24 Times The French Built Highly Desirable Cars

French manufacturers have a long history of creating unique and exciting cars. They built some of the most stylish and luxurious vehicles in the early days. In the ’70s, they built some amazingly reliable models; in the ’80s, they dominated the hot-hatchback segment.

Since then, they’ve lost the plot a little. Sure, there have been some excellent models and some brilliantly quirky ones, but they’re a bit more challenging to come by today. Still, we’ve managed to dig up 24 of the most desirable French cars ever made, and there are some modern-day gems in there as well.

Citroën 2CV

The Citroën 2CV is, without a doubt, the most famous vehicle to ever emerge from the land of the baguette. The 2CV was designed pre-WWII, and much like the VW Beetle, it was created as a people’s car.

Due to the war, the 2CV wasn’t available until 1948. It didn’t take long for its popularity to soar, and this humble machine remained in production until 1990. By then, Citroën had sold over 3 million units.

Peugeot 106 Rallye/GTi Phase 2

The Rallye and the GTi were the performance versions of the Peugeot 106 supermini. The Rallye was a lightweight version with a 1.6-liter 8-valve engine that produced 103 horsepower. It’s one of the best-handling FWD cars of its era, perhaps only bested by the Acura Integra Type R.

The GTi had a 1.6-liter 16-valve engine that produced 120 horsepower. It was easily the faster of the two performance siblings in a straight line. Some would argue it’s not as entertaining in the twisty parts.

Panhard CD

Panhard was pure automotive excellence in the ’50s and ’60s when their vehicles offered tons of performance and style. The French carmaker fell entirely off the radar in the following decades as the focus shifted to building commercial vehicles.

The CD is one of the best examples of Panhard’s know-how. When first unveiled in 1962, it was one of the most aerodynamic cars ever. It even won its class at the 24-hour race at Le Mans.

Renault Avantime

At first glance, the Renault Avantime might not look that special, but look again. This is one of the most unique vehicles of modern times. It’s essentially a 3-door hot-hatchback in the shape of a minivan.

Renault’s Avantime had a high-performance V6 3.0-liter engine with 200+ horsepower. The unit was also found in the mid-engined Clio V6. Sadly, the minivan never gained popularity, and Renault discontinued it after only three years.

Peugeot 205 GTi

The Peugeot 205 GTi arrived late to the hot-hatch party but didn’t waste any time. Its initial 1.6-liter guise showed the established Golf GTi a thing or two. Then, the 130-horsepower 1.9-liter version arrived and dominated the market.

Peugeot’s little hatchback also weighed in at a mere 1,775 lbs. It would explode from 0 to 60 mph in just 7.8 seconds, and its handling is best described as exquisite.

Citroën Saxo VTS

The Citroën Saxo saw production from 1996 to 2003, and it soon became a favorite with young drivers in Europe, perhaps especially in the UK.

It used the same 120-horsepower 1.6-liter 16-valve engine as the Peugeot 106 GTi, but the body and interior differed. Weighing just 2,061 lbs, the Saxo VTS offered excellent driving dynamics. Due to its popularity, a vast selection of aftermarket parts was available, and many owners turned their Saxos into proper track-day missiles.

Renault Alpine GTA Turbo

In the 1980s, Alpine struggled to stay afloat, and Renault eventually bought the company. The GTA was the first model to emerge from this new partnership. The GTA was a mix of Renault parts and Alpine engineering, and the sports car was a hit among those in the know.

The turbocharged 2.5-liter PRV engine was fitted behind the driver, and the GTA was a surprisingly good grand tourer. With a body made from polyester plastics and fiberglass, it was also lighter and faster than the competition, such as the Porsche 944.

Renault Clio V6

French carmakers had earned a reputation for making exceptional hot hatchbacks in the 1980s, but then it cooled off a bit. In 2001, Renault decided to take its hot-hatch game to the next level with the Clio V6.

