1914 Renault Type EE 22cv Limousine

1914 Renault Type EE 22cv Limousine Letourneur et Marchand

Founded by Louis Renault and his brothers Marcel and Fernand in 1898, the company that would become France's biggest automobile manufacturer started humbly enough, with a solitary 1¾hp De Dion-engined prototype. By 1904 Renault was building its own engines - large-capacity fours at first, followed by the AX twin - and in 1908 introduced its first six-cylinder model despite Louis Renault's aversion to such complication. Renault exported many luxury chassis to the USA in the 20th Century's early years, opening a showroom on New York's Fifth Avenue in 1909. The company's American agency proudly described the Renault in its advertisements as 'the car that will last forever'.

Bodied by Letourneur et Marchand of Neuilly-sur-Seine this imposing limousine is built on the Type EE chassis and has a 5.1-litre six-cylinder engine and four-speed gearbox. This car left the factory on 25th March 1914 and was delivered new to Mr Grus, the brother-in-law of Louis Renault and director of the factory's testing department. It was sold subsequently to Mr Job, 'Pdg des Grands Magasins de Neuilly', then passed to his son, the French Consul in New York, USA. By the end of the 1970s the Renault was owned by Doctor Jean Lafage. Dr Lafage had the car completely restored after correspondence with Renault, and registered it in 1981 when it was ready to return to the road.

Descriptions & pictures by bonhams & Wikimedia & flickr & les-renault-d-avant-guerre