VeloceToday.com

The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

John Waterhouse

Renault Muster Australia, 2021

By

Saturday morning’s lovely display in a Yass Park.

Story and photos by John Waterhouse, National Coordinator, Renault 4CV Register of Australia

First Post-Covid (we hope) Australian 4CV Muster, Easter 2021

Every two years, the Renault 4CV Register of Australia meets over Easter in a country town in New South Wales at our “Muster”. They are delightful social events with no competitions! The Register welcomes all rear-engined Renault models that are derived from the post-war 4CV model and early R4s that used the same engine and transaxle. Naturally we are pleased to see other classic Renaults at our Musters and members often bring later front-drive cars from the 1970s and 1980s, and even younger cars.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

A Visit to See the Bugatti Automotrice

By

We are told that the Bugatti automobile is a Type 46. Wouldn’t it have been nice for the Cité du Train to have a Royale next to the Automotrice? We are sure someone can help here…

By John Waterhouse

Hot on the heels of last week’s review of the new Bugatti Automotrice book came an email from VeloceToday contributor and resident Renault expert John Waterhouse, who said he once visited the

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

The Renault 4CV Part 5: Offspring

By

Late R10 (R1192) in Australia (note rectangular headlamps). This car is one of 1200 ‘R10S’ models, unique to Australia and marking the end of rear-engined car assembly there.

Story and photos by John Waterhouse*

After the new Renault 4CV was exhibited at the October, 1947 Paris Motor show, the car went into series production. The new model’s success matched the economic recovery of Europe after World War II, half a million examples being built by 1955. A successor offering better performance and comfort and larger boot (trunk) space was the obvious next step for Renault and design work began in the early 1950s.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

The Renault 4CV Part 4: Special Bodied Cars

By

R1064 “usines” with its streamlined body before the 1953 24 Heures du Mans © Renault Communication

Story by John Waterhouse*

The new Renault 4CV was soon used as the basis for what the author refers to here as “specials”, mostly lightweight coupés of one type or another, which began to appear by the late-1940s and early 1950s.

These “specials” ranged from an unknown number of both professionally-built cars that were made in very small numbers and home-made cars that are not the subject of this article. A few coupés were made by professional organizations in numbers that ranged from very few (like the V-P coupes discussed below) to many hundreds, like the Autobleu and Brissoneaux et Lotz coupés. Some of these cars were extremely stylish and those few that were made commercially were far more expensive than the standard saloons.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

The Renault 4CV Part 3: The Competition Cars

By

Le Mans 1952 – the factory R1063 group just before the start. © Renault Communication

Story by John Waterhouse*

Read Part 1
Read Part 2

After the new Renault 4CV was exhibited at the October, 1947 Paris Motor show, the car went into series production. The new model was soon involved in competition, the first recorded example being the July 1948 “Rallye Internationale des Alpes” . After this, various private and factory (“usines”) entries followed in a range of events, initially using the 760 cc R1060 model, competing in the 751 to 1,100 cc class.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

The Renault 4CV Part 2: 14 years of production

By

The author’s late-1950 R1062 car, with wind-up front windows. The characteristic spider wheels were discontinued in 1957.

Story by John Waterhouse
Author photos unless otherwise noted

Read Part 1

Background

After being exhibited at the October, 1947 Paris Motor Show, production of the Renault 4CV gradually increased from 503 cars for sale that year to a peak of 138,000 in 1955. The grand total was 1,089,918 by the time production stopped in 1961.

The Renault 4CV was the first model in France to exceed a production total of one million, quite enough to put it in the automotive history books. The outcome was more noteworthy as it was a complete change for Renault, who pinned the very survival of the Regie to the success of a small, unorthodox car that was unlike anything they had built before.

This content is for Premium Subscriber members only.
LoginSubscribe

The Renault 4CV Part 1: First of a Million

By

Renault’s first 1942 prototype (destroyed when the factory was bombed by the allies). ©Renault Communication

Story by John Waterhouse*

The Renault 4CV was a child of World War II. The German army had occupied northern France, including the Renault works at Billancourt on the outskirts of Paris and production continued, under strong pressure to provide vehicles for Germany’s war efforts. [Read more…] about The Renault 4CV Part 1: First of a Million

Renault Floride and Caravelle French Tour

By

Tour’2 France – celebrating 60 years of Renault’s Floride and Caravelle.

Story and photos by John Waterhouse

“I take this opportunity to invite you to the 60 years of the Floride next year.” Our friend Alain Traon’s email in 2018 came as a complete and delightful surprise. Alain had organised the Australian contingent at the 50th celebration of the Caravelle in 2012. The “Cara’Boucles” (Daisy Tour) event in France included some 30 Australian rear-engined Renault enthusiasts, most of us from the Renault 4CV Register of Australia. This was a huge gesture of hospitality from our French friends. Alain’s tour planned for this year in May was even more ambitious. [Read more…] about Renault Floride and Caravelle French Tour

MENU