Renault Celtaquatre
| Company type | Automobile model |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | May 1934 |
| Defunct | 1938 |
| Successor | Renault Juvaquatre |
Area served | France |
| Products | Small family car |
| Parent | Renault |
The Renault Celtaquatre is a small family car manufactured by the French automaker Renault between 1934 and 1938. Its distinctive rounded shape led to the affectionate nickname “Celtaboule” ("Celtaball"), highlighting its design inspiration drawn from American automobiles.
Details and evolution
Debuting in April 1934 and commencing production the next month, the Celtaquatre was launched concurrently with the groundbreaking Citroën Traction Avant. However, it did not achieve the same market prominence due to Citroën’s more effective promotional efforts.
The vehicle was equipped with a 1463 cc four-cylinder side-valve engine that generated power at 3,500 rpm, transmitted to the rear wheels through a three-speed manual gearbox. Both front and rear employed rigid axles—a simpler mechanical arrangement compared to rivals such as the Peugeot 301, which featured independent front suspension. Despite this, the Celtaquatre's competitive pricing made it attractive: at the October Paris Motor Show, its standard "berline" saloon was offered at ₣16,900 francs, significantly less than the Peugeot 301’s ₣20,500 francs.
In 1935, the bonnet was redesigned to include horizontal chrome-trimmed vents replacing the previous shutter-style openings. Additionally, two-tone paint schemes became standard, with a ₣400 franc charge applied for single-color finishes.
By 1936, the model adopted a more streamlined design and expanded its lineup to include cabriolet and coupé cabriolet versions. The 1937 update introduced a V-shaped grille influenced by American styling cues, which remained until production ended.
In its final production year of 1938, the Celtaquatre featured new bumpers with straight slats and discontinued the coupé variant. After approximately 44,000 units were manufactured, the model was succeeded in 1939 by the Renault Juvaquatre.
Most unsold vehicles by 1940 were requisitioned for use by the French Army. In July 1941, the last batch of thirteen Celtaquatres was transformed into a limited run of Renault Novaquatre models.
Specifications
- Fuel consumption: 8 liters per 100 km
- Maximum speed:
- Engine power: (8 CV)
- Braking system: cable-operated drum brakes on both front and rear
- Electrical system: 6 V battery
Types
- ZR1
- ZR2
- AEC1 (commercial version)
- ADC1
- ADC2
- ADC3
- BCR
Classification in the French tax and insurance system
This vehicle was classified under an 8 CV tax category.