1938 Delage D8-120

The eight-cylinder Delage D8 was produced from 1929 through 1940 as a bare chassis to be bodied by bespoke coachbuilders of the era. Its 4061cc engine placed it within the 23CV car tax bracket which meant it was expensive to own. It served as a replacement for the Delage GLS which had been in production from 1924 through 1929 and offered in a range of engine sizes throughout its production lifespan.

Although never intended to be sold in high quantities, the production was further limited due to the economic turmoil caused by the Great Depression and the 1929 stock market crash.

Two versions of the D8 were initially offered, the D8 Normale and the D8 S. The D8 Normale was available on three different wheel lengths of 124.7- 136.5- and 160.1 inches. The shortened wheelbase of the D8 S was designed to accommodate sporty bodies. Both the D8 Normale and D8 S were in production through 1933. It is believed that 99 examples of the D8 S were produced.

The straight-8, 4061cc engine used an overhead centrally positioned camshaft with a maximum output of just over 100 horsepower for the 'D8 Normale' while the D8 S used a higher compression version with a revised camshaft profile resulting in 120 bhp. The engine was backed by a four-speed manual gearbox with synchromesh on the third and four gears. Stopping power was provided by drum brakes on all four wheels. The suspension included a traditional setup of rigid axles and semi-elliptic leaf springs and friction dampers.

The Delage D8 models set records at Montlhéry between 1931 and 1933, won concours events, and were regarded as one of the finest grand touring cars of its era. Race driver Robert Sénéchal drove one over 4,000 miles in eight days in a round-trip between European capitals. Period company literature described this feat as 'The world's finest road performance … on any car, at any price!'

Development was constant, birthing the Delage D8-15 in 1933 and offered through 1934. In a strategic move, the displacement size of the 8-cylinder was reduced to 2,668cc, allowing it to fall within the 15CV car tax and giving owners a slight reprieve in taxes. Several automakers moved down market during the 1930s to appeal to a wider audience of buyers, and for Delage, this placed them in competition with established volume automakers such as Citroen and its 16 CV 6-cylinder version of the newly introduced Traction model. Both 'Normale' and shorter wheelbase 'S' versions of the D8-15 were produced.

Both the D8-85 and the D8-105 were produced in 1934 and 1935 and came equipped with a 3,570cc version of the 8-cylinder engine offering 85 horsepower at 4,000 rpm in the D8-85 and 105 horsepower on the D8-105. The D8-85 was available on the 133-inch and 140.9-inch platforms while the D8-105 came with a 129.8-inch chassis. Production of both the D8-85 and D8-105 coincided with the closure of the Delage plant at Courbevoie.

Delage was badly affected by the economic downturn of the early 1930s and as the Great Depression progressed, so did the struggles. With limited funds for new product development, Delage was forced to sell his showroom on the Champs Elysees. He turned to Peugeot but they were unwilling to offer assistance. A variety of refinancing efforts were tried but to no avail; in 1935 the company entered receivership. The assets were liquidated with many purchased by Walter Watney, the Paris distributor. He sold the manufacturing rights to Delahaye which resulted in a line of Delahaye vehicles wearing Delage badges, radiators, and hoods.

The Arthur Louis Michelat-designed six-cylinder D6-60 engine was the sole survivor of the existing Delage range and would continue to be produced until 1953.

Numerous Delahaye components were fitted to Delages to reduce costs, and the D8 chassis was a low-slung boxed-steel frame with an elven-foot wheelbase. A transverse leaf spring suspension with wishbones was in the front complemented by a live rear axle with semi-elliptical leaf springs.

The first D8 produced at the Delahaye Paris pant under the new ownership was the D8-100, powered by a 4,302cc displacement engine with a fiscal horsepower rating of 25 CV. A Cotal electromagnetic pre-selector transmission, previously an option, was now standard equipment. The D8-120 had a 4mm larger cylinder bore and produced 120 hp at 4,500 RPM.

The six-cylinder Delages would return following World War II, however, the eight-cylinder D8 ended production in 1940 and would not return after the war.

by Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2020