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Delage was a French luxury automobile and racecar company founded in 1905 by
Louis Delâge Louis Delâge (22 March 1874 – 14 December 1947) was a French pioneer automotive engineer and manufacturer. Born Pierre Louis Delâge to a family of modest means in Cognac. As an infant he lost the sight in one eye. At the age of 16 he went ...
in
Levallois-Perret Levallois-Perret () is a commune in the Hauts-de-Seine department and Île-de-France region of north-central France. It lies some from the centre of Paris in the north-western suburbs of the French capital. It is the most densely populated ...
near
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
; it was acquired by
Delahaye Delahaye was a family-owned automobile manufacturing company, founded by Émile Delahaye in 1894 in Tours, France. Manufacturing was moved to Paris following incorporation with two unrelated brothers-in-law as equal partners in 1898. The compa ...
in 1935 and ceased operation in 1953. On 7 November 2019, the association "Les Amis de Delage", created in 1956 and owner of the Delage brand, announced the re-founding of the company Delage Automobiles.


Early history

The company was founded in 1905 by
Louis Delâge Louis Delâge (22 March 1874 – 14 December 1947) was a French pioneer automotive engineer and manufacturer. Born Pierre Louis Delâge to a family of modest means in Cognac. As an infant he lost the sight in one eye. At the age of 16 he went ...
, who borrowed Fr 35,000, giving up a salary of F 600 a month to do so. Hull, p. 517. Its first location was on the Rue Cormeilles in
Levallois-Perret Levallois-Perret () is a commune in the Hauts-de-Seine department and Île-de-France region of north-central France. It lies some from the centre of Paris in the north-western suburbs of the French capital. It is the most densely populated ...
. The company at first had just two lathes and three employees, one of them
Peugeot Peugeot (, , ) is a French brand of automobiles owned by Stellantis. The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was founded in 1810, with a steel foundry that soon started making hand tools and kitchen equipment, and the ...
's former chief designer. Delage initially produced parts for
Helbé The Helbé was a French automobile manufactured from 1905 until 1907; it received its name, a version of "LB", from the initials of its builder, Levêcque and Bodenreider. It was an assembled light car, powered by De Dion engines of 4½, 6, and 8 ...
, with the
De Dion-Bouton De Dion-Bouton was a French automobile manufacturer and railcar manufacturer operating from 1883 to 1953. The company was founded by the Marquis Jules-Albert de Dion, Georges Bouton, and Bouton's brother-in-law Charles Trépardoux. Steam cars T ...
engine and chassis assembled by Helbé; Delage added only the body. The first model was the Type A, a ''
voiturette A voiturette is a miniature automobile. History ''Voiturette'' was first registered by Léon Bollée in 1895 to name his new motor tricycle. The term became so popular in the early years of the motor industry that it was used by many makers t ...
'' which appeared in 1906. It was powered by a one-cylinder De Dion-Bouton of . Like other early carmakers, Delage participated in
motor racing Motorsport, motorsports or motor sport is a global term used to encompass the group of competitive sporting events which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles. The terminology can also be used to describe forms of competition of two ...
, entering the ''Coupe de Voiturettes'' held at
Rambouillet Rambouillet (, , ) is a subprefecture of the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region of France. It is located beyond the outskirts of Paris, southwest of its centre. In 2018, the commune had a population of 26,933. Rambouillet lies ...
