The Renault «M-182» goes up for auction

The next auction that the house Bonhams it will celebrate in Paris it will have a remarkable Spanish color, with no less than 10 units coming from our country. Not long ago we commented on the departure of the Panhard-Levassor “M-18” from our country, and now we have the news that another of the oldest cars preserved and sold new in Spain has headed abroad.

This time it is the Renault Type G 8 HP from 1902, with a 1-cylinder, 943 cc engine and three-speed gearbox. It was bodied in France by the Clement-Rothschild company and originally sold to Salvador de Zulueta y Samá, II Marqués de Álava. This car was in the hands of this same family until its current owner acquired it in the 1950s, so to date it has only had two owners.

This Renault has been in our country for more than 100 years

This is what the "chauffeurs" of the early twentieth century saw

The tiny 1cc 943-cylinder engine

In the foreground, the Madrid-Lisbon rally plaque

Rear lighting is provided by a carbide Bleriot lantern

Pioneer, also in classic rallies

It was restored about 60 years ago, but still presents a very good state of preservation and originality. It could even be said that it has that unrepeatable patina of time that has been deposited since the distant restoration.

Apparently this Renault has had little use and it has been many years since he has been seen participating in rallies, although he wears a plaque that indicates that in the 60s he participated in a Madrid-Lisbon rally with Nicolás Franco at the wheel.

Then, it has been exposed to the public during the last decades; recently opened the Salamanca Automotive Museum could be seen in the first corridor, being the oldest car in the show.

A late registration

Later it went on to be exhibited in the museum that the Race Foundation has in the stands of the Jarama circuit in Madrid, where the photos that appear in the catalog of the British house Bonhams have even been taken, which will auction it at the "Grand Palais" in Paris. next Thursday, February 5.

This same catalog cites that the small Renault has been kept in use until today –data that we seriously doubt- at the same time that it indicates that it was "The 182nd car to arrive in the Spanish capital."

On the latter, and as we already commented in the Panhard article "M-18", It should be noted that until the 1910s a temporary vehicle registration record was not kept, which makes inconsistencies appear such as this 1902 Renault taking a positive difference of 1903 license plates with the 164 Panhard.

A wicker umbrella stand, characteristic of early automobiles

The characteristic 5-spoke steering wheel of the pre-war Renault

The identification plate of the first Renault

The Renault, in 2003, when it was exhibited at the Salamanca Automotive Museum

There is even another Renault Type G, also from 1902 and also registered in Madrid, but with the “M-11” plate. And this is so because when the registration of license plates was made mandatory, many cars that had been on the road for years they were then registered in no order of seniority.

Even so, the importance of this small Renault in the classic car fleet in Spain is remarkable, since it probably participated in the very first rallies that were held in our country.

Its estimated price is between 90.000 and 120.000 euros, so most likely - and to our misfortune - it will leave for some other European country. We'll see what happens in Paris.