Highlights
- Previously modified for racing with a 1.2-litre tuned engine
- South African racing provenance from the early 1960s
- Fitted with sought-after Delta Mics racing alloy wheels
- Restored approximately six years ago
The Appeal
Arguably the best of Renault's rear-engined output after the war, the Floride (or Caravelle, as we'd know it in the British market) quickly gained a reputation as a deeply attractive little roadster with plenty of character. While it never managed to break any speed records, this really wasn't the point. The gleefully deco-focused car put personality first, and soon garnered a swathe of celebrity owners and movie appearances. Early examples like this 1961 car are particularly prized for their distinctive chrome fins on the air intakes, a feature deleted on later models. In red, with the hood down, it is a genuinely pretty motor car.
This particular Floride carries a fascinating backstory. It was raced in South Africa during the early 1960s, and the vendor has tracked down the son of the original racer, who reports that the car won a number of events in its time. The modifications it carries include a rear-mounted radiator with an electric fan, a front-relocated petrol tank, and the removal of the heater box, which were all for the car's racing benefit - they left a spacious, easy-access engine bay that happily allowed rapid engine changes. Currently, it carries a tuned 1.2-litre four-cylinder under the bonnet, which is substantially larger than what the production car ever carried!
Imported to the UK in 2016 and first registered here in February 2017, the car was restored around 2020. The respray in red has held up well, though the vendor notes a few minor blemishes and cracks, and it sits proudly on a full set of Delta Mics racing alloys — wheels closely associated with Renault Gordini competition cars. It's a lesser-spotted little car that ticks plenty of boxes!
Key Information
- Mileage: 10,500km on a five-figure odometer
- Country of registration: United Kingdom
- MOT status: MOT exempt but passed an MOT in 2023 without any advisories
- Technical specs: 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol, four-speed manual transmission
- Paperwork: Accompanied by handbooks, manuals and V5
The Detail
- Respray approximately five to six years old; some minor blemishes and cracks noted
- Bodywork generally appears sound
- Some scuffs and marks to the bumpers
- Fitted with sought-after Delta Mics racing alloy wheels
- Four standard Renault Floride steel wheels also included
- New tyres fitted
- Underside appears solid with only gentle patina
- New mohair hood and tonneau cover fitted
- Interior is in good overall order
- Attractive black and grey upholstery
- Dashboard in good condition
- Radio fitted with excellent 4 speaker sound system
- 5th Delta Mic wheel for a spare included
- Rear-mounted radiator with electric fan
- Front-relocated petrol tank
- Removed heater box
- Tuned 1.2-litre engine fitted; no details on the tuning specification are available
- Oil leak present from the nearside driveshaft; new driveshaft seals are included
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