Clénet Series I
| Clénet | |
|---|---|
 Clénet Series I
|
|
| Series I | |
| Production period: | 1977-1979 |
| Class : | Upper class |
| Body versions : | Roadster |
| Engines: |
Gasoline engines : 6.6–7.5 liters (122–149 kW) |
| Length: | 4880 mm |
| Width: | 1870 mm |
| Height: | 1450 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 3058 mm |
| Empty weight : | 1630 kg |
| successor | Clénet Series II |
The Clénet Series I was the first car model from the US manufacturer Clénet Coachworks .
description
The concept
The Clénet Series I was a large, two-seat, classic-style roadster with free-standing headlights and fenders, external exhaust pipes and a large chrome-plated grille. The vehicle cited stylistic features of the early 1930s, but had no specific model. The bonnet was well over two meters long and stood in striking contrast to the small passenger cell, which was positioned just in front of the rear axle.
Clénet used technical components from high-volume models. The chassis and the drive technology, including the engines, came from the Continental Mark IV , the largest and most expensive American-made coupé at the time. The passenger cell, the windows and the doors were taken over unchanged from an MG Midget , which Clénet usually bought in junkyards. The remaining body parts made of aluminum and glass fiber reinforced plastic were tailored to these components. There was a choice of two eight-cylinder Ford engines with a displacement of 6.6 liters and 122–127 kW output or 7.5 liters and 145–149 kW. That made the cars very powerful. The top speed was 175 and 190 km / h.
The standard equipment of the roadster included automatic transmission, power steering, electric windows, an adjustable steering column and air conditioning. A sales brochure also advertised an interior made of English leather and “Danish” teak; the side vent windows had etched decorations. The choice of color was completely free. However, Alain Clénet reserved the right not to fulfill particularly unusual requests himself; He had the corresponding work carried out by external workshops.
Alain Clénet saw his car as an exceptional vehicle. In an April 1980 interview with Santa Barbara Times magazine, he stated that his car was a "reward for capitalism":
- “Our customers are people who have achieved something and they show that they have achieved something by giving themselves a small gift. Our customers say: 'When I have achieved something, I can show it to everyone else' ” .
The American press took up this approach. The vehicles of the first series received a lot of praise. Time Magazine, for example, called the car a "Rodin of the road", another magazine saw it as the "American Rolls-Royce ". Correspondingly, Alain Clénet saw his main competitor not in Excalibur but in Rolls-Royce, and he tried to measure the success of his brand by how many people had bought one of his cars instead of the British “competitor” product.
The successor was the Clénet Series II .
The dissemination
The vehicles of the first series were extremely successful. Alain Clénet had limited production to 250 copies from the start. This magnitude was reached in September 1979 when Clénet ceased production of the Series I. There are different details about how many vehicles were manufactured:
- The website linked to Alain Clénet states that 248 series vehicles were built, as well as a prototype from 1976, commonly referred to as Clénet Continental , and a special model made in 1985, which the new company owner Alfred di Mora made at the Carpinteria plant Had spare parts manufactured; the latter model is referred to by di Mora as the "Series I Designer Series".
- Alfred di Mora, on the other hand, assumes 250 series copies, to which the prototype and the special model should be added.
The Clénets were particularly popular in California. The buyers were wealthy business people and public figures such as Rod Stewart and the entertainer Wayne Newton .
The situation today
The Clénet Series I roadster, although it is a so-called neo-classic, has meanwhile achieved the status of a classic itself. At least that's the case in the United States, where there is an active owner and fan scene. Well-preserved Series I roadsters change hands today for over $ 100,000. The situation is slightly different in Europe, where the acceptance of neo-classics is generally lower. This is where the eye-catching cars come in - similar to that of the competitor Excalibur or similar. - not beyond an exotic status. However, some vehicles can also be found here. In Germany, for example, at least two vehicles are registered, in France and the Netherlands one is known and in Austria three.
literature
- George Nick Georgano (Editor-in-Chief): The Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile. Volume 1: A – F. Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, Chicago 2001, ISBN 1-57958-293-1 , pp. 314-315. (English)
- Car catalog , years 1977 to 1984 (for technical data)
Web links
- Clenet Corner (English)
- Classic Clenet Club (English)
- Clénet Europa (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.clenetcorner.com/histpix/page4.jpg Santa Barbara Times April 1980 p. 31
- ↑ Clenetcorner.com (English)
- ↑ Clenetcoachworks.com (English)
