It was a successor to the popular Renault 4CV and inherited the rear engine solution and independent suspension on all 4 wheels, but received a more modern bodywork.
French folk car
The Renault Dauphine shaped the car fleet of the 50s and 60s. It took the French market by storm and topped the sales charts when it arrived. Production began in the spring of 1956 and continued until the end of 1966 – and was thus produced in parallel with its successor, the Renault 8, for several years. French car manufacturers often produce both new and old models in a few years. Two very special car models also shared a platform with the Dauphine, – one was the Renault Floride (later Caravelle), the other was the Alpine 108 – the precursor to the A110.
Model history
The model received some small changes about every year. A fairly big change was in 1960 when Renault introduced something they called Aerostable. It is an auxiliary suspension system that was based on air-filled rubber cushions. The purpose was to create better damping. Other changes concern seat covers and rims. There are some small exterior details that can help us date the cars. From 1958, the centrally placed chrome strip on the front bonnet was removed. From 1961, the position of the turn signals was changed from side markers to 2 round turn signals at the front and turn signals incorporated into new, larger rear lights. From 1963, the "Renault" text was removed from the front fenders. Special editions such as Ondine and Gordini were made. The Ondine was a luxurious version of the Dauphine with a delicate interior and more chrome on the outside. Gordini was a fitter, sportier version. A model called 1093 was also made – a production to homologate a model for motorsport.
Engines
Several models – from the Renault 4CV to cars produced in the early 80s used Renaults Billancourt engine. The engine was either front-mounted in cars such as the Renault 4 and 6 or rear-mounted in the 4CV and Dauphine. In all installations, the gearbox was located in front of the engine. The engines had so-called wet cylinder liners, that is, the cylinders were separate (replaceable) tubes surrounded by cooling water. The standard editions of the Renault Dauphine had an 850 cc engine with approximately 30 HP. The first gearboxes had 3 gears, later 4.
About the pictures
The cars in the main picture were photographed at a car show in Perpignan, France. The pictures of the interior and engine compartment, and the nice Gordini edition (below) were taken at the monthly car show in Perpignan. The grey car (in a square) participated in Fête d'auto in Palau del Vidre, 2024.
Renault Dauphine Gordinic
Renault Dauphine Cabriolet
Signed Henri Chapron
Henri Chapron was a coachbuilder who worked on many prestigious French models. He became best known for transforming Citroens into convertibles - especially the DS - which was built in an elegant 2-door variant with a canopy. Henri Chapron also designed a solution for the Renault Dauphine. The first example was ready in 1958 – 2 years after production of the standard model started. The cabriolet version then cost twice as much as the standard version. It was not a success. Only a dozen cars are said to have been rebuilt - and only a handful remain. The pictured car is therefore very rare.
About the pictures
The photos were taken at a car meet in Perpignan, France.
Click on an image to view in a larger format.
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See
Alpine A108 – A110's unknown cousin
I can't remember the last time I saw a car as beautiful as this one. When it arrived, I could clearly hear a sound I recognized – the sound of the Renault Dauphine. See more
