Louis Delage's personal Delage: French streamlining at its finest

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Some cars simply take you from A to B; others make your heart beat faster the moment you see them. This unique 1937 Delage D8-120 S Aerodynamic Coupé belongs firmly in the latter category. It combines the technical ambitions of Louis Delage with the progressive design of Georges Paulin and the craftsmanship of coachbuilder Pourtout. What is more, it was Louis Delage’s own personal car.

The coupé was created during a turbulent period. By the mid-1930s, Delage had run into financial difficulties and come under the wing of Delahaye. Louis Delage nevertheless remained involved with the company. Shortly afterwards, the D8-120 appeared, powered by a potent and exceptionally smooth-running straight-eight engine.

At the end of 1936, the decision was made to develop a more sporting version. Engine capacity increased to approximately 4.75 litres, while the chassis became lower, lighter and narrower. It was also fitted with larger wheels and suspension related to that of Delahaye’s twelve-cylinder racing cars. The S in D8-120 S therefore did not stand for Sport, but for surbaissé: lowered. Chassis 51620 was the prototype for this remarkable version.

In March 1937, Carrosserie Pourtout of Rueil-Malmaison was commissioned to build a suitable body. The design came from Georges Paulin, a pioneer of aerodynamic styling. Its form was developed using a scale model, followed by a full-size mock-up.

Pourtout constructed almost the entire body in aluminium. Particularly remarkable were its frameless side windows and curved windscreen, both technically difficult to produce at the time. Paulin dispensed with unnecessary ornamentation: the wings, doors, roofline and tail flow into one another almost without interruption.

By the time the car was completed in October 1937, it was too late to enter it officially for the Paris Motor Show. Delage and Pourtout found a simple solution: they parked the coupé outside the Grand Palais, where neither visitors nor the press could possibly miss it.

Louis Delage subsequently used the car for several years. It was placed in storage during the Second World War. Following a minor collision in 1953, Saoutchik modified the body, altering the nose and windows among other details. The Delage later found its way to America, where it disappeared from view for many years.

Collector Sam Mann eventually discovered the car at the back of a workshop. After a lengthy search, he managed to acquire it and commissioned a painstaking restoration. Saoutchik’s modifications were reversed with the aid of historic photographs and documents, while the majority of the original bodywork was retained. In 2005, the Delage won Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. 

On 13 August, it will cross the auction block at RM Sotheby’s Monterey Auction, with an estimate of $5 million to $6 million. A motor car as a piece of rolling sculpture – and a tangible expression of Louis Delage’s vision of speed, engineering and French elegance.

Details:

• Auction: The Monterey Auction | RM Sotheby's
• Date: 13–15 August 2026
• Location: Monterey, California, US
• View all listings >>

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