This week: DELAHAYE
Born: 1894, nationality: French
In the late 1880s Emile Delahaye set up a pumps and engines business in Tours. He became interested in automotive matters in 1890 after successfully designing an internal combustion engine for ships. His first two-seater "petite voiture" was shown at the inaugural Paris Motor Show in 1894.
Delahaye was aware of the publicity power of the new long-distance motor races and, with a number of successes driving his own cars to the marque's credit, Delahayes were soon in demand by the French aristocracy which in turn made others want the cars.
In 1898 Delahaye, worried both about his health and the firm's ability to supply enough cars for the demand, joined the enterprise with Paris-based mechanical engineers Georges Morane and Leon Desmarais. Soon afterwards he retired. He died in 1905.
In 1908 the Delahaye company moved from single- and 2-cylinder cars to fours and sixes, the latter a 2.6-litre V-configuration. Manufacturers in Germany and the US licensed production of Delahayes, expanding the penetration of the brand far beyond its base capacity.
In the years up to the first World War Delahaye expanded into lorry production. By the end of the war and through the next decade lorries were mostly what the company produced. Still, the marque's 4- and 6-cylinder cars gained solid reputations for reliability and robustness.
The 126 of 1932 was a typical car of its time, long-hooded and square, while the 138 of 1934 had developed sweeping fenders and a divided bumper that gave the car a visually powerful personality.
In 1934, the 2.2-litre 12cv and the 3.2-litre 6-cylinder 18cv were introduced, their engines derived from those that powered the firm's lorries.
A year later, two more cars were launched which were destined to be the most famous Delahayes, the Coupé des Alpes and the 135, with 3.2-litre and 3.6-litre engines respectively. Delahaye also took over the Delage car company in 1935 and that marque was continued using Delahaye parts.
The 1930s were the golden age of Delahaye style. Some of the most daring of French coachbuilders developed bodies for the cars - Figoni et Falaschi, Chapron, and Letourner et Marchand came up with designs for pre- and postwar versions of the 135 and the 165 which were both gorgeous and amazing. Above is the 135 MS DHC by Chapron.
The brand also benefited from some successes on the race tracks. In 1937 a 12-cylinder special set a 146.5 km/h average speed record over the competitive 200-kilometre "Million" race.
In the run-up to the second World War Delahaye also produced armoured vehicles as well as its trademark lorries. During the war car production ceased, but in 1948 the company revived manufacture of the 135. In addition, a 4.5-litre model, the 175, was introduced. It did quite well in competition, including winning a Monte Carlo Rally. However, these weren't good times for expensive and luxury brands. For all its quality, Delahaye's financial fortunes depended on sales of its army reconnaissance vehicles, lorries and firefighting appliances.
The innovative 3.5-litre Jeep-Delahaye and the 3.5-litre 235 were the final new models, produced in 1951. The 235 set a record in 1953 for the journey from Cape Town to Algiers, but the two new cars were able to save the company, which merged with Hotchkiss in 1954. Car production was ended by Hotchkiss-Delahaye in 1955. Initially it sold lorries under that double-name brand, but the Delahaye part was dropped within months.
BEST CAR: For sheer style on a chassis of substance, the 1939 T165 Cabriolet, with bodywork by Figoni et Falaschi
WORST CAR: For its time, the dated 235
WEIRDEST CAR: None known ...
- BRIAN BYRNE