1931 Delage D8

The Delage D8-100 SS was a high-performance model with a top speed of 100 mph, thus the name, the '100 SS.' The '8' in the D8 name was in reference to its straight eight-cylinder engine, and the D8 was certainly founder Louis Delage's pièce de résistance. The straight-eight pushrod engine was the work of Maurice Gaultier and displaced four liters; its smooth and silent operation was, in part, due to its five main bearings and overhead centrally positioned camshaft. Installed in a strong X-braced structure with servo-assisted braking, the new chassis was the sensation of the Paris Salon in 1929 and would remain in production through 1940. The high-performance and luxurious D8 would receive a favorable reception, but like many other manufacturers of quality cars, Delage was badly affected by the economic downturn of the early 1930s and was forced into receivership in April 1935. Shortly thereafter, it was taken over by Delahaye, which spelled the end of the original D8. From then onwards, Delages were built to Delahaye designs but retained their own superior short-stroke engines and hydraulic brakes.

During the 1920s, Delage's production had primarily entailed the four-cylinder DI and six-cylinder DM models, and the arrival of the D8 in 1929 represented a radical departure for the Delage marque, as well as the French market. Its generous 130-inch wheelbase chassis, potent engine, and mechanical sophistication attracted Europe's finest coachbuilders, including Figoni, Freestone & Webb, Barker, Pourtout, Fernandez & Darrin, Chapron, Saoutchik, Labourdette, Vanden Plas, and Letourneur et Marchand. In turn, Delage became associated with the leading businessmen, politicians, film stars - even Kings and Emperors - of the era.

The 'D8 Normale' chassis was offered with wheelbase sizes of 124.7-, 136.5-, and 160.1-inches, while the 'D8 S' used the short-wheelbase chassis. The 'D8 Normale' had a single carburetor and its engine produced 102 horsepower at 3,500 RPM, while the 'D8 S' used three carburetors and produced 120 horsepower. In England, a special 'Super-Sports 100' dealer-fitted option was available, consisting of four SU carburetors. Installed in the Delage D8 S chassis, this exclusive club of automobiles, with its 100 mph top speed, was known as the D8-100 SS.

Throughout the production lifespan of the D8, engine power increased, reaching upwards of 145 bhp, weight was reduced, the rear springs altered, and the chassis was lowered. Road holding and handling improved, as did flexibility, safety, and comfort.

The versatile engine would be used to power future Delage models, including the D8-15 which was produced from 1933 to 1934. The '15' in the name represented the 15CV car tax band in which the detuned 2,668cc engine qualified. Offered in both 'Normale' and 'Short' (S) versions, the D8-15 was intended to appeal to a wider audience of buyers.

Both the D8-85 and D8-105 were built in 1934 and 1935, and both were equipped with a 3,570cc version of the eight-cylinder engine. The D8-85 could be built on either a 133- or 140.9-inch wheelbase, and its engine was tuned to produce 85 horsepower at 4,000 RPM. The D8-105 produced 105 horsepower and built atop the shortened 129.8-inch chassis.

With the closure of the Delage's plant at Courbevoie, production of the D8-85 and D8-105 ceased.

The Delahaye Era
By 1938, Delage was effectively a Delahaye subsidiary, having been rescued from receivership a few years prior. With the Delage factory closed, production moved to the Delahaye Paris plant where production of the Delage engine and mechanical components continued but were installed on existing Delahaye chassis. Coachwork now favored the fashionably flamboyant and aerodynamic bodies from bespoke bodybuilders in similar trends to those bestowed upon Delahaye. Many coachbuilders who had previously worked with Delage were also responsible for many of the D8 bodies during this time.

Delahayes used six-cylinder power, while the Delage D8 was the top model of either brand and used eight-cylinder engines.

The 8-cylinder engine powering the D8-100 now displaced 4,302cc with a fiscal horsepower rating of 25 CV. The Cotal pre-selector transmission, previously an option, came included in the price of a Delage D8. Wheelbase sizes of the D8-100 included a 143- and 132-inch platform.

The Delage D8-100 was produced from 1936 to 1940.

Delage selected the 1937 Paris Motor Show to introduce its D8-120 model, which was essentially a D8-100 with a larger and more powerful engine. With a larger 4mm bore, output rose to 120 bhp at 4,000 RPM.

With the outbreak of World War II, passenger car production came to an end, as the Delahaye plant was taken over by the German military occupation. When peacetime resumed, Delages returned to the market, but the eight-cylinder D8 model was absent. With the world returning to normalcy and materials in short supply, Delage's portfolio included six-cylinder models. Increases in motoring taxes, most notably in 1948, coupled with the depressed economic conditions of post-war France made it impossible to regain its luxury car persona. Delahaye and Delage stuggled, with combined sales of 77 vehicles in 1951 and 41 in 1952. In 1953 Delage production ended and the company was absorbed into Hotchkiss along with Delahaye in 1954, and car manufacturing ended.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2023