After having discovered the Frazer Nash Mille Miglia (well I speak for myself, I didn't know this brand), we continue to see the cars that will be sold at the RM Sotheby's sale in London on November 5th with 3 magnificent models of the French luxury car manufacturer Delahaye. Perfect to look back on its history...

1946 Delahaye 135M Coupé

We're going to discover the model 135M in its Coupé version as well as the Cabriolet version then to finish the model 175S, all three produced by Delahaye, company founded in 1894 by Émile Delahaye. But the particularity of the company was to not to make coachwork, all its chassis were bodied by other companies. So many different designs for the same model :

• Coachwork by Carrosserie Ghia-Aigle with spat wheels,
• Cabriolet version by Alphonse Guilloré,
• but there are also other French coachbuilders like Joseph Figoni, Marius Franay and Jaques Saoutchik or Van Leersum...

1946 Delahaye 135M Coupé

The Delahaye 135 was first presented in 1934 at the 1934 Paris Auto Salon. The production began in 1935 until 1954 with 2,000 examples produced. This version Coupé was bodied by Van Leersum of Hilversum in the Netherlands founded in 1919 by Jan van Leersum. The company was active until 1952 and the Delahaye 135M Coupé was one of their last design. Beautiful.

This example (chassis n°800311) is equipped with 3.6 litre straight six engine with pre selector automatic transmission. But my favorite thing about this car is the avant-garde design of Van Leersum. Still a discovery for me, I didn't know this coachbuilder.

The interior is beautiful with this red leather upholstery...

🔨 Lot 51 : 1946 Delahaye 135M Coupé
💶 Estimated Price : £ 225,000

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1950 Delahaye 135M Convertible

As I said in the introduction, Delahaye had no in-house coachworks so all its chassis were equipped with a body by a coachbuilder. In the case of this convertible, it is Franay coachbuilder from Paris founded by Jean-Baptiste Franay in 1903 near Paris. The family run workshop was known for his Art-Deco style and the high quality interior.

This example (chassis n°801638) was bought in 1953 in France. But in the 90's, the car was exported to the US where the car was very well maintained as you can see with this black livery over a red leather interior. I really like the dashbord and the wheel, so chic 😀

🔨 Lot 49 : 1946 Delahaye 135M Coupé
💶 Estimated Price : £ 190,000

1949 Delahaye 175S Convertible

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La Delahaye Type 175 est une automobile de luxe produites à 51 seulement exemplaires entre 1948 et 1951. This model is the only convertible done by the coachbuilder Franay on this 175S chassis. Just for info, the body was the most expensive part of the car. Beautiful design done by the designer Pierre Dumont with these lines, very aerodynamic without door handles. It gives a very smooth result, ready to fly 😀

Thi Delahaye 175 is equipped with 4.5 litre straight-six engine, and the S, a more powerful version has three Solex carburettors. The chassis n°815016 was restored in 2007/2008 in order to return to its original specification, finished in red over cream leather interior.

🔨 Lot 47 : 1949 Delahaye 175S Convertible
💶 Estimated Price : £ 250,000

Cool to see several models from the same manufacturer Delahaye which unfortunately was bought out in 1954 by Hotchkiss, another French manufacturer also gone today.

What is your favorite model? I could see myself driving the convertible version of the Delahaye 135M 😀.

Sale

Sources

RM Sotheby's London
Lot : Delahaye 175S Convertible

Wikipedia :
Delahaye 135
Delahaye 175
Franay

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Have a great friday... Weekend is coming.