Renault Fregate Ondine Cabriolet

Vehicle Overview

The Renault Fregate Ondine Cabriolet body was built in steel, on the base of the Amiral, the car was shown with luxurious equipment, including radio, leather seats and fitted luggage. Its beautiful design was the work of coachbuilder Ghia. This model met with much acclaim, but the high price of the car signaled the end of its future at the end of the show. However, this project did not completely disappear into oblivion, as in 1957 three polyester models were presented in the Renault workshops. Their numbers were: 741, 742 and 743. The last two, and the model exhibited at the Paris Salon in 1953, seem to have disappeared, since many years of research have failed to trace them. The one that seems to have survived is 741. According to the record books at Régie Renault, this Renault Fregate Ondine Cabriolet was delivered to the Garage Rey on 15 April 1957. The garage then sold the car on June 20 of the same year to an owner in the French Alps. From 1957, we have no records on the car till it reappeared in January 1968, still in same region, when it belonged to a Mr. Marcel Giron, who remembers that this car was used by Edith Piaf before he acquired it. The file provided by the current owner gives a list of five names who confirm that this Renault Fregate Ondine Cabriolet would have indeed been made available to the famous singer for advertising purposes during the period between 1953 and mid-1957. History records that the Régie Renault had actually resorted to such practices. Another of these Renault Fregate Ondine Cabriolet had been entrusted to Mr Jacques Goddet, director of the Tour de France cycling race, in 1955, and was placed at the head of the advertising caravan and admired by millions of people.

Photo courtesy of Artcurial.