Delage
Product brand
UnclaimedHistoric French luxury automobile and racing marque associated with advanced engineering, Grand Prix victories and coachbuilt cars.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Delage was a French automobile marque established in 1905 by Louis Delâge in Levallois-Perret, close to Paris. It began as a small engineering and assembly operation making bodies and components for other manufacturers, but quickly developed its own voiturettes and passenger cars. From its earliest years, the company treated competition as both a testing ground and a means of establishing prestige. Delage achieved an important early victory in the 1908 Grand Prix des Voiturettes and later expanded into major voiturette, Grand Prix, hill-climb, land-speed and endurance events. The company’s product range evolved from small single- and twin-cylinder cars into larger four-, six- and eight-cylinder automobiles. After the First World War, Delage deliberately moved upmarket. Models such as the CO, DO, DE, DI, DM, D6 and D8 established the brand as a maker of technically sophisticated and highly finished French cars. Its larger luxury models competed in the same broad prestige segment as Hispano-Suiza and were frequently supplied with elegant custom bodies from independent coachbuilders. The D8 became the symbolic pinnacle of the pre-war road-car range, while the D6 served as the principal six-cylinder model through the 1930s and into the post-war period. Delage’s sporting identity was reinforced by major victories. A Delage won the 1914 Indianapolis 500 with René Thomas. In the 1920s, the company developed technically ambitious racing cars, including the 2 LCV twelve-cylinder Grand Prix car and the 15 S 8 straight-eight. Delage won the 1924 European Grand Prix, the 1925 French Grand Prix and four European Grands Prix in 1927, when it was recognized as world champion among car constructors. Delage also recorded important results in the 1938 Tourist Trophy and at Le Mans, although racing costs contributed to the financial strain affecting the business. The economic crisis of the early 1930s severely weakened the company. New models, including the D6-11 and D8-15, did not restore sales sufficiently, and the Courbevoie factory entered voluntary liquidation in April 1935. Delage’s name and distribution activities continued through the Société Nouvelle des Automobiles Delage, created with Walter Watney and supported by Delahaye. Cars were thereafter closely connected with Delahaye production, including the DI 12, D6 70 and D8 120. Delahaye assumed direct control of the enterprise in 1940. The Second World War further disrupted automobile production. Post-war Delage cars remained associated with luxury and sporting distinction, but the marque no longer had the scale or financial independence of its interwar peak. Production ultimately ended in the early 1950s, generally dated to 1953, although the D6 line continued into 1954 in some historical accounts. Rights to the name were later acquired by the association Les Amis de Delage. A modern revival was announced in 2019, with plans centered on the Delage D12, a high-performance hybrid sports car intended to reconnect the name with advanced performance engineering. The revived venture represents a new use of the historic trademark rather than a continuation of the original manufacturer.
History
Louis Delâge founded Delage in 1905 after borrowing capital to establish a small workshop on Rue Cormeilles in Levallois-Perret. The initial operation had only a few employees and made components and bodies for other manufacturers, including vehicles using De Dion-Bouton mechanical elements. The first Delage-branded automobile, the Type A, appeared in 1906 as a small voiturette. Early competition entries helped the company gain visibility, and a move to a larger Rue Baudin facility in 1907 supported expansion. In 1908 Delage won the Grand Prix des Voiturettes at Dieppe, a result that helped push annual sales above 300 cars. The company moved progressively from externally supplied engines to its own four-cylinder designs and, in 1910, transferred production to a larger factory at Courbevoie. By 1912 it employed hundreds of workers and offered four- and six-cylinder models. During the First World War the factories concentrated on munitions and military work, with civilian automobile output largely suspended. After the war, Delage repositioned itself toward larger and more prestigious automobiles. The CO six-cylinder was notable for being among the early production cars equipped with front brakes, while the DO, DE and DI formed a more accessible portion of the range. During the 1920s the marque entered a major period of technical and sporting achievement. The GL, MD and DM represented increasingly substantial six-cylinder cars, and the company developed specialized hill-climb and record vehicles. A Delage V12 established a land-speed record at Arpajon in 1924 at more than 230 km/h. Delage’s racing program was particularly influential. The company had already won the 1911 Coupe de l’Auto and the 1914 Indianapolis 500. In the 1920s its engineers developed the twelve-cylinder 2 LCV and later the 15 S 8, a sophisticated 1.5-litre straight-eight. The 2 LCV won the 1924 European Grand Prix and the 1925 French Grand Prix. The 15 S 8 won four European Grands Prix in 1927, giving Delage the contemporary title of world champion among car constructors. The racing program demonstrated considerable engineering ability, but it was expensive and did not remove the commercial risks of producing luxury automobiles. The international economic crisis after 1929 damaged Delage’s finances. The company introduced new six- and eight-cylinder cars, including the D6-11, D8-15 and later D6 and D8 derivatives, but sales remained inadequate. Louis Delâge sought financing and explored possible commercial arrangements, including discussions involving Peugeot’s dealer and service network. The Courbevoie company entered voluntary liquidation on 20 April 1935. Delage’s name was preserved through SAFAD, established with businessman Walter Watney and operating with Delahaye support. The resulting cars were closely related to Delahaye products, including the DI 12, D6 70 and D8 120. Delahaye took direct control of the business in 1940. Wartime conditions sharply restricted automobile activity, and the marque never recovered its former independence or scale. Post-war examples included updated D6 and D8-related cars, while Delage also retained a limited competition presence, including strong finishes at Le Mans in 1949 and 1950. Production ended in the early 1950s, usually recorded as 1953, with some D6 production references extending into 1954. The Delage name later passed to Les Amis de Delage, an association connected with the preservation and revival of the marque. In 2019 a renewed Delage project was announced, centered on the D12, a proposed hybrid performance automobile. This modern project is historically connected through the trademark and brand identity, but it is distinct from the original manufacturing company founded by Louis Delâge.
