Clenet II Cabriolet 1980

History and background

The Clenet II Cabriolet was part of the short but notable existence of Clenet Coachworks, an American brand that in the 1970s and early 1980s produced hand-built luxury vehicles with a distinctly classic design. The company positioned itself outside mainstream car production, focusing on exclusive convertibles and roadsters with an appearance that referenced prewar luxury cars, but with modern American engineering as the basis. The Clenet II Cabriolet belongs to a very small series, giving the model a limited historical distribution.

The technical basis used the chassis of the Lincoln Town Car. That chassis provided a large, comfortable platform on which to build the Clenet II Cabriolet as a car with an emphasis on comfort and ease of use. This approach was characteristic of Clenet: a body with a strong style of its own, combined with existing mechanical components from the American large-luxury class. Within that context, the Clenet II Cabriolet occupies a special place as one of the brand's more recognizable models.

The construction years around 1980 coincide with a period of interest in the United States for exclusive, custom-built cars with a strongly distinctive appearance. The Clenet II Cabriolet matched this by combining classic luxury elements with the dimensions and technology of a modern American travel car. As a result, the model became not only a curiosity, but also a representative of a specific niche within American automotive history.

Characteristics and features


The Clenet II Cabriolet is equipped with a V8 engine with a capacity of 5760 cc. The car features an automatic transmission, cruise control, power steering, power windows and power seats. These features fit the model's design as a comfortable travel car and underscore the use of the Lincoln base as the technical carrier for a luxury convertible with long-distance comfort as its starting point.

The Clenet II Cabriolet is a very unique car and belongs to a very small series produced. This makes the model distinctive within the range of American classics from this period. The combination of a chassis based on a Lincoln Town Car, a V8 with 5760 cc and extensive equipment for comfort gives the Clenet II Cabriolet a distinct character of its own. The car is in drivable condition. Within the spectrum of hand-built special cars of the era, this type is especially recognizable for the way classic styling and American engineering are combined into one.

Summary


The 1980 Clenet II Cabriolet is a rare American hand-built model with a Lincoln Town Car-based chassis, a 5760cc V8 and features such as automatic transmission, cruise control, power steering, power windows and power seats. This is an example from a very small series and the car is in drivable condition. To get a good idea of the lot we recommend you come to the viewing day.