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Renault Domaine - The leisure frigate

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Created on September 7, 2023

Text:

Paul Krüger

Photos:

Bruno von Rotz

28

Archiv

31

Bruno von Rotz

28

Archiv

31

Renault Domaine (1957) - spruced up with two-tone paintwork and the chrome ornamentation of the Manoir

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Renault Domaine (1957) - the estate version of the Renault Frégate

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Renault Domaine (1957) - Open technology: powerful hinges and exposed cable for the license plate illumination

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Renault Domaine (1957) - Half measures: Overlong loads can either protrude from the top or the bottom

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Renault Domaine (1957) - two-part tailgate based on the American model

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Renault Domaine (1957) - the single hand at the top of the steering wheel was actually first popularized by DS drivers

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Renault Domaine (1957) - nothing changed as often as the radiator grille. This one was available from 1955 to 1958 and actually only on the sedan

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Renault Domaine (1957) - The two "canines" under the license plate are the horns

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Renault Domaine (1957) - new price in Switzerland at the time 12,300 francs

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Renault Domaine (1957) - versatile, for example for apple harvesting

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Renault Domaine (1957) - versatile, for example for apple harvesting

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Renault Domaine (1957) - Mudguard with protective corner by Robri. In contrast to the sedan, the exhaust exits laterally in front of the rear wheel

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Renault Domaine (1957) - Yellow headlights were obligatory in France from 1936 to 1992. From 1959, the indicators extended around the side

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Renault Domaine (1957) - National pride: badge of the "Régie Nationale des Usines Renault" in the radiator grille

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Renault Domaine (1957) - Limousine lettering on the fender. The estate cars were never officially called "Frégate"

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Renault Domaine (1957) - Unlocking handle for the upper tailgate and lettering on the lower tailgate

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Renault Domaine (1957) - Danger of confusion: the knobbly light above the mudguard is not the blinker, but the parking light

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Renault Domaine (1957) - The brochure promised up to 2000 liters of load volume. The folding rear seat should actually also have wooden ribs

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Renault Domaine (1957) - Windshield very close to the steering wheel, padded lower edge of the dashboard

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Renault Domaine (1957) - skinny bakelite steering wheel, even with lock, in front of painted dashboard

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Renault Domaine (1957) - Confusion: the small lever on the right operates the indicators. The spoon on the left is the rotary switch for the headlights

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Renault Domaine (1957) - Instrument cluster with speedometer, remote thermometer, fuel gauge and ammeter. The Affaires and Domaine did not have an odometer and a timer

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Renault Domaine (1957) - Radio panel with three-masted frigate. There is no loudspeaker underneath, but a second glove compartment

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Renault Domaine (1957) - Despite everything a utility vehicle: Simple bench seat with gray leatherette upholstery

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Renault Domaine (1957) - "Étendard" four-cylinder engine with 2.2 liters displacement and 77 SAE hp

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Renault Domaine (1957) - The air filter has a similar volume to the engine

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Renault Domaine (1957) - Rhombus-shaped type plate and oval body number. Underneath, instructions for warranty and tire pressure

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Renault Frégate (1951) - Pre-series vehicle with only two struts in the radiator grille

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Renault Frégate (1952) - with factory registration on the highway

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Renault Frégate (1952) - presented in its final production form in Geneva

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Renault Frégate Amiral (1954) - with fog lights and whitewall tires as standard

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Renault Frégate Amiral (1955) - with the new, oval radiator grille

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Renault Frégate Grand Pavois (1956) - new luxury model with radiator grille and color-contrasting roof

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Renault Frégate Grand Pavois (1956) - new luxury model with radiator grille and color-contrasting roof

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Renault Frégate Grand Pavois (1957) - with sweeping trim and two-tone flank

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Renault Frégate Grand Pavois (1957) - two-tone seat upholstery with attractive quilting

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Renault Domaine (1957) - in the snow

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Renault Domaine (1957) - ideal for vacations, especially with Notin-Caravan

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Renault Domaine (1957) - The ladies are laughing: a lot can be done on two meters of loading space

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Renault Caravelle (1957) - the economy version of the Frégate in its last year

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Renault Frégate Cabriolet (1958) - bodied by Letourneur & Marchand in 69 examples

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Renault Frégate Transfluide (1958) - with three-speed semi-automatic transmission

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Renault Frégate Transfluide (1958) - Gear indicator behind the steering wheel

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Renault Frégate (1959) - facelift with grille, triangular hood emblem and larger indicators

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Renault Frégate (1959) - New tail lights for a touch of tail fin

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Renault Frégate (1959) - plenty of legroom and even more corduroy fabric in the rear

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Renault Domaine (1959) - in action for the fishmonger at the harbor

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Renault Frégate (1960) - living up to its name, of course, at the harbor

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Renault Manoir (1959) - classy and practical at the same time

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Renault Manoir (1959) - Frégate luxury estate car with semi-automatic transmission as standard

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Renault Frégate Transfluide (1960) - proudly refers to the torque converter on the mudguard

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Renault Domaine (1960) - in its last version with only one blinker per side

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Renault Manoir (1960) - as a hunting car in front of the manor house

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Renault Manoir (1960) - the better equipped of the two Frégate station wagons

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Renault Projet 108 (1949) - rear-engined prototype and forerunner of the Frégate, remained a one-off

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Renault 11 CV (1949) - the Frégate forerunner in a flow test

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Renault Frégate (1953) - Transparency drawing

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Renault Frégate (1955) - Sectional drawing of the 65 HP engine

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Summary

The Renault Frégate didn't have it easy. When it was still ahead of the competition, teething troubles ruined its reputation. By the time it had finally matured, it was already considered outdated again. The estate called Domaine was no different: it was stylish and spacious - but not stylish or spacious enough. This article tells the story of the first large Renault after the war with lots of historical images and sales literature and shows a Domaine from 1957 in color.

This article contains the following chapters

Progressively premature
The Frégate for the lord of the manor
Automated to the end
Spruced up for the present

Estimated reading time: 9min

Preview (beginning of the article)

When the Renault Domaine appeared at the end of 1956, its creator was already dead. Pierre Lefaucheux, director of the Renault plants since nationalization in January 1945, had crashed his Renault Frégate on 11 February 1955 - the mid-range saloon for which he had been an advocate and pioneer during his time in office and whose offshoot with a powerful rear end only appeared six years later. Although he was the driving force behind the project, Lefaucheux was by no means the initiator. As early as 1943, a prototype for a new "Grand Renault" had been created on the basis of the Primaquatre as a competitor to the Citroën 11 CV, but ironically the liberation of France had prevented this, as the factory had been destroyed in an Allied air raid. The death of Louis Renault in October 1944 sealed the end for the time being.

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