Renault Dauphine

With cuddly looks and an old-fashioned engine, nobody would have guessed that the Renault Dauphine hid a fantastic chassis. But in reality, it was a great car to drive, thanks to its independent coil-sprung front end and optional hydro-pneumatic rear springing set-up. The best Dauphines were those from the last four years of production, as they came with an excellent all-synchromesh four-speed gearbox and four-wheel disc brakes. Standard cars struggled to reach 80mph (128km/h), but those tuned by French racing firm Gordini were surprisingly quick. A factory sporty version was also offered. The 1093 Rallye was finished in bright blue with garish stripes, and had a top speed of over 100mph (160km/h). It was only offered officially in France and Spain, but many were taken to other countries through private importers.

Renault Dauphine Specifications