1939 Delage D8-120 S Cabriolet Vehicle Profile

In 1937, after Delage merged with Delahaye, the Delage D8 120 was introduced at the Paris Auto Salon. The D8 120 had a shorter wheelbase than the similar D8 100 and a 4.3-liter 8-cylinder engine. This Delage with Saoutchik coachwork was ordered by the French government for the 1939 Paris Auto Salon. Because the show was canceled, the car was never displayed, and during the war it remained stored at the Saoutchik facility in Paris. After the war, it was used by the French government and President Charles de Gaulle. One feature, which Jacques Saoutchik included on a number of cars, is the parallel opening door system using very clever pantograph linkages.