Renault Caravelle

Renault Caravelle
Renault Caravelle cabriolet
Overview
Manufacturer	Renault
Also called	Renault Floride
Production	1958–1968 117,000 produced
Assembly	Boulogne-Billancourt and Creil, France
Body and chassis
Class	Sports car (S) Roadster
Body style	2-door coupé 2-door cabriolet 2-door convertible
Layout	RR layout
Related	Renault Dauphine
Powertrain
Engine	845 cc straight-4 956 cc straight-4 1108 cc straight-4
Transmission	4-speed manual all-synchromesh
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,265 mm (89.2 in)
Length	4,265 mm (167.9 in)
Width	1,575 mm (62.0 in)
Height	1,320 mm (52.0 in)
Curb weight	822 kg (1,812 lb) (approx)

The Renault Caravelle is a sports car which was produced by the French manufacturer Renault between 1958 and 1968. Outside of North America and Britain it was, until 1962, marketed under the nameplate Renault Floride.

Renault was envious of the growing success in North America of the Volkswagen Bug/Beetle and were looking for ways they might match the Volkswagen's success with their own Renault Dauphine. At a convention of North American distributors that took place in Florida, Renault's US dealers called for the creation of a Dauphine coupé/cabriolet which would improve Renault's image in the critical US market. Renault's chairman, Pierre Dreyfus, agreed, and since the concept had been born at a convention in Florida the car instantly became known within the company as the "Renault Floride". The "Floride" name was considered unsuitable for 49 of the 50 states of the USA, however, since it could have implied disrespect to states other than Florida. For this reason an alternative name, "Caravelle", was from the start used for North America and for other major markets (including the UK) where the principal language was a form of English.

The Floride was unveiled at the 1958 Paris Motor Show. A small rear-engined design by Pietro Frua at Carrozzeria Ghia, it used the floorpan and engine of the Renault Dauphine sedan.

The Floride was launched in the United States and Canada as the Renault Caravelle a year after its introduction in Europe.

The car was offered as a 2+2 coupe, a 2+2 cabriolet and as a convertible, the latter being a cabriolet with a removable hardtop. The 2,265 mm (89.2 in) wheelbase was shared with the Renault Dauphine but longer overhangs meant that overall the Floride was longer by a significant 320 mm (12.6 in), as well as being slightly lower and very slightly wider.

At launch the Floride, like the Dauphine on which it was based, came with an 845cc four-cylinder water-cooled engine mounted at the back of the car. However, the power unit on the Floride was fed using a Solex 32mm carburetor as against the 28mm diameter of the Solex carburetor on the Dauphine. The Florides making their French show debut on the stand at the 1958 Paris Motor Show came with a claimed power output of 37 hp (28 kW) SAE. By the time deliveries commenced, in early summer 1959, it was also possible for customers to specify a performance version, engineered by Amedee Gordini, which produced 40 hp (30 kW) SAE by means of various modifications to the inlet manifold and camshaft, and a compression ratio raised from 7.6:1 to 8.0:1.