It exists because Renault's own American dealers demanded a Dauphine coupe at a Florida sales convention.
Lead trim: Floride 845 cc (37 hp SAE) · up to 55 hp
Renault Caravelle1958–1968
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Renault Caravelle 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.
FactIt exists because Renault's own American dealers demanded a Dauphine coupe at a Florida sales convention.
The Renault Caravelle is a sports car manufactured and marketed by Renault from 1958 to 1968 in a single generation, a rear-engine, rear-drive two/four-seater coupé or convertible designed by Pietro Frua of Carrozzeria Ghia, sharing its floorpan and engine with the Renault Dauphine. The Floride was presented at the 1958 Paris Motor Show and launched in the United States and Canada as the Renault Caravelle a year later; outside North America and Britain it was marketed as the Floride until 1962, when the Caravelle name replaced it everywhere. It grew from Renault's US dealers calling, at a convention in Florida, for a Dauphine coupé/cabriolet to improve the brand's image in the critical US market and match the Volkswagen Beetle's success. At launch it had the Dauphine's 845 cc rear-mounted water-cooled four-cylinder with a claimed 37 hp SAE, with a 40 hp SAE Gordini-engineered performance version from early summer 1959; in March 1962 it received the new 956 cc "Sierra" five-bearing engine (also used by the Renault 8) with 48 hp and disc brakes on all four wheels, making it the first French volume car so equipped; in 1964 an 1108 cc R8-derived engine with 55 hp arrived. Autocar tested the 1108 in November 1965 at 89 mph and 0–60 mph in 17.8 seconds, performance closely matching the contemporary Triumph Spitfire 4. About 117,000 were produced.
Collectors Spotted in the Renault Caravelle Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Renault Caravelle yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
4 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caravelle 1108 cc (55 hp) | 1964–1968 | 1.1 L Inline-4 | 55 hp | — | 17.8 s | RWD | — | — |
| Caravelle 956 cc (48 hp) | 1962–1964 | 1.0 L Inline-4 | 48 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Floride 845 cc (37 hp SAE) | 1958–1962 | 0.8 L Inline-4 | 37 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Floride Gordini 845 cc (40 hp SAE) | 1959–1962 | 0.8 L Inline-4 | 40 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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