One of Renault’s pre-WWI flagship models, this Type 22/24 HP Coupé-Chauffeur was purchased in 1913 by a family that retained unbroken ownership for over 100 years. Its hand-built, wooden coachwork by Renaudin et Besson of Paris envelopes the Renault-supplied chassis and four-cylinder engine. The elegant interior of the passenger compartment is representative of luxury motoring for the period. Lined in green damask and braid, the interior features a high-backed, deep-buttoned, brown-leather bench seat as well as innovative electric lighting and a small leather-trimmed console that houses a pocket watch, mirror, clothes brush, and ink flasks. A communications system connects passenger and chauffeur, who are separated by a windowed partition with drawable shades and two additional folding passenger seats.

The driver’s compartment features two buttoned, black-leather seats, a brass kilometric odometer, and an overhead canopy that attaches to a two-piece, adjustable windscreen. Brass accents extend to the exterior of the vehicle, as well as engine components. Currently under the care of well-known automotive restorer Jan Voboril, the vehicle continues to present beautifully in unrepeatable original condition and has been used sparingly.

With all the hallmarks of elegance and craftsmanship that define the pre-WWI era, and a level of patination that can only be achieved over a century, this completely original Renault is a worthy addition to any collection of early 20th-century vehicles.