1926 Renault 45MC

In 1911, Renault introduced the 6-cylinder, 7541cc, side-valve engined Type CG, which was built until 1928 in several different models. By the time it was retired, it was known as the Type NM.

This 9-litre Renault 45 CV has a 147-inch wheelbase, and the chassis alone weighs nearly 2 tons. It has the same engine and chassis as the Renault 40 CV NM that set the world speed record of 100 mph for 24 hours on July 9, 1926, driven by Plessier and Garfield of France; it was the first passenger car in the world to do so. It was originally given by the president of France to the president of Bolivia in 1926. The Bolivian president at the time was Bautista Saavedra whose initials were still visible in the rear window, picked out in gold leaf, when the current owner acquired the car. The Cabriolet de Ville body is unique as no structural wood was used in its construction, and the craftsmanship of the interior mahogany trim is spectacular.