Renault Dauphine

The Renault Dauphine was launched in 1956 to replace the highly successful Renault 4CV. Like the 4CV, the Renault Dauphine used a single-shell monocoque body. It was a 4-door saloon design as was the 4CV, but it lacked the rear-hinged “suicide doors” of the 4CV. It was also heavier and 12 inches longer than its predecessor, but used the same engine, albeit a version increased in size and power from 760 cc to 845 cc and 19 hp to 32 hp (14 kW to 24 kW) (the Renault Dauphine was infamously slow: Road & Track magazine measured the Renault Dauphine’s 0-60 mph acceleration time as 32 seconds). The Renault Dauphine was originally intended to be called the Corvette, but was changed to Dauphine to avoid confusion with the recently-launched Chevrolet Corvette.