This unitary body with no separate frame design, with four-wheel independent suspension, and front-wheel drive, offered a powerful motor, capacity, and an exceptionally low loading floor.

In this period of material shortages Renault did the best they could and the 1000 kg as it became known was a success, but not on the scale of Citroën's H Series that was selling to small businesses such as shop keepers and tradesmen.

This position was previously held by the Renault Colorale van that had ended production in 1957, and left for 2 years without a successor, until the Estafette came over.

It was clear that they needed a front-wheel-drive van, but the company had just signed up to a policy of rear-engined, rear-drive models with the 4cv and the Dauphine, then under development for 1957.

[2] At launch, the engine, although mounted near the front of the Estafette, was of the same size and output as that fitted to the recently introduced Renault Dauphine.

The pickup version had a tubular frame to support the canopy which could easily be pushed forward and stored behind the cab which was closed off.

[2] The Estafette gave all it had promised, with its low floor and wide rear opening; the high roofed version were especially popular with companies having to load bulky items because although the 0.8-cubic-metre (28 cu ft) increase in capacity didn't sound like a lot, the additional height did allow a man to stand inside to help load.

[4] In 1968 a series of 70 vans were issued to the police at the Winter Olympics held in Grenoble, and this led to a long-term contract, but Renault's biggest customer for the Estafette was PTT, the French telephone company.

Created under the new Flexis Group (a partnership between Renault and Volvo Trucks), the Estafette is the first vehicle to use the company's newly developed 'FlexEVan' platform, which enters production in two years time.