in November 1906 with a racer. Seven days of regularity trials decided the entrants, and one of the two Delage specials was wrecked in the rain on the fifth; nevertheless, Ménard, the other works driver, came second in the event, behind a Sizaire-Naudin. In 1907, the factory moved to the Rue Baudin Levallois, where a workshop allowed it to grow. The two-cylinder Delages were no match for the competition this year at the ''Coupe des Voiturettes''. In 1908, the success enabled the development of the factory and entry into more Grand Prix races. That year, racing success returned: Delage won the ''Grand Prix des Voiturettes'' held 6 July. This event, six laps of the
Dieppe Grand Prix Dieppe (; Norman: ''Dgieppe'') is a coastal commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region of northern France. Dieppe is a seaport on the English Channel at the mouth of the river Arques. A regular ferry service runs to New ...
circuit, saw 47 starters. Delage fielded three cars: a pair with () De Dion-Bouton twins, driven by
Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the Ap ...
and Lucas-Bonnard, and a radical () one-cylinder (built by Nemorin Causan) in the hands of Delage dealer Albert Guyot. Guyot won at an average , not needing to stop for fuel. All three Delages finished this time, Thomas the quickest of the two-cylinder cars, while the team also took home the regularity prize. Hull, p. 518. These good results contributed to total sales exceeding 300 cars for the year. Delage converted to
four-cylinder engine The engine configuration describes the fundamental operating principles by which internal combustion engines are categorized. Piston engines are often categorized by their cylinder layout, valves and camshafts. Wankel engines are often categorize ...
s in 1909, at first provided by De Dion and Edouard Ballot; shortly, the company were producing their own
sidevalve A flathead engine, also known as a sidevalve engine''American Rodder'', 6/94, pp.45 & 93. or valve-in-block engine is an internal combustion engine with its poppet valves contained within the engine block, instead of in the cylinder head, as ...
fours, too. After an increase in sales, the existing facilities were too small, so in 1910 the factory moved to a new facility at 138 ''Boulevard de Verdun'', Courbevoie. The following year saw the creation of advanced bodywork. By 1912, 350 workers were producing over 1000 cars annually, and offered four- and
six-cylinder The straight-six engine (also referred to as an inline-six engine; abbreviated I6 or L6) is a piston engine with six cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. A straight-six engine has perfect primary and secondary engine balan ...
sidevalve engines. During the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Delage produced munitions. Production of passenger cars virtually stopped, with the exception of some fabrication for the Army. But the Delage factories were running full support for the war effort. When the war concluded, Delage moved away from small cars and made its reputation with larger cars. First up was the CO, with a () fixed-head sidevalve
six 6 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 6 or six may also refer to: * AD 6, the sixth year of the AD era * 6 BC, the sixth year before the AD era * The month of June Science * Carbon, the element with atomic number 6 * 6 Hebe, an asteroid People ...
producing 20 hp. The CO plans had been drawn up during the conflict; this was the first passenger car with front brakes. It was joined by the DO with a 3-liter four. Hull, p. 519. The 1920s were really the first "Golden Age" of Delage. The most famous were the DE and DI: 4 cylinders of about 2 liters and 11 hp. Delage also attempted to compete with
Hispano-Suiza Hispano-Suiza () is a Spanish automotive–engineering company. It was founded in 1904 by Marc Birkigt and Damian Mateu as an automobile manufacturer and eventually had several factories in Spain and France that produced luxury cars, aircraft en ...
, with the GL of 30 hp and 5954 cc, with some success. After that came a new generation of six-cylinder cars, like the MD (3174 cc) and DR (2516 cc), the best-selling vehicle in the history of the brand, designed by engineer Gaultier. Both the CO and DO were replaced in 1922. The CO became the CO2, which changed to an
