1928 Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6 Sports Roadster

The French Lorraine-Dietrich company built automobile and aircraft engines from 1896 until 1935. In 1913 Dietrich introduced a new model in two wheelbases, the A1-6 and B2-6, joined three years later by the B3-6, with either a short or long wheelbase. All used the same 3,445cc six-cylinder engine.

A team of three Lorraine-Dietrich B3-6s came in first, second, and third at the 24 Hours of LeMans race in 1926. the winning car, driven by Robert Block & Andre Rossignol, averaged over 100 kilometers per hour. To celebrate their success at Lemans, the company built several LeMans-style chassis.

This Sports Roadster example is one of the LeMans style motorcars and wears coachwork by the French coachbuilder DeCorvaia et Cie.

The B3-6, nicknamed 'the Silken Six' was famous for its quietness of the engine; like many French racing engines, such as Bugatti, it had no cooling fan to disturb the peace.