1934 Delage D8 S Cabriolet

Delage was one of the more traditional of prewar luxury carmakers in its day. The company earned a solid reputation in motorsports during the early days of the automobile, including a win at the 4th ever Indianapolis 500. During the interwar period, this considerable engineering prowess was turned to making luxury cars, and the D8 was the company’s flagship model, with the D8 S being an even more powerful version of the car. But Delage only handled the engineering of the car. Being such a traditional company, Delage built just the chassis of the D8, believing that their monied customers would want a custom body made by one of Europe’s many fine couchbuilders operating at the time.

The D8, built from 1929 to 1939, was Delage’s most successful automobile. Almost all of the D8 chassis were fitted with stylish coachwork from the best European coachbuilders, and the D8 S was powered by a 4-liter straight-8 engine capable of reaching 100 mph.

Examination of the photographs shows the use of metallic paint to the fenders and upper moldings, in which the traditional Fernandez et Darrin beltline extends as it meets the cowl and flows into a pointed “spade” that tapers to the radiator shell.

In one of several retrospective articles he published, Howard Darrin noted, “The top was of a silken material laminated into the canvas. This material, which was manufactured in France and first used by Hibbard & Darrin, had a sheen and was impervious to water marks.”

Only two examples of the D8 S were built with this body style. It was sold new in the U.K. and was re-discovered there in the late 1970s, having not been driven since WWII. In 1983, it made its way to the U.S. and was restored in the late 1980s/early 1990s. The original colors (black and red) were replaced with this light purple – or lilac. This is an amazing example of French Art Deco automotive design.