1938 Delage D8-120 Cabriolet

In 1905 Louis Delage started his automobile company in France and within a year he began racing. Obsessed with success, he won the European Grand Prix Championship in 1927. His dream realized, he closed his race department, sold off his race cars and returned to the manufacture of automobiles. The D8 series was introduced in 1929 and at $3,125 for the chassis, competitors wondered how he could sell such a superb motorcar for the price, half that of a Hispano-Suiza. By 1935, competitors had their answer. Delage was financially devastated. He sold out to arch-rival Delahaye which continued production; albeit at $5,220 for a bare chassis, nearly $2,000 more. Carrosserie Vanvooren was located in Courbevoie, France (near Paris) and custom-bodied cars from 1910-1950. The principal coachbuilder for Hispano-Suiza, Vanvooren also bodied a number of Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Cadillac, and Delahaye vehicles.

The Delage D8-120 was created after the merger between Delage and Delahaye. Louis Delage built racing and road cars up until 1935. The D8-120 has an eight-cylinder, 4.3-liter engine developed from the six-cylinder Delahaye 135. It also has a Cotal electromagnetic gearbox. Many companies created extravagant bodies for the D8 but the VanVooren Company's more subtle approach is rare and wonderful. Witness this VanVooren convertible Victoria with a three-position top.