| Renault Fiftie | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Renault |
| Production | 1996 |
| Designer | Benoît Jacob |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Concept car |
| Body style | 2-doorcoupe |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1.2 LD7F 8-valveI4 |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Renault 4 E-Tech |

TheRenault Fiftie was aconcept car presented byRenault at the March 1996Geneva Auto Show[1] to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the launch of the4CV. The concept used a bright metallic yellow color, honoring the 4CV's "butter pat" nickname.[2]
Styled by Benoît Jacob[3] under the direction ofPatrick le Quément, Renault's vice president of corporate design at the time,[4] the Fiftie used a mid-engine/rear-wheel-drive layout, with its exterior styling drew heavily on its ancestor's — though with a two-door, mid-engine configuration[4] rather than the4CV's four door, rear-engine/rear-drive layout. The Fiftie was part of a trend toward retrospective designs, including theVW New Beetle,Mini Cooper andFiat 500.
The Fiftie used an aluminum frame from theRenault Sport Spider[5] and a carbon fiber body.[1] Its interior usedcotton,linen, andrattan extensively, with a picnic basket concealed in the boot/trunk. Front styling recalled the horizontal chrome 'mustache bars' of the original 4CV, with the addition of distinctive apostrophe-shaped headlights.[4] The targa-style roof used four removable roof panels that could store beneath the flat-folding rear window.[4]
The Fiftie was fully roadworthy, sharing most of theRenault Sport Spider's chassis, suspension, and mechanics as well as Renault's D7F 1.2-liter, 8-valve four-cylinder engine, which was subsequently introduced as a production engine in theTwingo.
After introducing the Fiftie,Renault chose not to develop the concept further.