1912 Renault Type CB Coupe De Ville

Louis Renault was the black sheep of his family. Brothers Marcel and Fernand went to university while Louis barely finished primary school. He got a job as an apprentice mechanic at companies including DeDion and Serpollet, and because his father was rich, he could afford a car in spite of it all. He built his first car - a DeDion-engined vehicle with shaft-drive in 1898 - in the backyard of his parent's house.

At a time when most cars looked very similar, the Renault was most noteworthy for its very sleek sloping nose. The radiator, so prominent on all other cars, was positioned behind the engine giving the Renault a unique and instantly identifiable look. While most of its competitors had chain drive, all Renaults had shaft drive, eliminating a part of the car vulnerable to damage due to dust and the atrocious roads of the period.

This stunning example was purchased in March 2000 from Arthur C. Doering of Grand Rapids, Michigan, who found the Renault in the storage warehouse of a restoration shop in Chicago. Doering contracted for a professional restoration in 1985, and upon completion won numerous awards including best of class at the Meadowbrook Concours. In June 2001, 3 R. Automotive in Denver did a complete 'nuts and bolts frame off' restoration to a 100 point car.

This Renault is identical to the Renault that was used in the opening scenes of the movie Titanic. Further investigation led to the 20th Century Fox research department, who confirmed that they had determined from the Lloyds of London insurance records that there was a 1912 Renault Towncar still in the Titanic that had been owned by William Carter (who survived the sinking and later filed an insurance claim for $5,000).

This car received an invitation to the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in the 2004, where it completed the 50 mile tour and during the show received considerable attention from the media, newspaper, magazine and TV. Next was the 2005 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, where the car also completed the 50 mile tour and won the Award for Best Presentation of Fashion and the Automobile. Most recently, the Renault was invited to the inaugural Rocky Mountain Concours d'Elegance held at the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs September 1-2 of this year, where it won Best in Class, winning over the 1910 Simplex (ex-Otis Chandler) which had won Best in Class at Pebble Beach in 2004.

This 35 horsepower Renault, serial number 34021, has recently emerged from a three-and-a half year restoration. The Coupe de Ville body style translates from the French as a town car. Power is supplied by a Renault-built 7.5 litre, six-cylinder motor.

The Renault Towncars were popular with wealthy Americans; many ordered them in contrasting 'flashy' colors, and preferred the varnished natural wood wheels.