Renault 3

The Renault 3 was a slightly cheaper version of the Renault 4, built in 1961 and 1962 to offer something like the Citroën 2CV: a plainly utilitarian car for firms and administrations and a way into car ownership for people on the lowest incomes, especially in the countryside. It did not win over buyers because of its weak ratio of power to price, and it was later nicknamed the ugly duckling. Only 2,526 were made, and since owners used them hard for work they survive rarely, which makes them sought after by collectors today. The name comes from its three fiscal horsepower, against four for the Renault 4. It looks exactly like the Renault 4 but has a 603 cubic centimetre four-cylinder engine with its own three-speed gearbox, and it was trimmed very basically, with no heater fan, no chrome and no door panels. It was delivered only in grey.