Renault 4 on the World's Routes. When Marketing Was a Capital M

In the early 1960s, the world's roads were not yet crowded with SUVs and crossovers: they were dusty tracks, often freshly paved mule tracks, mountain passes, unknown deserts. And in that era of hope and open horizons, freedom had four wheels and a number: 4. Renault 4. It wasn't a flashy car, no sporty lines, no Grand Prix horsepower, but the R4, as everyone called it, was a faithful companion. A humble, tireless ally, ready to set off for elsewhere, and above all, affordable for those who didn't have much. And so, from 1962 until the end of the 1970s, an initiative as ambitious as it was surprising was a resounding success. Its name? Renault 4 sur les Routes du Monde.

A visionary project, halfway between marketing and adventure, the French manufacturer selected young crews—often university students, couples, friends—and equipped them with a Renault 4 to set off into the unknown. Destination? The world. Objective? To demonstrate that this car, light and spartan, could tackle any terrain, any latitude, any unexpected event. And above all, that the future, for that generation, was yet to be explored.