1948 Delahaye 135 MS Vedette Cabriolet

Production of the Delahaye Type 135 lasted nearly a decade, from its unveiling at the Paris Salon de l'Automobile in 1934 and continuing through the company's acquisition by Hotchkiss in 1954 (albeit civilian automobile production was halted during World War II). It was the company's most successful car, with approximately 2,600 examples built. This particular example is a Type 135 MS, one of 1,155 examples of this variant built. Its 3,557cc overhead valve inline six-cylinder engine breathes through a trio of Solex 40PAI Downdraft carburetors and produces 130 horsepower at 4,000 RPM. It has a four-speed Cotal pre-selector gearbox and four-wheel cable-operated drum brakes. The thoroughly modern chassis has an independent front suspension with a well-located live rear axle.

This Delahaye Type 135 MS Cabriolet with 'Vedette' coachwork by Henri Chapron was ordered in April 1948 by Zurich, Delahaye and Delage dealer Henri Gugolz. Delivery was delayed until 1949, after which it was displayed on the European concours circuit and later acquired by Swiss collector Walter Grell in 1976. The Mullin Collection purchased the Delahaye in 2000.

By Daniel Vaughan | May 2024