overhead valve An overhead valve (OHV) engine, sometimes called a ''pushrod engine'', is a piston engine whose valves are located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier flathead engines, where the valves were located be ...
twin-plug head, producing , while the DO was supplanted by the DE with a () sidevalve four and, unusual in a production car even in this era, four-wheel brakes. The CO2 completed the Paris-Nice run in 16 hours, an average of . The next year, the new DI also switched to OHV with a () four, fitted with
magneto ignition An ignition magneto, or high-tension magneto, is a magneto that provides current for the ignition system of a spark-ignition engine, such as a petrol engine. It produces pulses of high voltage for the spark plugs. The older term ''tension'' ...
and
thermosyphon Thermosiphon (or thermosyphon) is a method of passive heat exchange, based on natural convection, which circulates a fluid without the necessity of a mechanical pump. Thermosiphoning is used for circulation of liquids and volatile gases in heat ...
cooling; all had four-speed gearboxes and
Zenith The zenith (, ) is an imaginary point directly "above" a particular location, on the celestial sphere. "Above" means in the vertical direction (plumb line) opposite to the gravity direction at that location (nadir). The zenith is the "highest" ...
carburettor A carburetor (also spelled carburettor) is a device used by an internal combustion engine to control and mix air and fuel entering the engine. The primary method of adding fuel to the intake air is through the venturi tube in the main meterin ...
s. At the other end of the scale, the GL (''Grand Luxe''), also known as the 40/50, replaced the CO2, being fitted with a magneto-fired () overhead cam six. In 1923, a hillclimb car with DI chassis, larger wheels and tires, and () CO block (with three Zenith carburetors) was produced. Delage scored successes at La Turbie and Mont Ventoux. This car was joined by a ()
V12 V12 or V-12 may refer to: Aircraft * Mil V-12, a Soviet heavy lift helicopter * Pilatus OV-12, a planned American military utility aircraft * Rockwell XFV-12, an American experimental aircraft project * Škoda-Kauba V12, a Czechoslovak experim ...
, which broke the course record at the Gaillon hillclimb, with Thomas at the wheel. Thomas would set the
land speed record The land speed record (or absolute land speed record) is the highest speed achieved by a person using a vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C ("Special Vehicles") flying start regula ...
at
Arpajon Arpajon () is a commune in the Essonne department in the Île-de-France region of northern France. The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Arpajonnais'' or ''Arpajonnaises''. The commune has been awarded three flowers by the ''National C ...
in this car, at a speed of , in 1924. A 1925 car had a () six, again using the GL block, with four valves per cylinder and twin overhead cams. Hull, p. 520. Driven by Divo, it broke the Mont Ventoux course record in its debut. The car was destroyed by fire at the Phoenix Park meet in 1934. The 1924 and 1925 DIS, with a wheelbase, switched from
Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce (always hyphenated) may refer to: * Rolls-Royce Limited, a British manufacturer of cars and later aero engines, founded in 1906, now defunct Automobiles * Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the current car manufacturing company incorporated in ...
-type locking wheel hubs to Rudge knock-ons, better cam, and bigger valves, while the 1925 and 1926 DISS on the same wheelbase. Some of the DISes were bodied by Kelsch. The DIS became the Series 6 in 1927, switching to coil ignition and water pump. In 1926, Delage introduced the DM, with a () six, which made it emblematic of the era for the marque. The high-performance DMS had hotter cam, twin valve springs, and other improvements. A DR, with a choice of 2.2- and 2.5-liter sidevalve engines, also briefly appeared.


