THE new Renault 4 has been unveiled at the Paris Motor Show - more than 60 years after the original set the auto world alight.

Officially called the Renault 4 E-Tech the newcomer is totally electric but comes with styling cues that flashback to its iconic predecessor.

The front grille is made from a single 1.45 metre-long piece and is unique in the industry, with its continuous and illuminated surround framing the Renault logo at its centre.

At the rear, the original's iconic three-part lights are given a new lease of life, with modern lines and a distinctive LED signature.

Other nods to the original Renault 4's design include the bonnet lines that continue to the bottom of the grille, the shape of the rear quarter window, the three lines sculpted into the doors that bring to mind the plastic protectors of the original and the distinctive forms in the roof, now adorned with roof bars.

Also evoking the original is an electric canvas roof brings which opens at the touch of a button or by voice control to reveal an 80x92 cm view of the sky. When closed, its lining delivers excellent acoustic and sealing qualities with no trade-off in weight or loss of headroom.

The newcomer is larger than the Renault 5 - with which it shares 68 per cent of its components - the new Renault 4 has a 2.62m wheelbase.

At 4.14m in length, rear seat occupants have 16.4cm of knee room while Renault says headroom of 85.3cm is generous for a small vehicle.

Dual horizontal screens feature inside the cabin with a central 10-inch multimedia screen being standard.

With Renault's OpenR Link system with Google built-in it can provide access to a range of Google services, including Google Maps, which offers charging-optimised route planning, and activates pre-conditioning of the battery as a charging stop approaches, as well as a variety of apps from the Google Play store.

Reno, Renault's virtual travelling companion avatar also features on the Renault 4. First seen on the new Renault 5 Reno helps drivers by answering questions and perform tasks such as scheduling charging.

Boot space is 420 litres and the Renault 4 has a power tailgate with a wide, high opening and low load sill.

Four lashing hooks, two bag hooks, rubber bands to hold objects in place, and storage compartments - including a 35-litre underfloor area which is a place for the charging cable - are part of the storage areas onboard and the rear bench seat folds expanding boot capacity.

Two powertrains are available, both of which are equipped with a heat pump to maximise efficiency as well as bidirectional charging with V2L (vehicle-to-load) and V2G (vehicle-to-grid) functionality that can power external devices from the battery or feed electricity back into the grid as necessary.

With a 52kWh battery which powers a 150hp motor the car accelerates from 0 to 62mph in less than 8.5 seconds, and has a range of up to 250 miles.

Recharging from 15 to 80 per cent capacity can be done in 30 minutes from a fast charger or to 100 per cent from a home installation inf four-and-a-half hours.

Equipped with a 100 kW DC charger, it can replenish the battery from 15 to 80% in just 30 minutes, or an 11 kW AC 10-100% charge in 4 hours 30 minutes.

A 40 kWh battery is also available, coupled to an 80 kW DC charger and a 125hp motor to offer a range of up to 186 miles.

The Renault 4 E-Tech will feature a new One Pedal function. By optimising regenerative braking, the vehicle decelerates smoothly when the driver releases the accelerator pedal, coming to a stop without the driver having to apply the brake.

Renault says the Renault 4 E-Tech is planned to arrive in the UK in the middle of 2025, with specification and prices to be announced early in 2025.