Clénet Coachworks

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Clénet Coachworks
legal form
founding 1976
resolution 1987
Seat Santa Barbara , Goleta , Carpinteria , each California , USA
management Alain Clénet, Alfred Di Mora
Branch Automobiles

Clénet Series I
Clénet Series II
Clénet Series III Asha

Clénet Coachworks was an American manufacturer of neo-classic style automobiles that produced around 500 vehicles in the 1970s and 1980s. During this time, Clénet served the same market niche as Excalibur , but was significantly smaller than its competitor from Milwaukee. While Excalibur was stylistically based on a specific model in the first series, Clénet used his own designs from the start, freely interpreting design elements from the pre-war period.

Company history

Clénet Coachworks was founded in 1976 in Santa Barbara (CA) by Alain Clénet. Clénet, born in 1944 in Angers, France, studied design in Paris and worked as an industrial designer in France for several years . Impressed by the success of Excalibur , he decided in 1974 to try something similar himself and moved to Santa Barbara. With the help of a few donors, he founded the company Clénet Coachworks, which began production of a classic roadster in Goleta in Santa Barbara County in the summer of 1976 . The company worked in a hangar at Goleta Airport until 1979. In 1980, shortly after the start of production of a new model, Alain Clénet set up new production facilities, which were also located in Goleta. In 1981 the company ran into economic problems, whereupon Alain Clénet initially suspended production in early 1982. Alfred Di Mora, a former employee of Clénet, then took over the company and continued to run it in new factory buildings in Carpinteria (CA) from 1983 to 1986. Alain Clénet meanwhile had nothing to do with the business. Around 50 vehicles were built during this time, most of which are referred to as Carpinteria-Clénets and which are often avoided by lovers of the brand.

Clénet Coachworks finally closed its doors in 1987. The vehicles have a reputation that is far above that of most other neo-classics, and they have - but primarily in America, where such vehicles are still a particular fascination - meanwhile a lover status. Followers of the classic Clénets and those of the Carpinteria-Clénets have their own clubs in the USA and run their own websites. The associated with Alain CLENET organization Clenetcorner example only willing to take Clénets manufactured before 1984; the Carpinteria models are excluded there.

The models

The first Clénet Series I model from 1977 to 1979 was a two-seater roadster . The passenger compartment, windows and doors were from the MG Midget . The four exhaust pipes on each side of the vehicle that protruded from the engine compartment and the front bumper that pointed down towards the center of the vehicle were striking . The front fenders had no side panels. The grille was heavily divided. Three windshield wipers were unusual .

In 1979 the Clénet Series II replaced the first model and remained in the range until 1987. The cabriolet offered space for four people. The passenger cell, the slightly curved windshield , the doors and partly the hood came from the VW Beetle Cabriolet . Other distinguishing features were vertical struts in the radiator grille, the front fenders that were pulled down a little at the sides, twelve ventilation slots on each side of the vehicle behind the exhaust pipes, two instead of three windshield wipers and additional side windows behind the doors.

Between 1981 and 1987 the Clénet Series III Asha supplemented the range. It was available as a convertible and a coupé . The exhaust pipes on each side of the vehicle were omitted. The rear side windows of the coupe were angular.

The Clénet Series IV was planned as the successor to the Series III Asha in 1986, but no longer went into series production. It was very similar to the Series I. A visual distinguishing feature was the front bumper, which was carried out straight.

The Clénet Series V was a design by Alfred di Mora. It was again a roadster in the neoclassical style. Some details were changed compared to the previous models; this applies, for example, to the very bulbous fenders and the running boards. The vehicle did not get beyond the stage of mere sketches; a prototype was not made.

literature

Web links

Commons : Clénet Coachworks  - Collection of images, videos and audio files