charade Turbo …… no heavy electric powered BS for me. I need pistons and turbos
Those French rules and regulations make thiese cars just too niche, with more freedom things could be so much more interesting.