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In 1955, President Coty of France commissioned Franay to
design and build a presidential car using the mechanical elements of
the recently launched 15-Six
H.
Unfortunately, the car overheated when moving at walking pace during
ceremonial parades and broke down during the 1957 state visit of Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The car was eventually modified in
the light of this deeply embarassing spectacle and was used by Coty's
successor, General Charles de Gaulle.
In 1956, President Coty decided that an open top
presidential car should be built, again using the 15-Six
H mechanical bits. Chapron
was selected as the designer and manufacturer for this car (and for a
subsequent DS-based
vehicle
used by President de Gaulle). Like the Franay car, this Chapron vehicle
did official service for de Gaulle and later for de Gaulle's successor,
Georges Pompidou.
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