They ripped out the rear seat and fitted the V6 engine behind the driver. Early cars had 230 horsepower, later increasing to 255, making it the world’s most potent hot-hatch. 0 to 60 mph was dealt with in 5.8 seconds – that was proper sports car speed back then.

Venturi Atlantique 400GT

Venturi built some incredible sports cars, which should’ve been highly successful, but for some reason, Venturi struggled to convince people to buy their vehicles. The Atlantique was the French carmaker’s flagship model, and the 400 was the last version available before Venturi went bankrupt in 2000.

Being Venturi’s last attempt, the 400 was the fastest version. It had a top speed of more than 180 mph and handled like a race car, yet nobody bought them. In the end, only 15 road-going units were built.

Renault Sport Spider

The Renault Sport Spider was certainly different when it first emerged. These days, a few manufacturers build minimalist sports cars for track use, but in 1996, that wasn’t really a thing.

The Renault Sport Spider was sold as a sports car for the road and even had its own one-make racing series. It had a lovely 2-liter naturally aspirated engine positioned behind the driver. While 148 horsepower doesn’t sound impressive, the Sport Spider only weighed 2,050 lbs.

Citroën DS

Car enthusiasts worldwide have fallen in love with the Citroën DS. Featuring a sleek, streamlined body, the French car didn’t look like anything else when it debuted in 1955.

However, there was more to the DS than its stunning design. This car packed so much futuristic technology that there’s a chance aliens actually built it. Hydropneumatic self-leveling suspension, disc brakes, fuel injection, and directional headlights were unheard of in the ’50s and ’60s.

Peugeot 505

Peugeot’s 505 model took the world by storm when it was introduced in 1978. More than 1.3 million units had left the factories when production ended in 1992.

It may not look extraordinary, but the international motoring press praised its handling and ride quality. The Peugeot 505 was also excellent on rough and damaged roads, which is why it became so popular in less developed countries. Some are still seeing duty as taxis today.

Citroën DS3/DS 3

Citroën has turned the DS name into its own brand. Both the old ‘Citroën’ badged version and the new ‘DS’ badged version of the DS3 offer plenty of driving thrills.

This stylish supermini comes well-equipped, but those who enjoy more ‘spirited’ driving sessions should opt for the Citroën DS3 Racing. It still has the same spacious interior, but with a 205-horsepower 1.6-liter turbo engine, it’s as fun as it is practical. It’ll go from a standstill to 62 mph in just 6.5 seconds.

Bugatti Veyron

The Bugatti Veyron turned the entire supercar world on its head when it emerged with a 1,000-horsepower quad-turbo W16 engine. The engineering behind it may have been exclusively German, as it was VW boss Ferdinand Piëch’s vanity project, but it’s still a French brand.

The refined Veyron hypercar would transport its occupants in luxury, yet it launched like a fighter jet, reaching 62 mph in less than three seconds, with a top speed of 250 mph. While its performance isn’t as special today, the Veyron is still one of the best vehicles ever made.

Delahaye 135MS

Delahaye was founded in 1894, making the French company one of the world’s first carmakers. The 135MS was one of Delahaye’s first attempts at creating a sports car, and it’s fair to say that it raised the bar.

With 160 horsepower under its hood, the Delahaye 135 MS also became a successful race car. Power figures like that were practically unheard of back in the 1940s.

Bugatti Type 35

The Bugatti Type 35 may just be the most successful race car of all time. It’s estimated that the Type 35 has won more than 1,000 races. During its height, it racked up an incredible 14 races per week – unheard of in motor racing.

Bugatti’s Type 35 came in both naturally aspirated and supercharged form. Ettore Bugatti wasn’t a fan of forced induction, but it was hard to argue against its benefits. The most potent version produced 138 horsepower. Considering that these cars were produced from 1924 to 1930, it’s easy to understand how they dominated the competition.

