Renault 4, the winner of the prestigious AUTOBEST Conquest Award – “Best Buy Car of Europe 2026″ title, has officially received its trophy during a special award ceremony held at the iconic Roland-Garros venue in Paris, France.
The ceremony took place on 2nd of June, in an exceptional setting underlining the significance of the award, given the fact that Renault served as the premium partner of the Roland-Garros tennis Grand Slam this year. So, the place of the AUTOBEST Award hand-over provided a symbolic and highly visible stage for celebrating the European motoring industry’s most important recognition.
The trophy was presented to Fabrice Cambolive, Chief Growth Officer Renault Group & CEO Renault Brand, by Dan Vardie, Founder and Chairman of AUTOBEST, on behalf of the AUTOBEST jury representing 32 European countries.
The award marks a historic milestone, as Renault 4 became the first-ever winner of the newly launched AUTOBEST CONQUEST 2026, an innovative platform that transformed the traditional automotive award process by combining the votes of professional automotive journalists with those of the public across Europe.
“This recognition is particularly meaningful as it reflects both the judgment of automotive experts and the choice of the public. It is a great acknowledgement of the many strengths of Renault 4 E-Tech electric: an electric vehicle designed to meet the needs of everyday life, combining versatility, practicality, connectivity and an emotional design inspired by an iconic model. A modern and accessible vehicle that is already winning over customers, becoming the number one electric B-SUV in France in a segment that is only just beginning its transition to electrification.
This award is also a tribute to the passion and commitment of all Renault teams who brought this project to life. And the story is only just beginning new versions will soon enrich the range, including the Plein Sud version with its canvas roof, as Renault 4 continues its journey to make electric mobility ever more desirable and accessible” – Fabrice Cambolive, CEO Renault brand, Chief Growth Officer Renault Group said on the occasion of the ceremony.
Commenting on the festivity in Roland Garros, Dan Vardie, Founder and Chairman of AUTOBEST, stated: “The ceremony hosted by Roland-Garros for handing over the AUTOBEST Best Buy Car of Europe 2026 to Renault for the winning R4 model is of impressive relevance. For the first time in our 25-year history, at this first edition of the new concept AUTOBEST Conquest, the winner was voted equally by AUTOBEST Jurors from 32 European nations and by car users coming from the same nations. Interesting enough, we received votes from another 28 nations, from America, Africa and Asia, showing a huge appeal of our CONQUEST. R4 was voted as no. 1 by the Jurors and was validated as winner by the public! This is the ultimate global accolade a car model can win!“
The first edition of AUTOBEST CONQUEST 2026 officially concluded with the Autobest Conquest Show, on March 28, introducing a completely new format and becoming the largest live independent motoring entertainment event that brought together audiences, automotive brands, journalists and live public participation in an innovative and highly engaging format.
The results of this inaugural edition confirmed not only the strong communication impact of the project itself, but also the significant international scalability and long-term strategic potential of the AUTOBEST CONQUEST platform.
By combining expert automotive assessment with direct consumer engagement, AUTOBEST CONQUEST established a new benchmark for audience participation and transparency in automotive awards, while generating substantial international visibility for participating manufacturers and stakeholders.
Following the exceptional response generated by the first edition, preparations for the next development phase of AUTOBEST CONQUEST are already underway. Together with selected strategic partners, AUTOBEST is working on expanding the platform’s international footprint, introducing new communication initiatives and further strengthening audience engagement across multiple markets.
The successful hand-over ceremony at Roland-Garros represents another important milestone in the evolution of AUTOBEST CONQUEST and reinforces the growing relevance of the platform as a unique bridge between the automotive industry, automotive media and car users worldwide.
About AUTOBEST
The AUTOBEST jury represents 32+1 European countries (Russia remains suspended), making it the largest independent motoring jury both in Europe and globally in terms of represented nations.
The AUTOBEST jury pays close attention to the automotive industry’s efforts. Investments, new automotive job opportunities, funds for green cars and technologies, and support for different regions of Europe are all carefully assessed by the jury. New in-car technologies and connectivity are also under continuous scrutiny.
ENDS
Contact
Andreea Oglan
PR Coordinator, AUTOBEST
pr@autobest.org
