Renault Manoir
| Company type | Product |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1951 |
| Headquarters | Flins-sur-Seine , France |
| Products | Executive cars (Renault Frégate, Renault Domaine, Renault Manoir) |
| Parent | Renault |
The Renault Frégate () represents an executive car manufactured by the French automaker Renault between 1951 and 1960. To meet the rising demand for adaptable executive vehicles, the lineup was broadened with estate versions known as the Renault Domaine and Renault Manoir, introduced in 1956 and 1958 respectively.
Origins
Conceived in the aftermath of World War II, the Frégate was Renault’s calculated effort to update its vehicle range and attract middle-class buyers amid France’s post-war economic revival. Although initially designed with a rear-engine layout akin to the Renault 4CV, the company altered course in 1949, late in development, opting for a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive setup. This adjustment presented additional engineering hurdles but better suited the expectations of the executive car market.
Launch
The Frégate made its debut at the 1950 Paris Motor Show, with deliveries commencing in November 1951. The assembly facility at Flins was renamed in honor of Pierre Lefaucheux following his passing and officially inaugurated in October 1952.
Production increased gradually; by 1953, sales reached about 25,000 units within France. However, it lagged behind the standard wheelbase Citroën Traction Avant, which sold roughly 35,000 units despite its older pre-war design and limited modernization.
Changes
Between late 1950 and 1953, the vehicle was marketed simply as the Frégate. Beginning in early 1953, two trim levels were introduced: "Frégate Affaires" priced at 799,300 francs and "Frégate Amiral" at 899,000 francs. The "Amiral" trim included subtle interior enhancements and upgraded twin front fog lamps replacing the single lamp found on earlier editions. For the October 1953 Paris Motor Show, exterior revisions featured new door handles and a redesigned front emblem depicting a map of mainland France with "RNUR-France," replacing the previous three-masted frigate symbol.
The "Frégate Affaires" offered a more economical alternative with a simplified dashboard, reduced interior appointments, absence of chrome bumper over-riders, and elimination of twin fog lights and windscreen washer equipment present on the "Amiral." This budget-friendly version aimed to improve competitiveness alongside the low-cost 4CV Service, although neither effectively challenged Citroën’s stronghold in the large family car market.
Equipped initially with a 2-litre type 668 engine delivering at 4,000 rpm, a facelift in January 1955 increased compression from 6.6:1 to 7:1, boosting output to . In October that year, Renault introduced a bored-out 2141 cc Étendard engine producing to address power concerns. The upscale Grand Pavois trim also debuted in 1955. The original engine remained available under the renamed "Frégate 2 Litres," later rebranded as Caravelle until production ceased in October 1957. The Domaine estate adopted the Étendard engine beginning February 1959.
In 1957, an optional three-speed 'Transfluide' semi-automatic transmission featuring fluid coupling was offered alongside an upgraded 2141 cc engine generating , thanks to an increased compression ratio from 7.0:1 to 7.5:1.
The model for 1958 received a redesigned front grille that eliminated the broad chrome oval and horizontal bars introduced earlier, replacing them with thinner bars that had been used since 1955.
Domaine and Manoir
The Renault Domaine, a station wagon version, debuted in 1956 equipped with a 64 PS 2-litre engine, which was later enhanced in February 1959 to the 2141 cc Étendard powerplant. The upscale estate model, Renault Manoir, made its entrance in October 1958, boasting the inclusion of the "Transfluide" automatic transmission as standard equipment.
Sales
Citroën solidified its dominance in the large saloon segment by introducing the innovative DS in 1955, followed by the more budget-friendly ID in 1957. The Frégate reached its highest sales volume with 37,717 units sold in 1955 but experienced a steep decline to 24,608 in 1956 and further down to 9,772 in 1957. This downward trend continued as competition intensified from both Simca and Citroën during the late 1950s. Production ceased on 18 April 1960, after only 1,158 vehicles were manufactured that year, bringing the total output at the Flins-sur-Seine plant to 163,383 units.
The Frégate's lackluster market performance has been linked to initial reliability problems, insufficient engine power, and fierce rivalry from Citroën's offerings. Political dynamics also played a role; following Renault's post-war nationalization and controversies surrounding Louis Renault's demise, many wealthy buyers gravitated toward private companies such as Peugeot. Moreover, Charles de Gaulle’s return to presidency in 1958—an advocate of the Citroën DS—further influenced Renault’s market share. Notably, only a single long-wheelbase "presidential special" Frégate was ever produced.
Production
Production figures for Renault Frégate (units):
- 1952 ... 18,153
- 1953 ... 25,192
- 1954 ... 34,258
- 1955 ... 37,631
- 1956 ... 24,608
- 1958 ... 9,772
- 1959 ... 4,232
- 1960 ... 1,158
(Note: These numbers do not include production of the Domaine estate.)
Replacement
Following an agreement signed in 1961 with AMC, Renault began marketing the imported Rambler Classic Six (starting with the 1962 model year) under the name Rambler Renault as a successor to the Frégate.
Starting on 11 April 1962, Rambler Classics were assembled from CKD kits at Renault’s facility in Vilvoorde—known as the Vilvoorde Renault Factory. These executive car models were distributed by Renault across Algeria, Austria, Benelux, and France.