Competition as promotion
Delage began racing in 1906; contemporary historical material describes promotion as the early objective.
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On the block · Monterey Car Week 2026
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Manufacturers / Delage
Delage
France · est. 1905
A 1927 Grand Prix champion, then a revived name.
- On the block
- 2 lots
- Top value
- —
- Period
- 1905–
The house
A 1927 Grand Prix champion, then a revived name.
Louis Delâge founded Delage in 1905. The company began racing in 1906, when a Delage finished second in the Coupe des Voiturettes; it won the Grand Prix des Voiturettes in 1908.
René Thomas won the 1914 Indianapolis 500 for Delage at an average of 82.474 mph. For the 1926 Grand Prix formula, chief engineer Albert Lory designed the supercharged 1.5-litre straight-eight 15 S 8 from the earlier two-litre V12 programme; its overheating exhaust layout was substantially revised for 1927.
Robert Benoist won the French, Spanish, Italian and British Grands Prix in a 15 S 8 in 1927, securing the manufacturers' world championship for Delage. The works team then withdrew and sold its cars. The four-litre D8, introduced at the 1929 Paris Salon, was intended as a basis for bespoke coachwork.
The original company was liquidated in 1935 and the last Delage cars left the factory in 1953. Delage Automobiles is a later revival: in 2019, brand-holder Les Amis de Delage and Laurent Tapie announced an agreement to refound the marque; the currently registered Delage Automobiles SAS is therefore not the original firm.
- Year founded
- 1905
- Louis Delâge founded the company; the first Type A appeared in 1906.
- Indianapolis 500
- 1914
- René Thomas won for Delage at an average of 82.474 mph.
- Grand Prix title
- 1927
- Robert Benoist won the French, Spanish, Italian and British Grands Prix in the 15 S 8.
- Road-car landmark
- D8, 1929
- The four-litre straight-eight D8 debuted at the Paris Salon and was designed for bespoke coachwork.
- Current status
- Revived marque
- A distinct Delage Automobiles SAS trades under the historic name; it is not the original company.
Selected milestones
A bloodline, not a list.
1905
Company founded
Louis Delâge founded Delage.
1906
Competition begins
A Delage finished second in the Coupe des Voiturettes.
1914
Indianapolis victory
René Thomas won the Indianapolis 500 for Delage.
1927
Manufacturers' title
Robert Benoist's four Grand Prix victories secured the 1927 manufacturers' world championship for Delage.
1929
D8 introduced
The D8 made its debut at the October Paris Salon as a four-litre straight-eight intended for bespoke coachwork.
1935
Original company liquidated
The independent Delage company entered liquidation; Delage-badged cars continued under Delahaye.
1953
Last historic Delages
The last Delage cars left the factory.
2019
Marque revived
Les Amis de Delage and Laurent Tapie announced an agreement to refound Delage Automobiles.
What defines Delage
Grand Prix engineering
The 15 S 8 used a supercharged 1.5-litre straight-eight designed by Albert Lory and was substantially revised after its 1926 debut.
Coachbuilt D8s
Delage supplied D8 rolling chassis for bespoke bodies, including work by Letourneur et Marchand and Chapron.