Competition

Delage entered the 1911 ''Coupe de l'Auto'' at Boulogne with a () four with two -diameter bellcrank-operated valves per cylinder controlled by camshafts in the crankcase. The five-speed
gearbox Propulsion transmission is the mode of transmitting and controlling propulsion power of a machine. The term ''transmission'' properly refers to the whole drivetrain, including clutch, gearbox, prop shaft (for rear-wheel drive vehicles), differe ...
gave a top speed of , and the four ''voiturette''s each carried , as the factory planned for a no-stop race. Works driver
Paul Bablot Paul Bablot (20 November 1873 Boulogne-sur-Seine – 23 December 1932 Marseille) was a French racecar driver. He also owned an early French-built Wright-model airplane. He later became a track builder and designed the Circuit of Miramas wh ...
won, at an average , with a 1m 11s over Boillot's Peugeot, followed home by Thomas in a second Delage; Delage also took the team prize. Delage moved up to ''Grand Prix'' racing in 1912, with a Léon Michelat-designed car powered by a four-valve () four-cylinder of , coupled again to a five-speed gearbox and fitted this time with . Three cars were built for the Amiens Grand Prix, though only two, Bablot's and Guyot's, actually entered. On the day, Bablot's Delage proved the fastest car in the field, turning in a lap at , but Guyot fell out of the lead with a puncture, and the race went to Peugeot, while the Delages were fourth and fifth. At the French ''Grand Prix'', Delage put Bablot first, Guyot second, ahead of Pilette's 1908 Mercedes GP car, Salzer in a Mercedes, with Duray coming in fifth in the third Delage. In 1913, the new type Y set the fastest lap time at the
French Grand Prix The French Grand Prix (french: Grand Prix de France), formerly known as the Grand Prix de l'ACF (Automobile Club de France), is an auto race held as part of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One World Championsh ...
at Le Mans, and in 1914, this same car won the 1914 Indianapolis 500 with René Thomas at the wheel. Thomas, Guyot, and Duray returned to the French ''Grand Prix'' with 4½-liter twin-
cam Calmodulin (CaM) (an abbreviation for calcium-modulated protein) is a multifunctional intermediate calcium-binding messenger protein expressed in all eukaryotic cells. It is an intracellular target of the secondary messenger Ca2+, and the bin ...
desmodromic valve :''In general mechanical terms, the word ''desmodromic'' is used to refer to mechanisms that have different controls for their actuation in different directions.'' A desmodromic valve is a reciprocating engine poppet valve that is positively clo ...
d racers featuring twin
carburettor A carburetor (also spelled carburettor) is a device used by an internal combustion engine to control and mix air and fuel entering the engine. The primary method of adding fuel to the intake air is through the venturi tube in the main meterin ...
s, five-speed gearbox, and four-wheel brakes. While quick, they proved unreliable; only one finished, Duray's, in eighth. In 1914, Delage emphasized its focus on competition by creating the type O Lyon Grand Prix, while at the same time moving towards the luxury car market with 6 cylinders of a large class. However, racing was severely curtailed during World War One. In 1923,
Louis Delage Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis (d ...
returned to competition with the innovative 12-cylinder 2-liter type 2 LCV. This car won the 1924 European Grand Prix in Lyon and the 1925 Grand Prix of ACF Montlhéry. The 12-cylinder DH (10.5 liters) of 1924 beat the world speed record on the highway, at . A Delage 155 B won the first Grand Prix of Great-Britain in 1926, driven by Louis Wagner and Robert Senechal. The production of cars continued with the DI and the DI S SS. The DM evolved into the DMS and DML, equipped with a 6-cylinder 3-liter engine designed by Maurice Gaultier. Delage's Grand Prix effort saw a Plancton-designed () four overhead cam V12. The car, driven by Thomas, fell out of the
French Grand Prix The French Grand Prix (french: Grand Prix de France), formerly known as the Grand Prix de l'ACF (Automobile Club de France), is an auto race held as part of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's annual Formula One World Championsh ...
in 1923, but went on to perform well for the bulk of the 1923 and 1924 season. With
supercharger In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement. The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced induct ...
added in 1925, bringing output to , it won at
Montlhéry Montlhéry () is a Communes of France, commune in the Essonne Departments of France, department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located from Paris. History Montlhéry lay on the strategically important road from Paris to Orléans. U ...
and
Lasarte Restaurante Lasarte is a restaurant in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Furthe ...
, proving as fast as the
Alfa Romeo P2 The Alfa Romeo P2 won the inaugural Automobile World Championship in 1925, taking victory in two of the four championship rounds when Antonio Ascari drove it in the European Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Spa and Gastone Brilli-Peri w ...
, but rarely racing it directly. This car was supplanted in 1926 by a Lory-designed supercharged 1.5-liter twincam
straight eight The straight-eight engine (also referred to as an inline-eight engine; abbreviated I8 or L8) is a piston engine with eight cylinders arranged in a straight line along the crankshaft. The number of cylinders and perfect primary and secondary engi ...
of ; capable of , it was the company's last Grand Prix entrant. Always passionate about racing, Louis Delage designed an 8-cylinder 1500 cc, the type 15 S 8. This car won four European Grands Prix races in 1927, and won Delage the title "World Champion of Car Builders" that same year. A -powered D6 won the 1938 Tourist Trophy at
Donington Park Donington Park is a motorsport circuit located near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England. The circuit business is now owned by Jonathan Palmer's MotorSport Vision organisation, and the surrounding Donington Park Estate, still owned b ...
and came second at
Le Mans Le Mans (, ) is a city in northwestern France on the Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Man ...
. A single V12-powered car, intended for Le Mans, caught fire at the 1938 International Trophy at Brooklands. Postwar, the best results Delage had were seconds at the 1949 Le Mans and 1950 Paris ''Grand Prix''.


