Renault Frégate Ondine Cabrio by Ghia

Already during the years of World War 2 Renault started planning a new model range for a possible post-war period. In parallel with the 4CV they were also already thinking about a new model for the upper middleclass and even built a prototype, but put the project into the shelf to concentrate work on the more important compact car, whose market opportunities were considered to be larger. However, then the demand for a more luxurious and bigger car grew in the late 1940s, development nearly started all over again, as the war designs were now considered obsolete. As a result, the French manufacturer presented the new Frégate at the Paris Motor Show 1950 with 60-hp four-cylinder engine. Six years later the sedan version was followed by a station wagon called ‘Domaine’ and as a choice also a 77-hp engine.

Both engine variants transmitted their power via a manual four-speed gearbox with shift lever on the steering column to the rear wheels, which for the first time were mounted to a rear axle with trailing arms. At the front double wishbones were used. Typical drum brakes all around were used to decelerate the car. At the end of the production in 1960, the last of a total of 163,383 copies of the Frégate left the factory. Until 1975 Renault didn’t produce another vehicle for the upper middleclass. In addition to the sedan and the station wagon, Renault delivered just a few naked chassis of the Frégate to external coachbuilders.

In 1953, a special Frégate debuted at the booth of Ghia at the Paris Motorshow. It was a convertible, baptized Ondine Cabrio, with a design made by Luigi Segre, built in steel. The car got leather seats, a car radio and fitting luggage. Although there were many admirers, few were willing to pay the high price for such an exclusive vehicle, so a low-volume production was discarded. Nevertheless, there were three interested customers, who finally got in contact with Ghia and got reproductions of the Ondine design with polyester bodywork from 1957. While the original concept car and the two replicas with internal numbers 742 and 743 are considered lost today, the car with number 741 exists to this day.

According to the order books of Renault, this vehicle was delivered to the Garage Rey in Southern France on April 15, 1957, who sold it to its first owner somewhere in the French Alps in June. Until January 1968, there are no records of the exact whereabouts and possible ownership changes, but then it reappeared with a Mr Marcel Giron in the same area. According to his memories, the Frégate could have been previously used by the singer Edith Piaf, but this can’t be proven. However, it is quite possible that Renault bought back the car and made it available to her for advertising purposes, as the same was made with a sister car for Jacques Goddet, the founder of the Tour de France bicycle race. It is certain, however, that between 1969 and today another eight owners followed. One of them extensively restored it over four years in the 1990s.

Now, the unique convertible with its fold-up rear bench is ready for auction at Artcurial during the Retromobile Paris. A hammer price in the range between 80,000 and 100,000 euros is expected.

Images: Artcurial, Xavier de Nombel