The Renault 4 Has Been Turned Into The World’s Cutest Rescue Vehicle

We rather like the reborn electric Renault 4, but when we first saw it last year, ‘emergency vehicle’ wasn’t exactly the first thing that sprung to mind. Nonetheless, it’s been turned into one in the shape of the Vision4Rescue concept, a demo car designed with the emergency services in mind.

It uses the recently-revealed 4 Savane concept as its base, meaning it gets its ground clearance jacked up by 15mm and a second motor on the rear axle for permanent all-wheel drive.

To make it ready for emergency action, though, it’s been kitted out with beefed-up bumpers and a host of extra lights. The red shock absorbing bits on the bumpers supposedly reference the distinctive two-tone sound made by French emergency sirens, which is extremely cute, even if we’re not entirely sure how it works.

Up top, an observation drone and a range of communications equipment live inside that aero-friendly roof box, all designed to help reestablish communications in a disaster area. In fact, software and electronics are a big part of the Vision4Rescue, as it’s been developed alongside French electronics conglomerate Software République.

They’ve also helped turn the 4’s interior into a ‘mobile command centre’, with the new split tailgate opening out on a sliding desktop that takes the place of the parcel shelf. Beneath it are a pair of pull-out storage boxes for all the bulky gear firefighters might need.

Clearly, it’s the fire brigade that the Vision4Rescue’s been designed for first and foremost – that much is clear in its baby fire engine livery as well as the ‘sapeurs pompiers’ (French for ‘firefighters’) graphics down the side. Inside, meanwhile, the seat upholstery is made partially from recycled firefighter’s overalls which, handily, also makes the seats partly fire-resistant.

We’re not sure if we’ll actually see something like the Vision4Rescue enter service with the French emergency services, but one thing will be sure if it does – emergency callouts will get a whole lot cuter.