The D6 and the D8: The Classic Era

1930 saw the launch of the 6-cylinder
Delage D6 The Delage D6 is a six-cylinder luxury car produced by Delage, the manufacturer between 1930 and 1940 and again, after the Second World War, war, between 1946 and 1953. (The final cars were still receiving their bodies from specialist coach buil ...
which would form the mainstay of the manufacturer's passenger car range until 1954. For 1930 Maurice Gaultier designed an 8-cylinder in-line 4,061 cc, evolving the type D8 into the type D8 S (S for Sport). The D8 was the pinnacle of the marque. It was offered in three wheelbases, "S" or "C" at , "N" at , and "L" at , all powered by a () straight eight, making it capable of . Delage followed in 1932 with the Grand Sport, on a in 1934) wheelbase, capable of . But the backlash of the economic crisis of 1929 arrived and manufacturers of luxury cars all over the world suffered from poor sales. The commercial and financial situation of the firm was badly shaken. In 1932 Delage introduced the type D6-11 (6-cylinder 2101 cc), and two years later the new eight-cylinder Delage, type D8-15 (2768 cc). These two models, equipped with independent front wheel suspension did not increase sale figures. The transverse leaf and wishbone
independent front suspension Independent suspension is any automobile suspension system that allows each wheel on the same axle to move vertically (i.e. reacting to a bump on the road) independently of the others. This is contrasted with a beam axle or deDion axle system in w ...
was licensed by
Studebaker Studebaker was an American wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana, with a building at 1600 Broadway, Times Square, Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 as the Studebaker Brothers M ...
for their cars. Delage also produced a very limited number of higher-performance D6-11S models during 1933 and 1934. These "S" models ("S" being an abbreviation for Surbaisse, which means "lowered" in French) were built on a lowered and shorter chassis. The junior D6s shared Delahaye front suspension design, but had hydraulic rather than Delahaye cable-actuated brakes, also shared the Cotal gearbox with the D8. The D6/70 of 1936 was powered by a () six, the 1938 D6/75 a 2.8-liter six, and the postwar D8/3L Olympic a 3-liter six. At the bottom of the range was a 1.5-liter four that lasted until 1936. Financial pressures never disappeared, however, and during the Spring of 1932
Louis Delage Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis (d ...
was obliged to take out a 25 Million franc loan in order to finance the tooling needed to put the D6 into production. It was at this time that he also entered into negotiations with
Peugeot Peugeot (, , ) is a French brand of automobiles owned by Stellantis. The family business that preceded the current Peugeot companies was founded in 1810, with a steel foundry that soon started making hand tools and kitchen equipment, and the ...
about using their dealership and service network. These negotiations went nowhere, and discussions with other possible partners/rescuers also came to nothing. There were also personal problems involving his marriage which necessitated a rearrangement of Delage's personal finances, although in the event it was the sale of his expensive home in the
Champs-Élysées The Avenue des Champs-Élysées (, ; ) is an avenue in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France, long and wide, running between the Place de la Concorde in the east and the Place Charles de Gaulle in the west, where the Arc de Triomphe is lo ...
that reduced the pressure on his finances if only in the short term. The last models to emerge from the factory in Courbevoie were the types D6-65, D8-85 and D8-105, designed by engineer Michelat. On 20 April 1935 the factory in Courbevoie went into voluntary liquidation. But Louis Delage would not admit defeat, and with the help of a businessman called Walter Watney created the Société Nouvelle des Automobiles Delage (SAFAD), to market Delage cars, assembled from production Delahayes. This union created the 4-cylinder DI 12 and the D8 120, and also the 6-cylinder D6 70. Watney had taken control as president of SAFAD, but he was a British national and in June 1940 he was obliged to leave Paris as the
German Army The German Army (, "army") is the land component of the armed forces of Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German ''Bundeswehr'' together with the ''Marine'' (German Navy) and the ''Luftwaf ...
arrived. Watney stayed in France, at his villa in Beaulieu, until the end of 1942 after the Germans had completed their occupation, but already in December 1940 the presidency of the SAFAD business had passed directly into the control of
Delahaye Delahaye was a family-owned automobile manufacturing company, founded by Émile Delahaye in 1894 in Tours, France. Manufacturing was moved to Paris following incorporation with two unrelated brothers-in-law as equal partners in 1898. The compa ...
. In any event, since the outbreak of the war Delage had been largely inactive, although they did undertake work on a project to replace the six-cylinder engine of the
Hotchkiss H39 The Hotchkiss H35 or was a French cavalry tank developed prior to World War II. Despite having been designed from 1933 as a rather slow but well-armoured light infantry support tank, the type was initially rejected by the French Infantry becaus ...
tank with the more powerful 8-cylinder unit from the Delage D8 120.