Facel Vega Facel II

The Facel Vega Facel II is the poster child of the French style of the 1960s and one of the most beautiful cars ever made. Facel Vega was a low-volume carmaker based in Paris, and the Facel II was a desperate attempt to stave off bankruptcy.

The Facel II had a massive, Chrysler-sourced 6.3-liter or 6.7-liter V8 under its hood. With around 400 horsepower available, the Facel II would leave Aston Martin DB4s and Ferrari 250GTs in its dust.

Renault 5 Turbo

The Renault 5 Turbo was a proper homologation car, built to dominate the dangerous Group B class in the World Rally Championship. Renault stuffed a turbocharged four-cylinder engine where the rear seats were supposed to be and gave it much wider bodywork.

The road-going version of the Renault 5 Turbo produced around 160 horsepower and 163 lb-ft of torque. That’s not much by today’s standards, but it was pretty impressive in 1980. The rally version had over 340 horsepower and won the 1981 Monte Carlo Rally.

Alpine A110

Alpine produced the original A110 from 1963 to 1977, and the first cars only mustered 51 horsepower. That kind of power was actually ok in a car that only weighed 1,365 lbs. However, later models had 180 fire-breathing horses, which led to the A110’s domination on the rally scene. It had 1-2-3 finishes at the 1971 and 1973 Monte Carlo rallies, and Alpine won the inaugural manufacturer’s World Rally Championship in 1973.

In 2017, Alpine released a new A110 styled to resemble its predecessor. The new version has a 1.8-liter four-cylinder turbo engine borrowed from the new Megane RS. It may not win any WRC stages, but it still looks great.

Renault Sport Megane R26.R

The Renault Sport Megane R26.R certainly isn’t the most practical hot-hatchback to emerge from France. However, it is one of the most performance-focused, which speaks volumes. The R26.R didn’t feature anything deemed unnecessary, such as rear seats and a stereo.

It was put on a diet to lose 250+ lbs, all in the name of performance. The engine only produced 230 horsepower, but in combination with the car’s low weight and point-and-shoot steering, this is a twisty road hero.

Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic

The Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic is one of the rarest cars in the world. Bugatti built four cars, but one disappeared during WWII. Of the three remaining vehicles, one can be found in fashion mogul Ralph Lauren’s collection, and another sold for $40 million at an auction.

The prototype’s body was made from Elektron, a lightweight but flammable alloy. Since it couldn’t be welded, they used a riveted dorsal fin to hold it together. Bugatti built the production model from aluminum but decided to keep the fin and its rivets.

Talbot-Lago T150

Only hardcore gearheads and Francophiles remember Talbot-Lago these days, but this French carmaker built some stunning cars. The T150 is not just one of the most stylish Talbot-Lago cars; it’s among the finest cars ever made.

It can easily compete with the Bugatti Type 57 Atlantic for the art-deco car crown. With its independent front suspension, great brakes, low ride height, and lightweight construction, the T150 wasn’t lacking in the performance department either.

Peugeot RCZ

The Peugeot RCZ can be considered a French Audi TT. Some would argue that it looks better than the TT, though. It almost resembles a concept car, partly thanks to its double-bubble roof.

This little FWD sports coupe has a few surprises for those unfamiliar with it. It may look like a two-seater, but despite what its sloping roof-line suggests, the RCZ does seat four people. It was also available with a diesel engine, which automatically makes it cool in our book.

Bugatti EB110

In the 1990s, the world was introduced to a new breed of supercars. Models such as the Jaguar XJ220 and the McLaren F1 turned everything up to 11. Molsheim’s finest decided to join them with the Bugatti EB110. It was named after the company’s founder, Ettore Bugatti, and 110 because it was produced 110 years after his birth.

The EB110 had a 3.5-liter quad-turbocharged V12 engine that produced 550 horsepower, and they even built an SS model with more than 600 horses. It would accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and had a top speed of 216 mph. Those are solid numbers, even by today’s standards.