Chatenet CH26: the French’s idea of a ’smart’
I don’t blame you if you think this is what happens when a Chinese car company cannot decide whether to rip off the MINI or the Alfa Romeo MiTo and decided to just do both at once. But no, this is actually a product of a French company, and the car is called the Chatenet CH26.
I’m sure you are wondering where did this Chatenet company come from. Automobiles Chatenet currently only has one other car for sale called the Barooder. That particular car is a tiny two-door with a 505cc engine that makes just over 20 horsepower. There is even a convertible version.
The new CH26 however, is powered by a diesel engine (looks like there’s no turbo) and apparently it puts out just over 5 horsepower from a 523cc diesel? Even with a kerb weight of about 350kg that still seems awfully low. It measures 3065mm long, with a wheelbase of 2054mm.
Look after the jump for more pix of the abomination.
June 13, 2009 @ 8:03 pm
Smart? i would say it’s a smart mini though.
June 13, 2009 @ 8:07 pm
Ahh…looks cute in a way…
June 13, 2009 @ 8:11 pm
First!
weird car…
June 13, 2009 @ 8:40 pm
5hp????? u gotta be kidding…….
June 13, 2009 @ 8:48 pm
BMW 1-series better than China crap car
June 13, 2009 @ 8:57 pm
not 5 lar..additional 5hp ftom other model..means 25hp..if 5hp, better buy ex5
June 13, 2009 @ 9:07 pm
IMHO its very ugly. The front end that is. Rear, fine.
June 13, 2009 @ 9:22 pm
i think this a new ‘no driving licence need car’,
in france there is allowed to drive with no licence if its drives less then 25(or 35) Km/h
very normal there, i saw a lot of them in france, and my friend in france has had one, they are very loud
but its populer by older ladies and gentlemens in the city..
P.S.: Actually not the correct place but
i think my love to proton is going down very fast
June 13, 2009 @ 9:49 pm
watcha gonna do wit tat man. let 10 yr old play wit it? 20hp is not todays world. remind me of fiat 500
June 13, 2009 @ 10:40 pm
mini look-alike
June 13, 2009 @ 11:59 pm
too light no good…very unstable…esp if its a small car…the shape is really weird..
ill take toyota IQ anytime…
June 14, 2009 @ 12:11 am
5 hp from a diesel?
lets calculate. 350kg x 3= 1050kg. (estimate)
5hp to move 1050kg, seriously underpowered.
June 14, 2009 @ 12:13 am
opps, i mean 15hp to move 1050kg.
June 14, 2009 @ 11:02 am
gotta admit, it’s quite cute..
but 5hp?
it’ll go faster if there’re 2 slaves carrying d car
June 14, 2009 @ 11:12 am
Small diesel engine car nust be very economy. It is a right time to sales in the present bad economy situation.
June 14, 2009 @ 1:15 pm
0-100 in 35 hours? LOL!
June 14, 2009 @ 3:22 pm
what a weird car…..how come the french start copycatx10 like china car maker???
June 14, 2009 @ 4:21 pm
worst than china car, completely rubbish
June 14, 2009 @ 5:09 pm
got character
June 14, 2009 @ 10:08 pm
[quote comment="244478"]BMW 1-series better than China crap car[/quote]
wtf u alwiz compare all cars with bmw…
June 14, 2009 @ 10:09 pm
ugly version of mini
June 14, 2009 @ 10:10 pm
eventhough it looks weird…but i like it…
June 14, 2009 @ 11:21 pm
wahhhh!! if this car has P1 name on it.. sure kena hemtam kaw-kaw punyaa more than 30 comments for sure
June 15, 2009 @ 7:44 am
Maybe our local car manufacturer should name their car with Chedet to pay tribute.
June 15, 2009 @ 8:35 am
rear light macam Mito.. sape agree?
June 15, 2009 @ 9:07 am
BMW mini cooper wanabe.
June 15, 2009 @ 12:50 pm
looks like it’s got aircond.i estimate the aircond only gonna sap 2 hp.so left only 3 hp to move the car?
June 15, 2009 @ 6:03 pm
ya..
the front is from Mito,
and would u look at the rear end…!
a ferrari rip off…!
copycat..!
June 30, 2009 @ 4:15 am
looks like it’s design and made in China… lol…
November 15, 2009 @ 8:53 am
I would very much like to know were i can buy one of this car, and also the cost of same