Renault Rodeo. The R4 variant that wanted to emulate the Citroën Mehari

Since the XNUMXs, the automotive industry has experienced the fiberglass rage. Due to its lightness and simplicity, this material made things easier for a multitude of small manufacturers, although it was also decisive for other larger series such as Lotus, Chevrolet or Alpine. However, this was not the only alternative to materials such as steel or aluminum. Far from it, there was a network of independent companies specialized in the handling of thermoformed plastics. An extended process for the manufacture of dashboards and various panels, whose creation for Citroën was the work of the French SEAB.

However, SEAB Director Roland Paulze wanted to go further. I wanted to build a whole plastic body, which would be the perfect wrapper for a simple, light and adaptable car. A vehicle as spartan as practical, which was decisive with agricultural work and attractive for leisure hours in nature. As it was, he chose the versatile R4 from 1961 as a base. Known for its magnificent driving qualities, this was to be the support for what eventually became the Citroën Mehari.

A change of plans motivated by Renault's refusal to the project, which focused Roland Paulze's attention on Citroën. A company that he did win over with his idea, despite rejecting his prototype based on a 2CV van to replace it with his own design in the 1968 presentation. From there the Citroën Mehari and its thermoplastic body went on the market, selling more than 140.000 units in Europe. A success viewed with resentment by Renault, which bitterly regretted having rejected the idea offered by SEAB. However, trying to patch up that decision, one of the most interesting variants of the R4 was born: the Renault Rodeo.

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RENAULT R4 RODEO. A HISTORY OF SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

Perhaps one of the reasons why Renault rejected the idea proposed by SEAB was the existence of the 4 R1968 Plen-Air. A convertible, doorless version made for the diamond house by Sinpar. Company so specialized in motor transformations of Renault models that it was bought by it in 1975. Anyway, this model was not competition for the Citroën Mehari. And, while it served both for leisure and hard agricultural work, the fun design of the R4 Plen-Air only made it suitable as summer whim.

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Thus, the success of the Mehari made Renault take seriously the production of an open-body model based on the R4 with a truly versatile character. To do this, they opened an ideas competition between various designers specialized in plastics, from which no project came out capable of passing minimum quality tests. It is because of that finally the design was commissioned to Robert Broyer. Responsible for the R12 lines and member of the Renault design team, who internally presented a prototype on May 12, 1970.

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With a futuristic and geometric design, only small details such as the headlights or the wheels gave away the R4 as the basis of such a modern project. A magnificent exercise in styling more interesting than the Mehari, not least because of its clever safety bow visually integrated with the windshield through a large “U". In addition, and in a kind of act of justice towards SEAB, Renault proposed outsourcing the manufacture of the model to it. In this way, everything looked great for the appearance of this variant of the R4 bodied in plastic. Something that, finally, the French Ministry of Economy and Finance ended up destroying it.

FROM PLASTIC TO STEEL. THE FALL IN DISAGREEMENT OF THE R4 RODEO PROTOTYPE

Just as in Italy the business movements of FIAT were not understood without the decisions of the government, in France the same happened with regard to Renault. In fact, it was seen in a more conspicuous way, since the French state became the majority shareholder of the company. A situation that ended the futuristic dreams of Robert Broyer, since Finance Minister Valéry Giscard d'Estaing forced the production of the R4 Rodeo at the bodybuilder's premises Teilhol. A decision that caused a radical change in the design of the model, since this company did not have the technology of thermoformed plastics from SEAB. That is why metal plates had to be used, also changing the appearance of the R4 Rodeo to another dangerously similar to that of the Mehari.

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Under this situation, the R4 Rodeo lost much of its appeal seen in the prototype. As well as all the originality with respect to its great rival, keeping as its only advantage the legendary driving capacity of the R4. Facts that did not prevent the sale of some 60.000 units from 1970 to 1981, with up to three versions based on the same chassis less in the case of the Rodeo 6. A model presented in 1972 -two years later the R4 Rodeo- mounted on the R6 platform for a longer wheelbase. In addition, as of 1979 the Rodeo 6 was incorporated with the R5 GTL engine, making it impossible to qualify it as a derivative of the R4 even mechanically.

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By the early 80s, the look of the R4 Rodeo was already too dated. That is why in 1981 the manufacture of the model was closed, which was replaced by the dry call Rodeo despite the fact that many know it as R5 Rodeo, giving rise to the error of being able to think that it is a derivative of the Renault 5. Nothing further from reality, since the base and the engine are still those of an R4. Counting that yes with a much more modern body that, in 1984, it hosted the Rodeo Hoggar version. All-wheel drive in the manner of the Renault prepared by Sinpar which was the last exponent of a model that ended up ceasing in 1987.

Photographs: Renault Classic