Renault’s eminent 4 is turning 50 this year, and in recognition the French automaker and website Designboom are holding a special competition to see who can design the best Nouveau Quatrelle. Anyone can enter, though registration is mandatory, and the top prize is a 1965 Renault 4L driven by ex-F1 driver Michel Leclère in the 2011 Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo. Works can be submitted through June 20, 2011, with the winner to be announced in July 2011.

More than eight million Renault 4’s were sold over a thirty-one year period, starting in 1961 and ending in 1992. Renault’s approach was to offer a functional, minimalist “everyman’s car” with low running costs and a sturdy five-door body. Think of it as a Gallic precursor to Toyota’s indestructibility mantra of the 1980s and ‘90s.

The Renault 4 is credited with popularising the front-wheel-drive four-door with top-hinged tailgate bodystyle – what we’d now call a hatchback. There were numerous other versions (of course) including the 4x4 Sinpar, Plein-Air convertible and Fourgonnette bread van.

We don’t have any competition entries available to show you just yet, but we'll bring you the concept designs as soon as they come out.

By Tristan Hankins