1914 Renault EF

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 and immediately ahead of the driver giving the Renault a unique and instantly identifiable look. While most of its competitors had chain drive, all Renaults had shaft drive protecting a part of the car very vulnerable to damage thanks to the dust and atrocious roads of the period.

As Renault was not building bodies in 1914, the $3,000 bare chassis was shipped to the Renault Freres Selling Branch in New York City and on to Locke & Co. in Manhattan to have its Victoria coachwork installed. Miss Julia Berwind (of the Berwind Coal Company family) took delivery of the car when it was completed. She had a love of automobiles and was one of the first women drivers in New England. The car was kept at The Elms, a magnificent mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. The Renault was placed in storage in 1922 until 1965 when it was sold, still in original condition. After several owners, restoration was completed in 1985. It has been part of the present owner's collection since 2008.

Renault has been producing cars since late 1897. It was founded in 1899 as Société Renault Frères by Louis Renault, his brothers Marcel and Fernand, and his friends Thomas Evert and Julian Wyer.

Renault's first car was the Renault Voiturette 1CV which was sold to a friend of Louis' father. Renault realized the potential and benefits of motor racing and entered in the first city-to-city races held in Switzerland. Their success in the race resulted in rapid expansion for the company.

In 1899, Renault introduced their first production sedan car. Soon, the company was manufacturing taxis, buses, and commercial car vehicles. During World War I, the company produced ammunition, military airplanes and vehicles in support of the war.

Renault did not build bodies. That was left to coachbuilders, both European and American, such as Locke & Company, which designed and built this unique Victoria body style for Miss Julia Berwind of the Berwind Coal Company family. During her ownership the Renault was kept at The Elms, a Newport, Rhode Island mansion.

The car was stored in 1922. Eventually, it was given to a relative and passed along to two more owners before it was restored to its original appearance.

By Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2009