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| | View more photos Coupe Coachwork: deVillars Chassis Num: 38012 |
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 major of Madrid. Under his care, the car was brought to Spain in April of 1935.
From there the car would pass to the Gran hotel Velasquez in Madrid where it served as a hotel shuttle for the 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 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 was highly sought after at the auction, with bidders driving the final selling price to $3,740,000 including 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 sohistication for Louis Delage's automobiles up to that point in history. The 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 was 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 that was nearly unmatched in the industry. It rested on a chassis suitable for coachwork from the leading coachfirms 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 coachbuilt bodies to speeds reaching 100 mph. Zero-to-sixty was reported around the 15 second range which meant it could outrun a supercharged Bentley.
It is believed that there were 99 examples of the D8S constructed from 1931 through 1933. These were highly sought-after high-performance machines that were stylish and elegant.
The D8S was built on a conventional chassis with half-elliptic springs on all four corners. The brakes were cable operated. The true genius of the vehicle lay under the long and graceful bonnet - the eight-cylinder power-plant which was capable of carrying the cars of speeds around 100 mph.
The D8S was followed by the D8SS which brought with it further improvements and enhancements. The chassis was dropped by more than three inches which aided greatly in the vehicles handling. They were available on a shorter wheelbase, though only a few chose this option. Those that did got a vehicle that was very sport, lightweight, and nimble. Horsepower on the D8SS rose from 120 to 145.
The D8S and D8SS were constructed during a very difficult point in history. The Great Depression was bringing an end to many marques. Those who did survive had found a way to corner the market, often offering low cost vehicles or offering vehicles with many amenities to attract new buyers. Introducing an eight-cylinder engine at this time was thought to be foolish, yet Louis Delage found a way to make it work. Though, this would be short lived as the company entered liquidation in the mid 1930s and was purchased by its rival, Delahaye.
The D8S was built on a conventional chassis with half-elliptic springs on all four corners. The brakes were cable operated. The true genius of the vehicle lay under the long and graceful bonnet - the eight-cylinder power-plant which was capable of carrying the cars of speeds around 100 mph.
The D8S was followed by the D8SS which brought with it further improvements and enhancements. The chassis was dropped by more than three inches which aided greatly in the vehicles handling. They were available on a shorter wheelbase, though only a few chose this option. Those that did got a vehicle that was very sport, lightweight, and nimble. Horsepower on the D8SS rose from 120 to 145.
The D8S and D8SS were constructed during a very difficult point in history. The Great Depression was bringing an end to many marques. Those who did survive had found a way to corner the market, often offering low cost vehicles or offering vehicles with many amenities to attract new buyers. Introducing an eight-cylinder engine at this time was thought to be foolish, yet Louis Delage found a way to make it work. Though, this would be short lived as the company entered liquidation in the mid 1930s and was purchased by its rival, Delahaye.
1933 Delage D8S |
|
| Year | 1933 |
| Make | Delage |
| Model | D8S |
| Body Style | Coupe |
| Engine Location | Front |
| Drive Type | Rear Wheel |
| Body / Chassis | Steel body on ladder frame |
| Production Years for Series | 1931 - 1933 |
| Coach Work | deVillars |
| Combined MPG | 0.00 |
| Chassis / Engine Numbers Shown | |
| Chassis Number | 38012 |
| Performance | |
| Top Speed | 160 km/h | 99.4 mph Similar top speeds |
| Engine | |
| Engine Configuration | I |
| Cylinders | 8 |
| Aspiration/Induction | Normal |
| Displacement | 4050.00 cc | 247.1 cu in. | 4 L. |
| Valvetrain | OHV |
| Horsepower | 120.00 BHP (88.3 KW) @ 4200.00 RPM |
| Torque | 245.00 NM (180.6 Ft-Lbs) @ 2000.00 RPM |
| HP / Liter | 30.0 BHP / Liter |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline - Petrol |
| Standard Transmission | |
| Gears | 4 |
| Transmission | Manual |
| Cotal preselector | |
| View Specifications |
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| 1932 D8S |
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