- 2019
Revival project announced
[1]A new Delage initiative associated with Les Amis de Delage announces the D12 performance-car project.
- 1953
Production ends
[1]Automobile production under the historic Delage operation ceases, generally dated to 1953.
- 1935
Original company liquidated
[1]The Courbevoie factory enters voluntary liquidation; Delage operations continue through SAFAD and Delahaye.
- 1927
European championship success
[1]The Type 15 S 8 wins four European Grands Prix and Delage receives the contemporary world champion constructor designation.
- 1924
European Grand Prix victory
[1]The 2 LCV helps Delage win the European Grand Prix at Lyon.
- 1914
Indianapolis 500 victory
[1]René Thomas wins the Indianapolis 500 in a Delage Type Y.
- 1908
Grand Prix des Voiturettes victory
[1]Albert Guyot wins the Dieppe event for Delage, establishing an important early sporting reputation.
- 1906
Type A introduced
[1]The first Delage-branded car appears as a small De Dion-Bouton-powered voiturette.
- 1905
Company founded
[1]Louis Delâge establishes Delage in Levallois-Perret near Paris.
Products and positioning
French luxury and performance automobiles with a strong Grand Prix and coachbuilt heritage
Voiturette · 1906
Type A
Introduced in 1906, the Type A was Delage’s first branded automobile. It was a lightweight voiturette using a small single-cylinder De Dion-Bouton engine and reflected the company’s early focus on compact, relatively simple cars before its later move into larger luxury models.
Grand Prix racing car · 1923
Type 2 LCV
The 2 LCV was an advanced 2-litre twelve-cylinder racing car developed for the 1920s Grand Prix formula. Its competition record included victories in the 1924 European Grand Prix and 1925 French Grand Prix, making it one of the defining engineering achievements of the marque.
Grand Prix racing car · 1926
Type 15 S 8
The Type 15 S 8 was a 1.5-litre supercharged straight-eight designed for Grand Prix competition. It won four European Grands Prix in 1927 and became the clearest expression of Delage’s late-1920s racing expertise.
Luxury automobile · 1930
D6
Introduced in 1930, the six-cylinder D6 became the mainstay of Delage’s passenger-car range. It was developed in multiple displacements and specifications, continued through the company’s Delahaye-associated period, and remained important after the Second World War.
Luxury automobile · 1929
D8
The D8 was Delage’s flagship eight-cylinder model and the high point of its pre-war road-car identity. Offered in several wheelbases and commonly paired with elaborate coachbuilt bodies, it combined long-distance luxury with performance for its era.
Hybrid performance car · 2019
D12
The D12 is the centerpiece of the modern Delage revival announced in 2019. It is presented as a high-performance hybrid sports car intended to reintroduce the Delage name to the contemporary luxury-performance market.
Brand decisions
2019
Announce the D12 revivalProduct launchBackground
After decades as a historic marque, rights holders sought to reactivate Delage around a modern high-performance automobile.
Action taken
A new Delage initiative announced the D12, a proposed hybrid performance car.
Aftermath
The announcement renewed public attention to Delage, although the revival is distinct from the original manufacturer.
1935
Continue the marque through SAFAD and DelahayeStrategyBackground
The original Delage company could no longer sustain independent production after the economic crisis and entered liquidation.
Action taken
Louis Delâge and Walter Watney established Société Nouvelle des Automobiles Delage to market cars assembled from Delahaye production, with Delahaye later taking direct control.
Aftermath
The Delage name survived, but the brand lost its former manufacturing independence and became closely integrated with Delahaye.
Sources1 sources
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