1920 Renault Type EU

The Renault company was founded by Louis Renault and his brothers Marcel and Fernand in 1898 and would become France's biggest automobile manufacturer. Their existence began humbly enough, with a solitary 1.75 horsepower De Dion-engined prototype. By 1904, the company was building their own engines, initially being large-capacity fours, followed by the AX twin - and in 1908 introduced its first six-cylinder model. Louis Renault had been reluctant to embrace the large and more complicated engine, but eventually excepted the engine and its greater potential for carrying large and stately coachwork. America was an important market to Renault during the 20th Century's early years, and they even opened a showroom on New York's Fifth Avenue in 1909. To compete with the ever-increasing levels of luxury and power being produced in America, the six-cylinder model was a necessity.

In 1913, the company introduced an improved version of its existing 12CV model. It was called the DG and was powered by a 2,614cc four-cylinder side-valve engine with the cylinders cast in pairs. It was backed by a four-speed gearbox, two wheelbase lengths were available, and featured Renault's bulkhead-mounted radiator.

In the post-World War I era, Renault returned to automobile manufacturing with a product line that owned much to pre-war designs. In the front was the iconic 'coal scuttle' bonnet with the radiator at the rear re-emerged, albeit new. Forward-radiator styles were forthcoming. All Renault vehicles now had full-electric staring and lighting, and the four-cylinder models had monobloc engines.

The Renault Type EU was introduced in 1919 at the Paris Salon and was powered by a 2,815 cubic centimeter four-cylinder unit and produced 12 French horsepower (CV). It used a 132-inch wheelbase with semi-elliptic springs all around, and a three-speed manual transmission. Front-wheel brakes did not arrive until 1923.

The Renault Type EU was produced from 1919 through 1923. Much of the coachwork for the Type EU was created by France's leading coachbuilders in a variety of styles.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2022