Following the end of the Second World War the famous vehicle manufacturer Renault was taken over by the French government and became the Regie Nationale des Usines Renault. The nationalisation came after the founder of the company, Louis Renault, was charged with collaboration with the German occupation forces. Louis was to die in jail prior to his trial.
The new publicly owned company was headed by Pierre Lafaucheux and immediately made an impact in the peace time motoring market. The 4CV model proved popular, fighting off the challenge of foreign rivals such as the VW Beetle and Morris Minor, staying in production until 1961.
The 4CV’s successor, the Dauphine, was also a resounding success in the home market. However, sales …