In 1969, the arrival of the Manic GT brought the future to boiling Quebec. With his small team, Jacques About designed the first production car made in Belle Province. Vehicle columnist Philippe Laguë revealed why 50 years later the Manic GT is a sought after collector’s item.
Jacques About came to Quebec to work at Renault’s car factory in Saint-Bruno. He quickly moved into the manufacturer’s public relations department. Together with some French workers from the factory, he began designing a sports vehicle.
” The model for the Manic is quite similar to the Lotus and Ferrari. I mean, we want to make road cars, and with this money, we want to fund a motor racing team. “
At the same time in France, the Alpine manufacturer is already using Renault mechanics for its small sports car. Jacques About’s uncle Jacques Cheinisse, is a legend in the French motorized world and works for this company. So the importation of Alpine into Quebec was discussed, but this intention was not fulfilled. Jacques About then told himself that he would make a similar model.
A product of Quebec?
According to Philippe Laguë, the Manic GT is actually a Quebec car. The French company Renault has a factory in Longueuil. The Manic GT was first made in Terrebonne, then in Granby, in a 60,000 square feet factory, inaugurated in 1eh January 1970.
In addition, federal and provincial governments provide subsidies to the plant, and Quebec inc. investing in the Manic GT, hence the Steinberg family, a food giant at the time, and especially the Bombardier, owned by the Beaudoin family.
The Manic GT costs $ 2900, while a car like Chevrolet or Ford sells for about $ 3000. “But originally, Jacques About said it was less than $ 2,000, $ 1,950,” Philippe Laguë pointed out. Despite this price increase, the manufacturer is unable to meet the demand.
Unfortunately, the Manic company has some problems. “For Renault, Manic is a very small customer, they don’t take it seriously,” Philippe Laguë explains. The parts arrived late. And then the money is dry. On June 8, 1971, the first car manufacturer in Quebec went bankrupt. At that time, 152 cars were said to have been designed. Now, there are forty left.
Can a mass-produced car in Quebec see the light of day today? Philippe Laguë has his own idea on this question.
Source: Radio-Canada
