A royal convertible and an Italian coupé
This is another one of those chance discoveries during research that didn't find their way into the finished article because they would have led too far away from the actual topic, but are too curious to go unmentioned. Although the Renault Frégate is generally regarded as a failure, it achieved something that few cars have been able to do.
During a four-day state visit to Paris in April 1957, a Frégate cabriolet from Letourneur & Marchand was also allowed to chauffeur Queen Elizabeth II of England. And what do you see as a royal tourist in the French capital? Of course, the opera, the town hall - and a car factory. More precisely: the Renault plant in Flins-sur-Seine. That's why it's not her husband Prince Philip sitting next to her, but Renault boss Pierre Dreyfus.
Incidentally, the coachbuilder from Neully-sur-Seine was not the only one to amputate the roof of Renault's saloon - but with 69 units built, he was the most successful. Ghia and Henri Chapron also tried their hand at open-top frigates. The old master from Levallois also produced sophisticated coupés. The Motto two-door was somewhat sleeker. But no special bodywork was as racy as the Abarth Frégate with Boano bodywork. Failure can sometimes be beautiful.
