It would be fair to say that the Frégate endured a problematic career. For one thing, the development time before it debuted at the Paris Motor Show in October 1950 was limited. Shortly afterwards, the Minister of Defence informed La Regie’s chairman, Pierre Lefaucheux, of a ban on introducing new models starting on 1st January 1951. To make matters even more challenging, the government planned to requisition the new Flins factory to cope with their military demands in Korea and Indochina.
Renault planned to hurry the Frégate’s introduction, hoping that a positive reaction would cause the government to abandon its scheme. It was, after all, a handsome six-seater with contemporary looks, excellent brakes and an all-independent suspension. Unfortunately, the early models suffered from body vibrations, while the 2-litre ‘big four’ engine had a vast appetite for oil. Some directors of La Regie considered delaying full production until 1952, but the press was now adversely commenting about Renault’s ‘missing’ flagship.
1951 marked a virtual relaunch of the Frégate, with sales of 10,342 examples in 1952 rising to 27,878 in 1953. Alas, there were complaints about quality problems, notably the rear shock absorbers, while Renault had to