Racing aero-engines

Delage produced at least two types of racing aero-engine during the early 1930s. The Delage 12 CED was fitted to the
Kellner-Béchereau 28VD The Kellner-Béchereau 28VD was a French racing aircraft built to compete in the 1933 Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe. Engine failure and damage sustained in the consequent emergency landing prevented the 28VD from participation in the race. Design ...
racing aircraft, intended to compete in the 1933
Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe The Coupe Deutsch de la Meurthe was an international aeronautical speed competition instituted on 25 August 1909 by the French oil magnate Henry Deutsch de la Meurthe. The race was reinstated three times through the years at the initiative of the ...
air race. Unfortunately the aircraft crashed during qualification trials for the race on 12 May 1933. The second engine type, the
Delage 12 GV Delage was a French luxury automobile and racecar company founded in 1905 by Louis Delâge in Levallois-Perret near Paris; it was acquired by Delahaye in 1935 and ceased operation in 1953. On 7 November 2019, the association "Les Amis de Dela ...
, remains a mystery, with very little information available.


After the Second World War

A large prototype Delage D-180 limousine appeared at the 1946
Paris Motor Show The Paris Motor Show (french: Mondial de l'Automobile) is a biennial auto show in Paris. Held during October, it is one of the most important auto shows, often with many new production automobile and concept car debuts. The show presently take ...
, but there were evidently no further developments on this project, and by the next year the big prototype had quietly disappeared. At the 1947
Paris Motor Show The Paris Motor Show (french: Mondial de l'Automobile) is a biennial auto show in Paris. Held during October, it is one of the most important auto shows, often with many new production automobile and concept car debuts. The show presently take ...
only a single model was exhibited as the business focused on its six-cylinder 3-litre Delage D6 which in most respects will have been familiar to anyone who had known the 3-litre Delages of the 1930s. The car was offered with bodies by firms such as
Chapron Henri Chapron (30 December 1886 - 14 May 1978) was a prominent French automobile coachbuilder. His carrosserie, created in 1919, was located in the Paris suburb of Levallois-Perret. Chapron was born in Nouan-le-Fuzelier (Sologne), and began his c ...
, Letourner & Marchand and Guilloré. A variety of coupe and cabriolet bodied D6s were produced. In addition, both Guilloré and Chapron produced a large saloon/sedan body. The two were remarkably similar, both being six-light four-door cars with conservative 1930s style shapes. Something else the two had in common was unexpectedly narrow rear doors, enforced by the combination of a long body, a long rear overhang and a relatively short wheelbase provided by the D6 chassis. A longer wheelbase 1952 special version, bodied by Guilloré, was owned by National Assembly president Edouard Herriot. Nevertheless, these were difficult times for luxury auto-makers in France and by now the company's registered head office was the same as that for Delahaye: production statistics from the period group Delage and Delahaye together.
Louis Delâge Louis Delâge (22 March 1874 – 14 December 1947) was a French pioneer automotive engineer and manufacturer. Born Pierre Louis Delâge to a family of modest means in Cognac. As an infant he lost the sight in one eye. At the age of 16 he went ...
himself, who had lived in poverty and quasi-monastic isolation since bankruptcy in 1935 had enforced the transfer of his company to Delahaye, died in December 1947, and during the next few years any residual autonomy that the business had enjoyed disappeared. Increases in motoring taxes, most notably in 1948 and most savagely targeting cars with engines of above 2 litres, combined with the depressed economic conditions of post-war France to create a difficult market for luxury car manufacturers. In 1950 Delahaye produced 235 cars which will have included a significant number of Delages. In 1951 the combined production figure for the two brands slumped to 77: in 1952 it was down to 41. In 1953 Delage production ended. Delage was absorbed into Hotchkiss along with Delahaye in 1954, and car manufacturing ended.


