René Bonnet was a French driver and automobile constructor.

He started building race cars in 1936 with Charles Deutsch

Charles Deutsch

Charles Deutsch was a French aerodynamics engineer and automobile maker, founder of the brand "DB" with René Bonnet, and later of the "CD".-Career:...

 and in 1946 they founded Deutsch et Bonnet

DB (car)

DB was a French automobile maker between 1938 and 1961, based in Champigny-sur-Marne near Paris. The firm was founded by Charles Deutsch and René Bonnet...

 in Champigny-sur-Marne

Champigny-sur-Marne

Champigny-sur-Marne is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:Champigny-sur-Marne was originally called simply Champigny...

, using Citroën

Citroën

Citroën is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën , Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that...

 and Panhard

Panhard

Panhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...

 mechanics. They separated in 1961 and René Bonnet founded the firm Automobiles René Bonnet

Automobiles René Bonnet

Automobiles René Bonnet was a French automobile maker.The firm was the continuation of Deutsch et Bonnet by René Bonnet when Charles Deutsch, the "D" in DB, founded his own firm CD...

 in Romorantin

Romorantin-Lanthenay

Romorantin-Lanthenay is a commune in the Loir-et-Cher department of central France.-History:The current commune is the result of the merger, on 29 May 1961, of the former communes of Romorantin and Lanthenay.-Transportation:...

. Bonnet created a mid-engined sports car

Sports car

A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....

 with Renault

Renault

Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...

 mechanics: the René Bonnet Djet

Matra Djet

- External links :* * * *...

. This car, however, was a commercial failure. As a result of this, Automobiles René Bonnet came into financial trouble and he was forced to sell the company to its supplier Matra

Matra

Mécanique Aviation Traction or Matra was a French company covering a wide range of activities mainly related to automobile, bicycles, aeronautics and weaponry. In 1994, it became a subsidiary of the Lagardère Group and now operates under that name.Matra was owned by the Floirat family...

in October 1964. Bonnet never returned to the automobile industry afterwards.

René Bonnet died of an automobile accident on January 13, 1983, aged 78. He is buried in Champigny-sur-Marne.