1963, going to the Opera
by Roberto Motta
Photos: Renault communication- RENAULT INTERNAL/PRESS
You may think this sad, funny, or just a sign of the times. If you Google “Renault R4”, there will be more results than if you Googled “Brigit Bardot”. [ PS: Brigitte, you have been redeemed. Reader Matthew Boyer says, “That’s only because you spelled Brigitte Bardot wrong. 1.5M hits for Renault R4 vs. 2.3M for BB.” Our faith in lechery has been restored–Ed.]
But the old R4 and its familiar French silhouette still turn heads like Bardot did in the early sixties. Not the most curvaceous of bodies, a half-century since its introduction in 1961, its fans still love the R4, like a favorite pair of blue jeans. And the R4 is the object of obsession for many collectors. Rare in the U.S.—it was never imported here—it was at least famous for its performance in the movie “Romancing the Stone” with Michael Douglas and Danny Devito.