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Advertisements by Renault 1961-1967

This page is not exhaustive; a complete list of my collection and what I have seen on the web can be found on the pub finder page.

This page shows a selection of R4 magazine advertisements published by Renault from the period 1961-1967 (the period of the first grille). The majority are from French magazines, but Argentina, Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, the USA and Switzerland and more also contribute. The order is roughly chronological, but I have also tried to keep series together (a more concise overview of some of the series is here), as well as ads from one and the same country. Shown directly below therefore is the oldest material I know of, published during the first few months of production in 1961. The picture was used in a number of countries (see the Spot the difference section for the various manipulations of the image). The French version reads 'the new renault' (which is also the slogan on the introduction brochure for all countries), the Italian 'an amazing car' and the Dutch 'the car you have been waiting for' (in two versions) . All mention the famous words 'Pas de graissage, pas d'eau, juste un peu d'essence' ('No greasing, no water, just a little gasoline').

1961_fr_nouvelle 1961_it_sorprendente 1962_nl_gewacht 1962_nl_gewacht

Although they are not strictly advertisements, the 6 pages published in the September 1961 issue of Paris Match including one showing 2 mannequins who reportedly were abhorred to be pictured with such an ugly little car should be mentioned too. A considerable amount of the ads in this section originates from this magazine (bonus points for those who spot the 2CV!)

1962_fr_parismatch_mannequins 1962_fr_parismatch_cowboys
1962_fr_parismatch_petite

Definitely from the very start too, but of unknown date are the following two, from Belgian magazines, both with the same Camargue photo. The left one is also known from a French publication.

famille en vogue rêeve de femme
1963_fr_savignac

The green and blue picture one on the right hand side, by Savignac, is said to be from 1961, but some claim it to be 1962 or even 1963.

Some of the oldest advertisements I possess have 'Allez-y, vous êtes en R4' (Come on, you are in an R4) as tagline. I believe that this simple sentence covers the essence of R4 so well that I chose it to be the title of this website, and start this page with it although some older ads follow later on this page. The Renault-logo is accompanied by the text 'C'est Renault qu'il vous faut' (It's Renault you need). Several different ones exist, all aiming at technical advantages like the heating, 4 independant wheels, speed and size of the boot. A Renault 4 would cost you only 5200 French francs those days! They are from 1964. Below it also a small Belgian leaflet that uses the same photo as the 'Doublez' one - I take it it is from 1964, too, stating you can double your driving pleasure for 47500 belgian francs.

1964_fr_allez-y_15 1964_fr_allez-y_chaussee 1964_fr_allezy-y_roues 1964_fr_allezy-y_hesitez 1964_fr_allez-y_rue 1964_fr_allez-y_braquage 1964_fr_allez-y_cassis 1964_fr_allez-y_une_r4 1964_fr_allez-y_regardez 1964_fr_allez-y_camions
1964_fr_allez-y_doublez 1964_be_doublez

Three more early ones (all 1962) are from the British Autocar and Motor Sport magazines, and emphasize the space the car offers. The left one also carries the slogan The Remarkable website takes its name from. The last two are from 1964, one of them showing a Parisienne-like wickerwork

1962_uk_remarkable 1962_uk_space 1962_uk_car_guide
1964_uk_shopping_room 1964_uk_miracle

Quite rare are these three from Greece, where the car was distributed by Sarakaki Brothers. I don't speak Greek and I don't have the originals, so I am not even sure if they are advertisements or brochures. The first two show the front tubular bumper and tripode hubcaps. The latter is remarkably similar to its French counterpart and 'το αυτοκινητο που σας χρειαζεται' really signifies 'le break qu'il vous faut'.

1963_greece 1964_greece 1966_greece 1965_france_voici_le_break

Already in an early stage, the R4 was sold in Australia, too:

1963_aus_4_cars 1963_aus_4_cars

As said, some advertisements predate the 'Allez-y' series. Here are some that are hard to date, among which two about the Fourgonnette (I know very few Fourgonnette ads). The first one shows mademoiselle Cornélie, who appeared in more advertisements, which deserve to be shown on a separate page. On the far right an advertisement from a november 1964 'El Pueblo' issue showing the Spanish Furgoneta.

1964_es_girafurgoneta
1964_fr_3_65_metres
1967_fr_jour_nuit
1966_be_19_ans
1966_be_votre_fils
1965_fr_utilitaire
1962_fr_surdimensionnee

From the Netherlands is 'Europe's most practical car' (1964). The right one is from 1963, Germany.

1964_nl_meest_practisch 1963_de_jetzt_dm4200

In 1963 Renault and Elle devoted a number of articles to the 'Elle prend le volant' ('she takes the wheel') campaign, in order to get more women to buy a Renault 4. The third picture from the left features model and yeye-singer Sheila. Apparently, she was contracted by Renault as she also appears in the 1964 magazine and here in the People section. On the right, the cover of her LP 'Écoute ce disque' features Sheila and her Parisienne. The same car appears here in the movie section, during a performance of 'Vous les copains'. Rumour has it that the car still exists.

1963_b_fr_elle_prend_volant 1963_fr_elle_au_volant 1964_fr_sheila 1964_fr_sheila_ecoute 1964_fr_sheila_ecoute

A bit later, about 1965, is a series still carrying the 'C'est Renault qu'il vous faut' slogan. No photos this time, but a series of nicely drawn picturesque scenes, by Philip Keller. One of them, showing a wedding, offers the first 1000 kilometers for free to newly weds. On another one, picturing a university, Renault 4 offers free driving lessons. One is devoted to the Parisienne. The keywords are: pratique, nerveuse, maniable.

