Topic: Solved - NEH 2665: René Bonnet Le Mans - 1964

[Carnut]

Identify this car and from when it dates correctly, for 1 point:

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[Otto Puzzell]

 

[Carnut]

Experts?

[kwgibbs]

Am I seeing two steering wheels,or my sight is going?

[Carnut]

Am I seeing two steering wheels,or my sight is going?

I think it's a bit unlikely!

[kwgibbs]

Is this car American?

[Hiawatha]

Bristol?

[Otto Puzzell]

Am I seeing two steering wheels,or my sight is going?

I think it's a bit unlikely!

It must be huge - look how small the people inside appear!

[Carnut]

It's neither American nor a Bristol and it's not huge either!
Studying the steering wheel question again it's actually the wiper arm on the left hand side as we look at it (i.e. the right hand side of the car), that looks a bit like another wheel!  So the car is LHD.

[qwaszx]

Rene Bonnet Le Mans Luxe? 1963?

[kwgibbs]

this car looks like a one-off creation?

[Carnut]

Rene Bonnet Le Mans Luxe? 1963?

Very, very close!
Locked for you to check the date!

[qwaszx]

René Bonnet Le Mans Grand-Luxe, introduced in 1961 with its Facellia-type MArchal Megalux headlights.... Personally I think the more affordable and rustic Missile looks better. Bulged bonnet is a pity since the Renault-technology is more bulky than the former Panhard air cooled boxers....

[Carnut]

René Bonnet Le Mans Grand-Luxe, introduced in 1961 with its Facellia-type MArchal Megalux headlights.... Personally I think the more affordable and rustic Missile looks better. Bulged bonnet is a pity since the Renault-technology is more bulky than the former Panhard air cooled boxers....

That model did look very similar but this is from a bit later and is quite a bit different.
Locked for you to have another look and another try!

[qwaszx]

no idea, to be honest. the grand-luxe was the most expensive Rene Bonnet Le Mans but didn't have any racing pedigree. by that time all hopes were for the Djet actually the first practical series-mide engined sports car. in 1964 rene bonnets adventure was saved by Matra that killed the former DB Le Mans types in favor of the Djets.

[Carnut]

It seems a pity to give up now when you are so very nearly there.
There aren't many years when DB were in business between 1961 and when they packed up and they didn't make many more different models..
Have another go!  The information is out there and very easy to come by.

[qwaszx]

it is evidently a René Bonnet, the Renault bric-à-brac version of the former Panhard-engined DB le Mans. the René Bonnet is all different but shares some parts of Le MAns bodywork. especially the bulge is problematic to house the higgly positioned 1100 cc engine. last DB le Mans Panhard was 1961. 1962-1964 the Renault based versions were produced...

[Carnut]

OK. I've given you the point as you've got there really: it is the last of the Renault-DB Le Mans, from 1964

Here are a few more pictures of it:

[Djetset]

As you've hit on a bit of a specialist area of mine, it is also worth mentioning that a few Le Mans models (plus the more affordable Missilles) were briefly offered and sold at Matras (Matra-Bonnet to be exact, like by Djet) as well 

[qwaszx]

probabely to sell the stock? or did Lagardère need the time before his evolution of the Djet was fit?

[Djetset]

I suspect it was mainly to sell the remining stock of cars, with some simple rebadging (rather like all the Simcas that overnight magially became Talbots in late 1979!).