Refoundation

On 7 November 2019, at the Lyon Époqu'auto show, Les Amis de Delage and entrepreneur Laurent Tapie, son of
Bernard Tapie Bernard Roger Tapie (; 26 January 1943 – 3 October 2021) was a French businessman, politician and occasional actor, singer, and TV host. He was Minister of City Affairs in the government of Pierre Bérégovoy. Life and career Tapie was bor ...
, announced that they had signed an agreement for relaunch the Delage Automobiles brand. Tapie becomes president of Delage Automobiles. The new Delage planned for this project is called the
Delage D12 The Delage D12 is a hybrid street-legal sports car produced by the France, French automobile manufacturer Delage from 2022. History The French car manufacturer Delage ceased operations in 1953. In 2019, the entrepreneur Laurent Tapie signed an ...
. It is a hybrid street-legal Hypercar powered by a normally aspirated V12 engine of , coupled to an electric motor of , for a cumulative power of . It will be produced in France like all Delages. Delage Automobiles has joined forces with racing driver
Jacques Villeneuve Jacques Joseph Charles Villeneuve ( born 9 April 1971) is a Canadian professional racing driver and amateur musician who won the 1997 Formula One World Championship with Williams. In addition to Formula One (F1) he has competed in various ot ...
as the development driver for the future production model. The car was presented at private events in Los Angeles and Orange County in California in December 2019, then in Monaco in September 2020, Geneva in November 2020 and Dubai in December 2020. Voted "most beautiful car in the world" (best Design) by the jury of the Automobile Awards 2020/2021, only 30 units of the Delage D12 will be produced and sold at a price tag of 2 million Euros per car.


Models

* Delage CO (1918, 6 cyl, 4,524 cc) * (1920, 2,121 cc) * Delage CO2 (1921) * Delage 2 LCV (1923, 12 cyl, 2L) * Delage GL (5,954 cc) * Delage DE * Delage DH (12 cyl DH, 10,5L) * Delage DI S * Delage DI SS * Delage DMS (6 cyl, 3L) * Delage DML (6 cyl, 3L) * Delage 15 S 8 (8 cyl, 1,500 cc) * Delage GL (5,954 cc) * Delage DM (6 cyl, 3,174 cc) * Delage DR (6 cyl, 2,516 cc) * Delage D4 (4 cyl, 1,480 cc) * Delage D6-11 (6 cyl, 2,101 cc) * Delage D8-15 (2,768 cc) * Delage D6-65 * Delage D8-85 *
Delage D8 The Delage D8 was an eight-cylinder luxury car produced by Delage between 1929 and 1940. The 4061 cc engine of the original D8 placed it in the 23CV car tax band which also defined its position high up in the market hierarchy. Delage provided r ...
* Delage D8 S (8 cyl, 4,061 cc) * Delage D8-105 * Delage DI 12 (4 cyl) * Delage D8 120 * Delage D6 70 (6 cyl) * Delage D12 – 2021 (12 cyl, 7,604 cc + 110 hp motor)


Production volumes

During their years of independence, Delage made almost 40,000 cars at their workshops in Levallois and
Courbevoie Courbevoie () is a commune located in the Hauts-de-Seine Department of the Île-de-France region of France. It is in the suburbs of the city of Paris, from the center of Paris. The centre of Courbevoie is situated from the city limits of Par ...
. After Delage production was subsumed into the
Delahaye Delahaye was a family-owned automobile manufacturing company, founded by Émile Delahaye in 1894 in Tours, France. Manufacturing was moved to Paris following incorporation with two unrelated brothers-in-law as equal partners in 1898. The compa ...
operation, approximately another 2,000 Delage badged cars were manufactured between 1935 and 1940. With the post-
war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
resumption of passenger car production, 330 Delage cars appear to have been produced by Delahaye between 1946 and 1953.Chassis numbers 880,000 to 880,330.


Sources and further reading

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External links


Les Amis de Delage
website of Delage-collectors
Delage World
web site maintained by collector Peter Jacobs {{automotive industry in France Car manufacturers of France Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of France French racecar constructors French brands Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1905 Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1953 1905 establishments in France 1953 disestablishments in France Re-established companies Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 2019 French companies established in 2019 French companies established in 1905