renault 4l italy
in ,

Renault 4L manufactured by Alfa Romeo. The version sabotaged by FIAT

Here is the story of one of the strangest variants of the iconic Renault 4L: the one made by Alfa Romeo just outside of Naples.

This 2021 marked six decades since the presentation of the Renault 4L. However, this article is not intended to be another in the long list of encyclopedic reviews of the model. Far from it, we have chosen to present you one of the strangest versions of it. And no, we are not talking about convertibles or rally, but of one that reached 41.809 units. A number that seems to contradict our proposal based on originality, which nevertheless scores points when Alfa Romeo makes its entrance on stage.

And it is that, although it may seem surprising, there was a Renault 4L that was produced and marketed under the umbrella of the Milanese brand. Something like what happened in Spain in 1959, when the FADISA vans manufactured under Italian license earned the title of the "Alfa Romeo Castilians". The product of a time when intra-European borders were not just imaginary lines, but real commercial bulwarks where tariffs made things difficult for imported products.

A condition that made it difficult to enter the terrain of brands such as FIAT, but that Renault was able to solve briefly thanks to the pact with an Alfa Romeo that still had three decades of autonomy left before falling under the Agnelli family and its FIAT empire in 1986. Of course, we must not forget that we are talking about Italy. A country where business and private fortunes intersect with state policies since long before the Berlusconi era. The perfect context to interpret a work where commercial interests and political obstacles accompany the history of the Renault 4L manufactured by Alfa Romeo.

RENAULT 4L ALFA ROMEO. THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND

Nicolas Machiavelli has been attributed so many quotes that it is already difficult to know which one was and was not actually written by him. However, the truth is that the maximum "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" it perfectly sums up much of his thinking about how to seize power. In fact, this idea is behind many war conflicts. But also on the basis of many business alliances of our time. A good example of this is what happened between 1959 and 1964 with Alfa Romeo and Renault, which joined forces to besiege the common enemy: FIAT.

But how did this situation come about? The best thing will be to go by parts. First of all, Renault was very interested in entering the burgeoning Italian market. Demanding new, better-made products, the new postwar middle classes were a perfect audience for the Dauphine. And that's not to mention the small agricultural owners, ideal as owners of the robust and practical Renault 4L. However, the protectionist tariffs of the moment made it impossible for the French brand to compete on an equal footing with FIAT. Situation through which Alfa Romeo enters.

And it is that, although today it may seem implausible to us, the competition between Alfa Romeo and FIAT existed until 1986. Year in which the Agnelli family took control of Alfa, placing it under the FIAT umbrella after decades in which the Institute per la Ricostruzione Industriale was the dominant factor in it. Thus, the play is clearly summarized with the Machiavellian quote. Thus, Renault used the Alfa Romeo factories in Portello and Pomigliano to manufacture the Italian Dauphines and 4Ls, thus circumventing the obstacles imposed by import taxes.

THE POWER OF FIAT OVER THE STATE. 9 CENTIMETERS TO UNDERSTAND A FAILURE

Everything seemed simple for the agreement between Alfa and Renault. A smoothly paved road on which the success of the new Renault 4L would travel. A competitive model capable of overshadowing the popular range FIATs, which would also be marketed in the Alfa Romeo dealer chain itself. An assured success from the Alfa Romeo factories in southern Italy, only differentiated from the original model in details such as a 100cc engine more or a different change. Because there were few differences, the Italian-style Renault 4L kept the original logo instead of replacing it with the Alfa Romeo one.

However, and as Machiavelli himself already warned, using these alliances can also turn against you. Obviously FIAT did not sit idly by. Using all the power and influence of the Agnelli saga over the governments of the Christian democracy, the FIATs achieved a change in the car tax system. From the beginning of the sixties the tribute would not be calculated on the displacement of the engine but on the length of the body. An unexpected operation, which favored the FIAT 850 for being nine centimeters shorter than the Renault 4L.

A blow that raised the prices of this unexpected variant of the popular French car, making it less attractive as the months passed. In fact, it was only in production for two years: from 1962 to 1964. Defeated by the company-state conjunction, the agreement between Alfa Romeo and Renault disappeared with the departure of the last Renault 4L from the assembly line of the Pomigliano factory. Now, some sixty years later, only two things remain from that adventure: a few units of the Italian 4L and the realization that, over the centuries, Machiavelli has already synthesized not a few key ideas about the management of power.

Photographs: Renault

What do you think?

72 Points
Upvote Downvote
avatar photo

Written by Miguel Sánchez

Through the news from La Escudería, we will travel the winding roads of Maranello listening to the roar of the Italian V12; We will travel Route66 in search of the power of the great American engines; we will get lost in the narrow English lanes tracking the elegance of their sports cars; We will speed up the braking in the curves of the Monte Carlo Rally and we will even get dusty in a garage while rescuing lost jewels.

Subscribe to the newsletter

Once a month in your mail.

Thanks a lot! Do not forget to confirm your subscription through the email that we have just sent you.

Something has gone wrong. Please try again.

60.2 kHappy fans
2.1 kFollowers
3.4 kFollowers
3.8 kFollowers