Chassis 102304

• Rare Phaeton Landaulette coachwork by Kellner et Ses Fils in an attractive color scheme
• Formerly owned by Bill and Ann Klein and part of the Mullin Collection from 2003
• Handsome high-quality restoration that has aged gracefully
• Fully folding top allowing both formal and open-air motoring

Few automobiles better express the scale and grandeur of prewar French luxury than the Renault 40 HP. Introduced in 1911 and produced in various forms through the late 1920s, the “Quarante Chevaux” sat at the top of Renault’s range and combined the marque’s unmistakable styling with truly monumental proportions. Its vast 9.1-liter six-cylinder engine and immense chassis gave the model a presence worthy of the finest luxury automobiles of the era, while Renault’s signature brass-trimmed “coalscuttle” bonnet ensured it could never be mistaken for anything else.

This 1922 Renault Model JV 40 HP is fitted with handsome Phaeton Landaulette coachwork by the renowned Parisian firm Kellner, configured so it may be enjoyed either as an open-drive limousine or as a touring car. With its fully folding top, generous passenger accommodation, and elegant proportions, the body combines formal presence with a surprising degree of versatility.

According to the Renault Certificate, this car was supplied new in the United States through Renault’s New York agency in 1922. By the 1970s it had entered the well-known collection of Bill and Ann Klein of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, before passing in 1973 to Bud Josey of Dunedin, Florida.

The car subsequently returned to Europe, where it spent nearly three decades in German and Swiss collections before joining the celebrated Mullin Collection in 2003. Its long residence there placed it among one of the most important assemblages of French automobiles in the world and further underscores the significance of this remarkable Renault.

Presenting in a handsome black and white exterior, the 40 HP wears a gracefully weathered, high-quality restoration. The polished nickel trim offers a stunning contrast to paint scheme that has mellowed with age in a way that suits the car particularly well that highlights the scale and formal character of the Kellner coachwork.

The fully folding top adds welcome versatility, allowing the Renault to transition from formal enclosed motoring to open-air touring, The brown leather chauffeurs compartment displays signs of gentle use, while the passenger compartment, adorned in gray wool broadcloth, is equipped with jump seats.

Mechanically, the monstrous 9.1 liter six-cylinder powerplant gives the car the sort of graceful, effortless character, with loads of torque at the ready, as expected of Renault’s flagship model.

Accompanied by its Renault Certificate of Authenticity, this 1922 40 HP combines impressive provenance, rare Kellner coachwork, and the unmistakable grandeur of one of France’s great early luxury automobiles. Rarely seen in the United States and beautifully suited to concours, tours, and collections of significant French motorcars, it represents an exceptional opportunity to acquire one of Renault’s most imposing and distinguished creations.

Offers welcome and trades considered.

$139,500

Stock number 8161