Heller Estafette Highroof

It is often assumed that the Renault 4 (Ref. Heller 80759), which was launched in 1961, was the first front-wheel-drive car from Renault. This is not the case. It was the Renault Estafette utility vehicle from 1959. At that time, the French competitors were the Peugeot D3A/D4B and the Citroën Type H (Ref. Heller 80768). In Germany, VW offered the bus with a rear engine. Ford had the Taunus-Transit, which had a very similar aesthetic to the Estafette, featuring a front engine and rear-wheel drive. The Estafette was based on Citroën's front-wheel-drive system, providing a large, flat loading area, four independent wheel suspensions, a side sliding door, and a three-wing rear door. It was initially produced as a van with an 800 kg payload, later increased to 1000 kg from 1965, available with either a flat or high roof and a short or long wheelbase. By 1980, more than 500,000 units had been produced, making the Estafette a symbol of its time.