Delaunay-Belleville

France, 1904 – 1950

SA des Automobiles Delaunay-Belleville, St. Denis, Seine

The first cars made by the celebrated firm of locomotive and marine boiler makers Delaunay-Belleville appeared at the Paris Salon of 1904, when a beautifully-built, expensive machine was shown. It was designed by Marius Barbarou, formerly of Benz, and later of Lorraine-Dietrich. Three 4-cylinder Delaunay-Belleville models were available for 1905, in 16, 24, and 40hp sizes. They had separately-cast cylinders, T-head engines, full-pressure lubrication, 4-speed gearboxes and chain drive. The range of fours was extended to five Delaunay-Belleville models between 10 and 40hp by 1907, when 15 and 40hp sixes were introduced. The larger Delaunay-Belleville models were chain-driven until 1910 when shaft drive was standardized on all models. In 1909 there was a small 10CV six of great refinement. The Delaunay-Belleville sixes were both smoother and more reliable than other early examples, the very rigid crankshaft largely eliminating vibration.

Up to 1914 the Delaunay-Belleville was regarded by many as the best car in the world, and was favoured by buyers who valued quiet, unostentatious dignity. The Delaunay-Belleville cars were never entered in competitions and were usually chauffeur-driven. Among royal customers ws Tsar Nicholas II of Russia who had a number of Delaunay-Belleville, including the 70hp chain-driven six known as the Delaunay-Belleville model SMT (Sa Majesté le Tsar).

One of the features of the Delaunay-Belleville was the round radiator and bonnet, and this was continued on the post-war Delaunay-Belleville cars, although in accordance with fashion the radiator was slightly pointed. The 1922 Delaunay-Belleville range consisted of a 10/12 and 14/16hp four, and three sixes from a 14/16 to a massive 40/50 of 8-litres capacity and using dual ignition. The Delaunay-Belleville P.4B 2.6-litre of 1922 to 1929 had a single ohc engine, while from 1926 a range of push-rod ohv fours and sixes was offered. However, the Delaunay-Belleville marque had lost its pre-war cachet, which had been taken over by Hispano-Suiza and Rolls-Royce, and during the 1930s it lost its individuality as well. In 1931 Continental 4 or 4½-litre straight-8 engines from America were available in the 21CV 6-cylinder Delaunay-Belleville chassis. With greater and more silent power, these Delaunay-Belleville cars were cheaper than the French-engined cars. The eights were still theoretically available in 1936, but by that time the main Delaunay-Belleville model was the 2.3-litre 6-cylinder Delaunay-Belleville R.16. This represented a further loss of individuality, as it closely resembled the Type 230 Mercedes Benz, although it had a longer stroke engine. It reappeared after World War 2 with a Cotal electric gearbox, and modernized ‘waterfall’ grille and was listed up to 1950. In the same early post-war years the Delaunay-Belleville factory which had made 70hp cars for the Tsar was turning out the 425cc Rovin minicar.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; TRN

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