1933 Delage D8S Roadster

A Delage D8 S with a de Villars Roadster body bested more than 250 competitors to take the top prize at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 2010. 'This Delage has a short wheelbase that makes it look more rakish, but it still has a long and elegant look,' said Concours Chairman Sandra Button when describing the winning automobile. 'It did 110 miles per hour in its day, it could race, and it was stunningly beautiful. This car could do it all. It embodies style, speed and comfort.' Delage added the sports version to the D8 range in 1930. To make the S more aerodynamic than its predecessors, a new radiator shell was used, which required a special hood and firewall that made the D8 S even more visually distinct. And this particular D8 S graced the 1933 Salon de Paris at the Grand Palais. It was owned during the 1950s by the Grand Hotel Velasquez in Madrid, Spain, and was used as transportation for its discerning guests. It was purchased by Jim Patterson in 2007 and has been freshly restored when it was named Best of Show.

This 1933 Delage D8S Coupe Roadster by deVillars was the 1934 Paris Show Car. It was featured in numerous publications at the time, including the prestigious Vu magazine with images and a statement describing it as 'triumphant in any concours d'Elegance.' It was even shown in the Delage catalog for the year. This car has chassis number 38021 finished in a de Villars Coupe Roadster body featuring a long and low hood with sweeping skirted fenders and a raked windshield. It retains its original white color and white chassis and matching white wheels and white brake drums. The color white is used throughout the vehicle, including the interior which features a large white steering wheel.

After being shown at the Salon de Paris, the Coupe Roadster was sent to the Delage showrooms on Champs Elysees. It carried a sticker price that equaled its ambiance and exclusivity, at over 100,000 French francs.

The first owner was Sr. Aurelio Lerroux, the son of Sr. Alejandro Lerroux the Prime Minister of Spain. The second owner was Sr. Rico, a friend of Aurelio Lerroux and the brother of the mayor of Madrid. Under his care, the car was brought to Spain in April 1935.

From there the car would pass to the Gran hotel Velasquez in Madrid where it served as a hotel shuttle for important hotel guests.

It was later put into storage where it would remain for around 40 years. When it was brought out of storage it had a red paint scheme and still retained all of its originality, including the engine, transmission, body, chassis, and mechanical components. It was completely original and had only three owners since new.

The car was treated to a body-off restoration during the care of its current owner. It was completed several years ago but still shows well in modern times.

It was brought to the 2007 Monterey Sports & Classic Car Auction presented by RM Auctions, where it was one of the stars of the event. The RM Auctions was the first time in 50 years that the car has been shown in public. Its history, originality, rarity, and pedigree were highly sought after at the auction, with bidders driving the final selling price to $3,740,000 including the buyer's premium. This is a car that has not been shown on the concours trail and represents a unique opportunity to easily collect numerous First in Class and Best of Shows at the world's most exclusive concours d'Elegance events.

The Delage D8 automobiles were very exclusive and elegant automobiles and a pinnacle of luxury and sophistication for Louis Delage's automobiles up to that point in history. They were refined automobiles bred for a racing history that was mature and accomplished. The design was courtesy of Maurice Gaultier who had been with the Delage marque, off-and-on, since 1910. He worked on the drive train development for Delage, later leaving to work for Georges Irat, and returning in 1925 as chief engineer.

The Delage D8 debuted to the public at the 1929 Paris Salon. It was fitted with a four-liter pushrod overhead valve straight-eight engine with five main bearings and an available 105 horsepower. It was smooth and silent which was nearly unmatched in the industry. It rested on a chassis suitable for coachwork from the leading coach firms in the industry.

The next iteration of the D8 was the D8S which was a sporty version that rested on a 130-inch wheelbase and featured military aircraft engine technology. It had a brand-new engine head with short springs located next to the valve to avoid any breakage. The carburetor was specially created for the D8S and followed aviation-building principles. The sump was cast with six longitudinal tubes through it to provide ample air-cooling. The result was a 120-horsepower powerplant that was capable of carrying the elegant coach-built bodies to speeds reaching 100 mph. Zero-to-sixty was reported around the 15-second range which meant it could outrun a supercharged Bentley.

In 2010, this Deleage won Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

By Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2010