5,027cc, Side-valve, 4-Cylinder Bi-Bloc Engine
Single Caburetor, 22/24hp (French rating)
3-Speed Manual Transmission
Semi-Elliptic Leaf Spring Suspension
2-Wheel Drum Brakes

*Owned by the same family from new
*Outstandingly original condition
*Never restored
*Maintained in working order

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

This quite remarkable car has remained in the first owner's family's possession since it was delivered new in 1913. Its owners were a wealthy bourgeois family that always favoured the Renault marque. Most unusually for a car of this age, this 22CV model remains in outstandingly original condition. It was the vendor's great-grandfather who had purchased the Renault in 1913, and the family even managed to hold onto the car during WW2, when its flat tires thwarted a requisition attempt by the German army.

Of impressive size and powered by a 5.0-liter four-cylinder engine, the Type DP 22CV was one of Renault's flagship models of the pre-WWI era. This hand-built car's untouched bodywork retains its original, now slightly faded, paintwork while the interior, divided into two compartments, is likewise exactly as it was completed back in 1913. The driver's compartment has two deep-buttoned seats trimmed in black leather (no tears evident) while the passenger compartment is luxuriously equipped in a manner benefiting what was an extremely expensive motor car. The high-backed rear bench seat is divided by an armrest and trimmed in deep-buttoned brown leather. Damask and braid has been used to line the sides and the roof, showing little sign of ageing, while interior illumination is courtesy of two small ceiling lights. A small leather-trimmed console contains a pocket watch, a mirror, a clothes brush, a notebook and pencil, and flasks for ink. A communications system enables the passengers to talk to the driver.

Contained within the history file, the family's memories, passed down from generation to generation, recall some significant episodes in the car's history, including the original purchase. This was not straightforward, as Renault supplied only the bare chassis, leaving the final specification down to the individual customer. In the vendor's own words:

'For the body, to be constructed in wood, he (the first owner) went to Renaudin et Besson, 42 rue Campo Formio in Paris. The upholstery... and the interior decoration were chosen in consultation with my great-grandmother, in particular the damask wall coverings in green. For the driver's compartment, Kirby Beard & Co was appointed (kilometric odometer and clock): this company was trusted since it supplied accessories for Rolls-Royce. The area that caused the most deliberation and controversy was the lighting: should it have an electric installation which, something my great-grandfather was convinced of, would increase the risk of fire because of the inevitable short-circuiting? Eventually a sensible solution was found: it would feature electric lighting for the interior passenger compartment only, to aid map reading! Consequently, the car had three different types of lighting: acetylene gas for the front headlights (compressed in a Magondeaux bottle on the running board), electricity for the interior passenger compartment and oil for the red lamp at the back...

'Some time later... my father chose to store the valiant Renault in the corner of his garage, waiting for the right time to put it back on the road. The years passed and he decided to put it on blocks as the tires were showing signs of wear. This initiative saved the car and ensured it would be here today...'

Wanting to preserve the Renault's unique originality, the owners never undertook any kind of restoration, and as a result this remarkably well-preserved car possesses a patina unmatched by any restoration. It is wonderfully redolent of the peaceful Edwardian era, which would soon be brought tragically to a close by the outbreak of the First World War. To sit behind the wheel of this car is to journey into the past. Worthy of the closest inspection, this unique Renault would grace any museum or private collection. The car is sold with the original owner's personal registration plate, some postcards, and the chauffeur's cap.