French Fancies – Gallic Grace Meets Pre-War Charm

Altogether now! On the third day of Christmas Car & Classic sent to me, three French gems. Sorry, we couldn’t resist but who doesn’t like a cuppa and some French Fancies every now and again? Mr Kipling was certainly on to something when he came up with the concept of small delicate sponge cakes with a buttercream topping, covered in three different coloured fondant toppings, all finished with a drizzle of chocolate. As a tasty treat they’re pretty damn good and as far as cake based, automotive metaphors go, we can draw a lot of parallels between these yummy, desirable tricolour sweets and the three particularly enticing pre-war Gallic classics that we currently have for sale via our auctions platform here at Car & Classic.

Covering the “big three” French auto manufacturers; Citroën, Peugeot and Renault, this trio of ’20s delights are all from the same era and represent the type of car that was being produced in France at the time, but with each individual model maintaining its own style commensurate with the companies behind their respective badges. So, as with those multi-coloured French Fancies mentioned above, let’s dive in and take a bite of each.

1927 Citroën Type C 5HP ‘Boulangere’

Before the gorgeous, sweeping lines of the SM, Citroën was producing boxy little numbers that was de rigueur for the pre-war period and this delightful Type C 5HP ‘Boulangere’ epitomises the period. As Henry Ford was pioneering the production line in America, Andre Citroën was similarly utilising innovative manufacturing techniques and Citroën would produce around 81,000 Type Cs.

This rare example is the commercial version and features a wooden coachbuilt rear which was designed to hold baguettes, croissants and any other lovely French baked goods out for delivery, hence the ‘Boulangère’ nickname. Also fondly known the ‘petite citron’ due to its bright yellow paint the body is in excellent condition. Powered by an 800cc, four-cylinder petrol engine mated to a three-speed manual gearbox the car is reported to be it to be in good mechanical order.

1928 Peugeot 172 M

Colloquially known as the 5CV, Peugeot’s range of 172 cars included four variants with 11,970 M versions like this one being produced. Fitted with a smaller 695cc, four cylinder this was a conscious choice by Peugeot in order to reducing the 172 M’s taxable horsepower. Think Japanese Kei Cars and you’ll get the idea.

In wonderfully original condition, with traditional fabric bodywork, fully functioning convertible hood and boat-tail styling this vintage Peugeot 172 M cabriolet is running well. The bodywork and interior does carry some charming patina but then so would you if you were 95 years old!

1926 Renault NN

The oldest of the bunch this Renault NN is a small family car that was also known as the 6CV, not to be confused with Peugeot’s 5CV above. But then the distinct difference here is the absence of any ugly grill. This is because back in the early ’20s Renault was building cars with the radiator behind the engine, in this case a 951cc four-pot mated to a three-speed manual gearbox.

Benefiting from previous restoration work the car is in great mechanical condition and is well-presented throughout, considering its age. The folding hood make this a perfect and characterful pre-war classic for summer jaunts.

Over a century of success has meant that Renaults, Citroëns and Peugeots are common sights on our roads nowadays, however, examples of this vintage and history are much harder to come by. Cars from this era exhibit a simple charm that’s hard to find in the 2020s, and these three French Fancies present an excellent opportunity to capture some of that Gallic magic, so why not get involved for your chance to add some vintage motoring magnetism to your life this Christmas? Oooh la la and joyeux noël!