In the 1950s, car catalogues relied less on photographs than on drawings; the major car companies employed several illustrators, some of whom became quite famous. In France, brands such as Renault and Peugeot, but also Simca and brands that no longer exist, such as Salmson and Panhard, presented their new models... in drawings. In vivid colours, sometimes with characters, they were truly appealing. Here we have a good example in this first brochure presenting Renault's big new model for 1951/52, the new Fregate with a two-litre engine.
In the spring of 1951, Renault's press department prepared the first advertising sketches for its extraordinary new model, the 2-litre Fregate. The first catalogue featured four beautiful full-colour designs of what the new model would look like, plus the inside pages showing only the new interior, including the seats, boot and dashboard. After extensive testing with prototypes, the model was finally unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 1951, with the first units delivered in early 1952.This catalogue here in my hands is the Spanish version, which probably came out a little later. It is striking that the interior remains the same, with only the model details and the four eye-catching drawings, but with one peculiarity: on the back of each drawing, the model is presented in photos, something that was not included in the first original.
As we have said on other occasions, these eye-catching documents are highly sought after today and fetch good prices on the market, provided they have been kept in good condition. They are very beautiful to look at.
