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In 1898, Alfred Renault, choosing not to go into the family button business, built a small car in a workshop in the garden of his family’s home. The “Type A” was shown at the 1899 Paris Salon. The 4CV symbolizes Renault’s rebirth following massive bomb damage during World War II. Following development work conducted under […]

Deutsch-Bonnet was a partnership between Charles Deutsch and Rene Bonnet that began in 1938 to build race cars. D-B cars were very successful on the racing circuit and dominated the world’s race tracks through the 1950s and early 1960s. In 1961 the partners split. Deutsch wanted to continue using Panhard running gear on their race

In 1956, Renault announced the Dauphine, a 4CV development. The mechanics are similar to those of the 4CV, but the body is a 3-box type. It has a welded stress-carrying center section to which the front and rear assemblies are bolted. The Dauphine quickly became Renault’s leading model. The car you see here is a

This company began in 1938 under the name New-Map and was better known for manufacturing motorcycles. While the microcar was somewhat of a novelty, it quickly found favor in the harsh post-war period. The Rolux, produced in Clermont-Ferrand, France, was originally fitted with a 100cc Fichtel & Sachs engine. The engine was mounted in the

Robert and Raul de Rovin began building cyclecars and motorcycles in the 1920s. After World War II ended, the French government encouraged the development of economy cars to get the nation moving again after the devastation of war. Low purchase price and cheap maintenance were essential. Rovin began production of the D2 — a doorless

Beginning in the early 1950s, many amateur race cars were nothing more than a street car with some limited modifications. Competitors often drove their cars to the track, raced, and then drove the car home. This is a Saab 93 model that began its racing life in the early 1960s. It has: front disc brakes,

The Saab 96 was presented at a Stockholm press conference on February 17, 1960. It was well received and proved popular. The 96 was not completely new–you will notice the front was relatively unchanged from its predecessor the 93. This model, the 96v4, received a new 4-stroke, 4 cylinder engine for the 1967 model year.

It may seem hard to believe, but the manufacturer of the Scootacar also produced railroad locomotives. The Scootacar was developed in 1957 by the Hunslet Engine Works of Leeds, Yorkshire, UK, by Henry Brown. The basic design was arrived at by having Mr. Brown sit astride the engine while an assistant drew a chalk outline

The origins of Simca date back to 1922 when Teodoro Enrico Pigozzi was sent to France to buy scrap metal for the FIAT works. Instead, he settled in France, was appointed FIAT’s main distributor, and began manufacturing cars in 1928. Early post-war Simcas followed the FIAT theme. In 1954, Simca’s purchase of Ford France allowed