Its name fuses coloniale and rurale, built for French colonial roads on a modified 1,000 kg van chassis.
Lead trim: Colorale 2.4 sidevalve (48 hp) · up to 58 hp
Renault Colorale1950–1957
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Renault Colorale yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactIts name fuses coloniale and rurale, built for French colonial roads on a modified 1,000 kg van chassis.
The Renault Colorale is a mid-size car (seen by the European standards of the time as a large family car) manufactured and marketed by Renault from 1950 to 1957 model years, with the profile of a relatively large station wagon whose styling anticipated successful Renault designs of the 1960s and, in some respects, the SUVs of the late twentieth century. Recently nationalised and enjoying booming sales of the 4CV, Renault management sought to move upmarket with a robust functional vehicle equally at home in cities or countryside and appealing to overseas markets in the remaining French empire; the name is a portmanteau of the French words "coloniale" and "rurale". It used a modified version of the Renault 1,000 kg van chassis with an all-new body and the four-cylinder "85 series" sidevalve engine also used in the van: the 2,383 cc engine, taxed as 14CV, managed only a claimed 48 hp, and at 1,640 kg the Colorale consumed petrol at an alarming rate and reached its claimed 100 km/h top speed only with difficulty. The 1953 Colorale, introduced at the 1953 Paris Motor Show, took the 1,996 cc four-cylinder recently developed for the Frégate, offering 58 hp and a top speed exceeding 105 km/h, with tax advantages from the 11CV band. The most popular versions were the five-door Prairie (six seats, nearly three cubic metres of load space) and the three-door Savane, alongside a light van and small truck; approximately 43,000 were built, and the Colorale was not a commercial success. Many second-hand Colorales, with their sturdy chassis and 4WD transmission, were converted to tow trucks, which is why few remain in original condition and they are highly collectible.
Collectors Spotted in the Renault Colorale Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Renault Colorale yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorale 2.0 Frégate engine (58 hp) | 1953–1957 | 2.0 L Inline-4 | 58 hp | 97 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Colorale 2.4 sidevalve (48 hp) | 1950–1953 | 2.4 L Inline-4 | 48 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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