Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept Brings Back the Spirit of the Beach Buggy

Renault is using the 2026 Roland-Garros French Open to show a very different side of the new electric Renault 4. The Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept is not a regular production version, but a playful open-air study that turns the compact EV into a modern beach car with all-wheel drive.

The concept takes inspiration from two classic Renault 4-based leisure models: the Plein Air from 1969 and the JP4 from 1981. Both were created for relaxed summer driving, and the new JP4x4 brings that idea into the electric era with brighter colors, a more adventurous stance and a roofless body.

Its design is deliberately cheerful. The body is painted in a pearlescent Emerald Green, a modern reference to green shades offered on the original Renault 4 in the 1970s and 1980s. The contrast comes from the cabin, which is finished in vivid orange. Together, the colors give the car a beach-resort character rather than the more rugged look of a traditional off-road concept.

Renault has removed much of the separation between cabin and outside world. The JP4x4 has minimalist doors, an open roof structure shaped like a cross for added rigidity, and a fold-down tailgate that works almost like the side of a small pickup. There is no soft top, reinforcing the idea that this is a pure open-air leisure vehicle.

The lifestyle theme is completed with a surfboard mounted on the roof and skateboards stored in the rear. Orange detailing around the door frames, a special 3D-printed side pattern and JP4 badging give the concept its own identity within Renault’s growing family of Renault 4-based show cars.

The cabin mixes retro references with modern materials. The bucket seats are inspired by Renault’s old “Egyptian mummy” seats from the 1970s, complete with integrated headrests. They use mixed textile upholstery with mesh sections, while the dashboard, door panels and boot area also feature fabric trim. A grab handle on the passenger side adds a practical touch for rougher surfaces.

The most important technical change is the addition of a second electric motor on the rear axle. This gives the Renault 4 JP4x4 Concept permanent all-wheel drive, making it better suited to sand, gravel and unpaved tracks than the standard Renault 4 E-Tech electric.

The concept is based on the same technical idea as last year’s Renault 4 Savane 4x4 Concept. Ground clearance is increased by 15 mm, while the front and rear tracks are widened by 10 mm on each side. It rides on 18-inch JP4 wheels with Goodyear UltraGrip Performance+ 225/55 tires.

Renault says the concept shows how its small electric platform could support a B-segment EV with four-wheel drive. That does not mean the JP4x4 is confirmed for production, but it clearly points to the flexibility of the Renault 4 E-Tech electric architecture.

The JP4x4 will debut publicly on May 18, 2026, at Roland-Garros. It will be shown alongside the Renault 4 Roland-Garros E-Tech electric Show Car, including the Plein Sud version with an electrically operated canvas roof. Renault will also display the Twingo E-Tech electric and Renault 5 Roland-Garros E-Tech electric during the tournament.