Vintage Photos Capture People Posing With Their Renault Cars From Between the 1930s and ’50s
The Renault corporation was founded on 25 February 1899 as Société Renault Frères by Louis Renault and his brothers Marcel and Fernand. Louis was a bright, aspiring young engineer who had already designed and built several prototypes before teaming up with his brothers, who had honed their business skills working for their father’s textile firm. While Louis handled design and production, Marcel and Fernand managed the business.
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| People pose with their Renault cars from between the 1930s and 1950s |
The first Renault car, the Renault Voiturette 1CV, was sold to a friend of Louis’ father after giving him a test ride on 24 December 1898.
In 1903, Renault began to manufacture its own engines. By 1907, a significant percentage of London and Paris taxis had been built by Renault. Renault was also the best-selling foreign brand in New York in 1907 and 1908. In 1908 the company produced 3,575 units, becoming the country’s largest car manufacturer.
Renault made itself known through succeeding in the first city-to-city races held in Switzerland, producing rapid sales growth. Both Louis and Marcel raced company vehicles, but Marcel was killed in an accident during the 1903 Paris-Madrid race.
Although Louis never raced again, his company remained very involved, including Ferenc Szisz winning the first Grand Prix motor racing event in a Renault AK 90CV in 1906.
These vintage photos from Vintage Cars & People captured people posing with their Renault cars from between the 1930s and 1950s.
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| A lady in a black fur-collared coat posing with a Renault Monasix on a bleak winter’s day. The car is registered in the French département of Moselle, circa 1930 |
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| A mother and her children posing with a Renault Monasix in a valley dominated by a distinctive arched bridge, possibly in the South of France. The car is registered in the city of Paris, circa 1930 |
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| Two couples posing with a Renault Reinastella at the seaside, circa 1930 |
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| A cheerful lady posing in the driver’s seat of a Renault Monaquatre Cabriolet-Spider convertible on a dirt road in the countryside, 1935 |
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| A cheerful lady posing with a Renault Monaquatre Cabriolet-Spider convertible in a cobbled city street, 1935 |
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| A cheerful lady posing with a Renault Monaquatre Cabriolet-Spider convertible on a dirt road in the countryside, 1935 |
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| A fellow in a light-coloured raincoat posing with a Renault Monaquatre Cabriolet-Spider convertible in front of a rural inn. The car is registered in the city of Vienna, 1935 |
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| A Renault Monaquatre Cabriolet-Spider pictured on a country road on a bleak summer’s day. The car is registered in the city of Vienna, 1935 |
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| An elegant lady posing in the passenger seat of a Renault Monaquatre Cabriolet-Spider convertible on a mountain road, 1935 |
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| Five well-to-do French ladies posing with a Renault Vivastella. The car is registered in formerly French Algeria, circa 1935 |
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| Two stylish ladies and a fellow in a suit posing with a Renault Celtaquatre in an Alpine landscape, circa 1935 |
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| A mother and her two children posing with a Renault Monaquatre, circa 1936 |
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| An elegant lady in a white dress posing with a Renault Viva Grand Sport on a tree-lined avenue in summertime, circa 1936 |
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| Three members of a middle-class family posing with a Renault Monaquatre on a mountain road, Col du Lautaret in the French Alps, 1936 |
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| A lady proudly posing with a Renault Primastella Coach Décapotable convertible, apparently taken in the Lebanese summer resort of Broumana, located in the mountains east of Beirut, circa 1937 |
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| A fellow in a single-breasted suit posing with a Renault Vivastella on a sunny summer’s day. The car is registered in the city of Paris, circa 1938 |
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| An elegant lady posing with a Renault Vivastella on the outskirts of town in late afternoon sunshine, circa 1938 |
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| A young lady in a white dress seductively posing with a Renault Celtaquatre, 1939 |
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| Two ladies and four gents posing with a Renault Viva Grand Sport Cabriolet. The car is registered in the city of Paris, July 9, 1939 |
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| Two ladies in white dresses posing with a Renault Suprastella on an Alpine Road. The car is registered in the French département of Seine et Oise, circa 1939 |
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| A family of three posing with a somewhat battered Renault Vivastella in an urban backyard, circa 1948 |
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| Two ladies posing with a Renault Monaquatre Cabriolet-Spider convertible in the countryside, circa 1948 |
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| A father and his daughter posing with a Renault Viva Grand Sport Coupé in the countryside. The car is registered in the city of Paris, circa 1950 |
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| Lady posing with a Renault 4 CV in a cobbled street in the Swiss city of Thun. The car is registered in the city of Paris, August 1951 |
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| A blonde lady posing with a Renault 4 CV in front of the impressive silhouette of a famous landmark in Normandy. The car is registered in the city of Paris, May 1952 |
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| A lady wearing a 3/4 length skirt and a white sleeveless top casually posing on the fender of a Renault Frégate in summertime. Registered in the département of Oran in formerly French Algeria, circa 1952 |
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| A young lady posing with a Renault Juvaquatre Break in front of a brick-built factory, circa 1952 |
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| A lady wearing a silk headscarf and a woollen coat posing with a Renault Frégate on a mountain road. The car is registered in the city of Paris, circa 1954 |
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| A stylish lady in a white dress with matching beret, handbag, and shoes posing with a Renault 4 CV in the countryside, 1954 |
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| A blonde lady in a floral dress posing with a Renault 4 CV in a cobbled street in summertime. The car is registered in the city of Vienna, circa 1955 |
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| A cheerful lady posing on the fender of a Renault Frégate on a coastal road in mid-day sunshine. The car is registered in the French département of Nord, April 1955 |
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| A cheerful lady posing with a Renault 4 CV in front of an ivy-clad balcony. The car is registered in the city of Barcelona, circa 1955 |
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| A dapper fellow in a double-breasted suit posing with a Renault 4 CV in a small town high street, Diekirch, Luxembourg, circa 1955 |
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| A lady in a floral dress posing with a Renault 4 CV on an Alpine road in summertime. The car is equipped with a roof rack and registered in the city of Paris, July 1955 |
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| An adventurous couple posing with a Renault Juvaquatre on a gravelled mountain road on an overcast day, circa 1955 |
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| Three fashionable ladies posing with a Renault 4 CV in front of a historic palace. Registered in the French département of Eure, circa 1955 |
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| Three members of a middle-class family posing with a Renault 4 CV on a gravel road. The car is registered in the town of Heidelberg with black licence plates of Allied-occupied Germany, circa 1955 |
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| Two fashionable ladies posing with a Renault 4 CV on the side of a road in the countryside. The car is registered in the city of Paris, circa 1955 |
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| Two fashionable ladies posing with a two-tone Renault 4 CV on a gravelled mountain road. The car is registered in the city of Vienna, circa 1955 |
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| Two French ladies posing with a Renault 4 CV in front of the family home, circa 1955 |
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| An elegant lady and her English Setter posing with a Renault Frégate, circa 1956 |
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| A company of three posing with a Renault 4 CV on a country road in summertime. The car is registered in the city of Vienna, 1957 |
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| A middle-aged lady posing with a Renault Frégate in wintertime. The car is registered in the West German district of Böblingen, November 16, 1958 |