1965_fr_chaumiere 1965_fr_quille
1965_fr_etudes 1965_fr_maries
1965_fr_parisienne 1965_fr_liberte

From Italy, one from 1962 and a couple of unknown age but probably between 1962 and 1965. A slogan reads something like 'The work it does for you is your right arm' (if someone knows the correct translation, please let me know). The last one reads 'The R4 is always waiting for you with open arms'. On the right, one about the Fourgonnette, in Italy called the 'Renault 845 Cargo', about 'problemi di carico' (cargo problems).

1962_it_industria it_lavoro it_lavoro 1965_it_problemi
it_oggi_vi it_oggi_vi it_oggi_vi

For 1965 the slogan in Italy reads 'A car named Renault (is sympathetic)' (un automobile che si chiama Renault e simpatia):

1965_it_automobile_racecar 1965_it_automobile_simpatia 1965_it_automobile_stairs
1965_it_automobile_field 1965_it_automobile_night 1965_it_automobile_oldcar

Also from 1965, a nice one suggesting that the R4 benefits from Formula-something racing cars. This time the slogan reads 'Pour votre satisfaction, c'est Renault qu'il vous faut'.

1965_fr_racecar

A couple of German ads, assumed to be from 1965 too, emphasizing the low price of DM 3890. 'Letzte Weisheit f¨r die Eiszeit is translated into something like 'Last wisdom before the Ice Age' and something like 'You cannot discard winter, but you can buy a car that can handle winter'. The last one, 'Tip for young folks' resembles the German 1967 and 1968 advertisements in style and slogan ('Jeder Klasse Spitzenklasse'), but the price attributes it to 1965 or 1966.

1965_de_platz 1965_de_unglaublich 1965_de_vernunftig 1965_de_eiszeit 1966_de_junge_leute

The R4 is referred to in Sweden as a 'skrytbil' (a car to be proud of; the term is used frequently in brochures too). The car is advertised as a car for her and for him ('hennes, hans'), businessmen, women and children, and craftsmen. Also take notice of two of my alltime favourites from about '68: 'Brummelibrum, what's puffing there .. Forest Inspector Hardtmann and his tough Renault 4' and '"You have a big advertising campaign for your cars, especially Renault 4. It's content is incorrect" So began a letter we recently received from surveyor Carl Fritsch, Teckomatorp'.

1965_se_skrytbil_man 1965_se_skrytbil_woman
1965_se_skrytbil_paint 1965_se_skrytbil_hennes_hans 1969_sw_skrytbil 1965_sw_brummelibrum 1965_sw_reklamkampanj

For 1966, one from Belgium, two from the Netherlands and two from England: 'Between these two scenes, there's 30 seconds and all the space a Renault offers' and 'Where a Renault wants to go, there's a road (this one also refers to the 'Vrijbuiter Club' or 'Privateers Club', a Renault 4 club that was apparently officially affiliated to Renault. It does not exist anymore). The third one, 'Wherever you look inside, you'll see breaking Renault news', refers to the new dash introduced in 1967. On the right hand side, 'The toughest car on the road goes soft' emphasizes, among other things, the new soft seats introduced in 1967. 'One million people (and their families) prefer this car to any other' informs us that, that since its introduction 4.5 years ago, 1,000,000 R4 have been produced.

1966_be_tonelen 1966_nl_wil_weg 1967_nl_groot_nieuws
1966_uk_toughest_car 1966_uk_1000000_people

In 1967, a new series of advertisements was published. The photos can also be found in the red brochure from the same year, as well as in the booklet 'La R4 de papa' (which also contains a number of drawings of photos from the 1968 blue brochure). A couple show a happy familiy (father, mother, daughter and son) sitting on a mere chassis.

1967_fr_garniture 1967_fr_30chevaux
1967_fr_seconde
1967_fr_26cm 1967_fr_carrosseries
1967_fr_deux_voitures 1967_fr_deux_voitures_break

The same family photos were also used in the UK in 1967 (mirrored, of course, and using the name 'clan-carrier'), and re-used in Germany in 1969 (with the new 1968 bumpers).

1967_uk_clan_carrier 1967_de_lugen 1969_de_welches_auto

We can be glad that the family made it to their barbecue on their chassis without any accidents, as becomes clear from this buvard (placemat) picture:

1967_fr_picnic

Here is a nice series from Germany again. The style reminds one of the 'C'est Renault qu'il vous faut' series by Keller. Judging from the details (first and second grille, second beige dashboard, chassis family, some mention 4 gears) they must be from 1967 and 1968. The slogan reads 'in jeder Klasse Spitzenklasse', which would translate into something like 'in every class top class'.

1967_de_so_recht 1968_de_lugen 1967_de_vernunftig 1968_de_typisch

In Argentina, in the same year, a different set of publications from IKA (Industrias Kaiser Argentina, the company that produced the R4 for South America). Somewhere on the page it reads 'Renault 4. For intelligent people'. On the right hand side one from Italy, mentioning the new interior.

1967_ar_baul 1967_ar_respiracion 1967_ar_liberta

Continue to the 1968-1978 section.

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this page last changed on Aug 29 13:40