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One of fewer than ten examples known to have survived worldwide…
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Sydney
Date:
13-Nov-2010
Lot No.
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Description:
One of fewer than ten examples known to have survived worldwide 1922 Delage CO2 4¢-litre Six Cylinder Ohv Dual Cowl TourerChassis no. 12868Engine no. 163, 'Louis Delage created an important part of the tradition and heritage of the automotive golden age in France. Delage cars have all that is meant by 'La belle voiture franþais', together with Bugattis, Hispano-Suiza and later, Talbot-Lago, which inspired France's coachbuilders to produce moving works of art.' William Stobbs, Les Grandes RoutiÞres - France's Classic Grand Tourers. Founded in 1905 by Louis Delage in collaboration with Augustin Legros, a fellow engineer-graduate of an Arts et MÚtiers college, Automobiles Delage commenced production with a single-cylinder De Dion-engined runabout and within a few years was offering multi-cylinder designs. The publicity value of racing was recognised right from the start, a single-cylinder Delage winning the Coupe Des Voiturettes as early as 1908 and Louis himself taking the 1911 Coupe de l'Auto in a 3-litre four-cylinder. Victories at the Grand Prix du Mans and the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race were achieved prior to World War I, the company going on to become a major force in Grand Prix racing in the 1920s and setting a new World Land Speed Record mark in 1924 with a 10.7-litre overhead-valve V12. Delage's publicity had every right to sing the praises of what - arguably - was the finest French car of its day: 'Delage have to their credit many world's records, including a world's championship, and more awards at the principal Concours d'Elegance than any other car in the world... To these achievements Delage have added a third and greater. They have made the highest known degree of luxury and performance available at the price the average motorist can pay.'The manufacture of munitions during The Great War increased Louis Delage's personal fortune greatly, but when peace returned his company's first all-new offering û the six-cylinder Co û got off to a sluggish start. First seen at the Paris Salon in 1919, the Co in its initial form was powered by a 4,524cc sidevalve engine developing 65 horsepower. Sales were disappointing, so in 1922 the Co's engine was modernised with pushrod-operated overhead-valves, a cross-flowed cylinder head, upping power output to around 88bhp, although it seems likely that this claimed power output may have aired on the side of caution for tax reasons. This ample power was delivered to the rear wheels via very robust a four-speed gearbox, while the highly regarded contemporary Hispano Suiza relied on a 3 speed gearbox. The CO2, as it became known, featured a conventional ladder frame of 3,430 mm whe
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Unclassified