Clénet Coachworks

Clénet Coachworks is an American specialty automobile brand and coachbuilder best known for neoclassic cars that reinterpret the appearance of prestigious automobiles from the 1930s. Rather than reproducing historic cars exactly, Clénet combined exaggerated vintage proportions—long hoods, prominent grilles, exposed or visually emphasized front fenders, and formal passenger compartments—with contemporary chassis, drivetrains, suspension systems, and luxury equipment. The result was a conspicuous form of retro luxury aimed at buyers who wanted the visual presence of a prewar grand automobile without giving up the usability of a modern car. The company began in 1975 in a garage in California with investor support. Its first model, the Series I, was a roadster designed around a 1930s-inspired theme. Production later moved to an aircraft hangar, where the company attempted to organize manufacturing along small-scale assembly-line principles. The Series I was followed by the more substantial-looking Series II in 1979. In 1980, operations moved to a purpose-built facility in Goleta, California. The company remained a low-volume manufacturer, with each vehicle assembled by a small team and finished with unusually elaborate trim for its period. Clénet's business model depended on exclusivity, visual drama, and extensive luxury detailing rather than scale production. Interiors and exterior appointments could include Italian walnut burl dashboards, etched glass, and crystal accessories. Contemporary descriptions presented the cars as a form of automotive art and sometimes compared their positioning with Rolls-Royce. Reported customers included entertainers, athletes, and royalty, reinforcing the brand's association with celebrity and conspicuous luxury. The cars were also sold at prices far above those of ordinary production automobiles of the era. The original company encountered financial difficulties after the Series II program and ceased production in 1982. Alain Clénet filed for bankruptcy in 1979, while the company's remaining bodies, tooling, and equipment were later offered at auction. Alfred J. DiMora, who had been one of the early Clénet employees and owned the Classic Clénet Club, acquired the assets and the Clénet name. He relocated production to Carpinteria, California, retained some original craftsmen, and revived the marque. Under DiMora, production continued on earlier Clénet series and expanded to Series IV and Series V designs associated with his stewardship. Reported factory-authorized production totals were 250 Series I cars, 187 Series II cars, 65 Series III cars, and 15 Series IV cars. These figures illustrate the brand's deliberately limited scale and help explain why surviving examples are treated as collectible specialty automobiles. Clénet also received public recognition in the mid-1980s: DiMora's Clénet was selected as the official centennial car for the 1986 celebration designated by President Ronald Reagan as the Centennial Year of the Gasoline-Powered Automobile, bringing honors to both DiMora and the marque at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Michigan. The brand's later status is not fully clear from the available reference material. The cited account states that Clénets were still being built in Palm Springs as of 2023, where Alfred J. DiMora resides, but it does not establish a consistently documented current production program, corporate structure, or active sales operation. Clénet therefore remains best understood as a highly limited American neoclassic coachbuilding marque whose historical significance rests on its distinctive styling, small production totals, and revival under DiMora.

Clénet Coachworks emerged in California in 1975 as a small, investor-backed automobile enterprise founded by Alain Clénet. Its proposition was unusual for the period: build new cars with the visual vocabulary of elite 1930s automobiles while using modern mechanical technology. The company did not operate as a conventional mass-market automaker. Instead, it functioned as a specialty coachbuilder, producing a small number of individually finished vehicles for affluent customers attracted to novelty, theatrical styling, and exclusivity. The first product was the Series I, a roadster with a pronounced 1930s influence. The design used modern drivetrain and suspension technology beneath its deliberately historic appearance. Early operations began in a garage and then moved to an aircraft hangar, where Clénet introduced an assembly-line approach suited to low-volume production. The company subsequently developed the Series II, a larger and heavier-looking model introduced in 1979. In 1980, production moved to a more advanced facility in Goleta, California. Despite strong attention to appearance and luxury presentation, the company faced the structural challenges common to low-volume automobile manufacturers: expensive tooling, labor-intensive assembly, limited economies of scale, and a narrow customer base. Alain Clénet filed for bankruptcy in 1979, and the original company ultimately stopped production in 1982 after financial difficulties. Remaining bodies, tooling, and equipment were put up for auction. The marque was later rescued by Alfred J. DiMora, an early Clénet employee and owner of the Classic Clénet Club. In 1982, he acquired the company's assets and name and moved the operation to a new factory in Carpinteria, California. DiMora sought to preserve the original construction standards and reportedly employed a number of craftsmen from the first company. Production of the established Clénet lines resumed, and the revived operation later added Series IV and Series V designs attributed to DiMora. Clénet automobiles were distinguished by lavish materials and decorative details. Features associated with the cars included Italian walnut burl dashboards, etched glass, and Waterford crystal ashtrays. These appointments helped place some cars in the six-figure luxury category and supported the brand's self-image as an American alternative to established European prestige marques. Reported owners included Farrah Fawcett, Rod Stewart, Ken Norton, Sylvester Stallone, and King Hussein of Jordan. Automotive Age described the cars as 'Driven Art,' while Fortune referred to them as the 'American Rolls-Royce'; these descriptions are useful indicators of the intended market position, although they were promotional or journalistic characterizations rather than formal corporate classifications. Documented factory-authorized production totaled 250 Series I cars, 187 Series II cars, 65 Series III cars, and 15 Series IV cars. The small totals made Clénets unusual on the collector market and reinforced their identity as coachbuilt artifacts rather than ordinary production automobiles. The brand gained an additional ceremonial distinction in 1986 when a DiMora Clénet was selected as the official centennial car for the celebration designated by President Ronald Reagan as the Centennial Year of the Gasoline-Powered Automobile. The selection brought recognition to both DiMora and Clénet at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Michigan. Available reference material states that Clénets were still being built in Palm Springs as of 2023. However, public information does not clearly document the present legal structure, production volume, ordering process, or whether regular manufacturing continues. The marque's current status should therefore be treated cautiously. Historically, Clénet Coachworks is significant as one of the better-known American neoclassic coachbuilders of the 1970s and 1980s, combining dramatic prewar-inspired design with contemporary automotive hardware and extremely limited production.

• 2023

  Reported Palm Springs production

  [1]Clénet Coachworksen.wikipedia.org

  Reference material reports that Clénets were still being built in Palm Springs, although the scope and continuity of current production are not independently established here.

• 1986

  Official centennial car recognition

  [1]Clénet Coachworksen.wikipedia.org

  A DiMora Clénet is selected as the official centennial car for the gasoline-powered automobile celebration.

• 1982

  Original production ceases

  [1]Clénet Coachworksen.wikipedia.org

  The original company stops production after financial difficulties, and its remaining assets are offered at auction.

• 1982

  DiMora acquires and revives Clénet

  [1]Clénet Coachworksen.wikipedia.org

  Alfred J. DiMora acquires the assets and name, relocates production to Carpinteria, and restarts the marque with help from original craftsmen.

• 1980

  Production moves to Goleta

  [1]Clénet Coachworksen.wikipedia.org

  Operations relocate to a higher-technology facility in Goleta, California, where Series II production continues.

• 1979

  Series II replaces the Series I

  [1]Clénet Coachworksen.wikipedia.org

  Clénet introduces the heavier-looking Series II as the next major expression of its 1930s-inspired design language.

• 1979

  Alain Clénet files for bankruptcy

  [1]Clénet Coachworksen.wikipedia.org

  The founder files for bankruptcy during the company's early development period.

• 1975

  Clénet Coachworks begins operations

  [1]Clénet Coachworksen.wikipedia.org

  The company starts in a California garage with investor backing and develops its first neoclassic automobile, the Series I.

Ultra-limited custom coachbuilding with 1930s-inspired styling, modern mechanical components, and highly ornate luxury trim.

• Neoclassic roadster · 1975

  Series I

  The Series I was Clénet's first automobile. It used an open roadster format and adopted the long, formal proportions and decorative visual cues associated with high-end automobiles of the 1930s. Although its appearance was deliberately retrospective, the car used modern drivetrain and suspension technology. Its limited production and hand-finished character established the brand's core identity as a luxury coachbuilder rather than a conventional automaker.

• Neoclassic luxury automobile · 1979

  Series II

  Introduced as the successor to the Series I, the Series II presented a heavier and more substantial interpretation of Clénet's retro design language. Production continued through the company's move to the Goleta facility in 1980 and was later resumed under Alfred J. DiMora. The model combined imposing prewar-inspired bodywork with contemporary mechanical systems and upscale trim intended for buyers seeking a highly conspicuous luxury car.

• Limited-production neoclassic automobile

  Series III

  The Series III formed part of the limited Clénet model family and continued the brand's practice of combining vintage-inspired exterior styling with modern automotive technology. Available reference material identifies 65 factory-authorized examples, making it one of the rarer numbered Clénet series. Detailed specifications and a precise production chronology are not established in the supplied sources.

• Limited-production neoclassic automobile

  Series IV

  The Series IV was among the models produced under Alfred J. DiMora's stewardship. Fifteen factory-authorized examples are reported. The model retained Clénet's signature combination of dramatic 1930s-inspired form, modern running gear, and elaborate luxury appointments. It represents the brand's revival period and its continued emphasis on exclusivity over volume.

• Limited-production neoclassic automobile

  Series V

  The Series V was added after DiMora's acquisition and is described as a design developed under his direction. It extended the revived Clénet range while preserving the marque's neoclassic styling and custom-luxury positioning. The supplied reference does not provide a confirmed production total, launch date, or complete technical specification.

• 1982

  Acquisition and revival by Alfred J. DiMoraM&A

  Background

  After the original company's financial collapse and the auction of remaining assets, the Clénet name and production resources became available.

  Action taken

  Alfred J. DiMora acquired the assets and name, relocated the operation to Carpinteria, and restarted production.

  Aftermath

  The marque returned to production, retained some original craftsmen, and later expanded with Series IV and Series V models.

  Source

• 1980

  Move from low-volume workshop production to a dedicated facilityStrategy

  Background

  The company had progressed from a garage and aircraft-hangar operation but needed a more structured production environment for the Series II.

  Action taken

  Clénet moved production to a higher-technology facility in Goleta, California.

  Aftermath

  Series II production continued at the new site, but the company later encountered financial difficulties and stopped production.

  Source

1. 1Clénet Coachworksen.wikipedia.org