Search History
Popular Searches
English
Dealer Login / Sign Up
Delage is a top-tier luxury automobile and racing manufacturer originating from France, famous worldwide for its excellent engineering technology, elegant body design, and glorious racing record. The brand was founded by Louis Delâge in 1905 in Levallois-Perret, a suburb of Paris, and in the 1920s to 1930s, it was on par with brands like Bugatti and Delahaye, hailed as "France's Most Beautiful Car". The brand ceased production in 1953, remained dormant for nearly 70 years, until 2019 when French entrepreneur Laurent Tapie spearheaded the brand revival, reshaping it into a hybrid supercar manufacturer focused on ultimate performance.
Originally an engineer at Peugeot, Louis Delage established the Delage company independently in 1905. The first model was a small car equipped with a single-cylinder De Dion engine with 9 horsepower power, opening the brand's journey of automobile manufacturing.Delage keenly recognized the value of motorsport for enhancing brand reputation; in 1908 it won the Voiturettes cup championship, and subsequently won in the Le Mans 24 Hours endurance race and the Indianapolis 500.
1927 was the peak year in Delage's history. The Delage 15 S 8 race car, equipped with a 1.5-liter V12 engine, won both the driver and manufacturer double championships of the World Grand Prix Championship for the brand, establishing its status in the top tier of racing. During this period, Delage was not only famous for its track success but also earned the reputation of "La Belle Voiture Française" (France's Most Beautiful Car) and "The Chic Car" for its elegant body design, winning more awards in the "Concours d'Elegance" of the first half of the 20th century than any other brand globally. At the 1929 Paris Motor Show, Delage launched the landmark D8 model, equipped with a 4.0-liter inline eight-cylinder engine, attracting cooperation from Europe's top body manufacturers, including De Villars, Chapron, and Figoni & Falaschi.
The Great Depression in the 1930s put Delage in financial trouble. In 1935, the brand was acquired by competitor Delahaye, and the Delage models produced thereafter were essentially Delahaye chassis models hanging Delage logos and grilles.The D6-70 launched in 1937 was equipped with a 2,729cc inline six-cylinder engine; although it won the 1938 Donington Park Tourist Trophy and achieved two runner-up finishes in the Le Mans 24 Hours, it could not reverse the brand's decline.World War II interrupted passenger car production; although the brand had a brief recovery after the war, it ultimately ceased operations in 1953, and the last Delage car came off the line in 1953.
Nearly 70 years of dormancy, French entrepreneur Laurent Tapie officially revived the brand in December 2019. The brand's headquarters and production base are located at the Magny-Cours factory in France, which is also the location of the famous French F1 track. In June 2022, Delage released the first model after revival — the D12 hybrid supercar. In October 2023, D12 officially entered the mass production phase, and as of 2025, several engineering prototypes have been assembled.
Delage's product strategy after its revival is extremely streamlined, focusing on ultimate scarce top-tier supercars.
The Delage D12 is the brand's only currently in-production model series, positioned as a "Street-Legal F1." There are two versions of the D12:
D12 GT: A version biased towards road use, equipped with a 7.6-liter V12 naturally aspirated engine and a 110-horsepower motor, resulting in a combined output power of 1,100 horsepower. It is matched with an 8-speed single-clutch transmission and has a dry weight of approximately 1,390 kg. The auxiliary role of this version's motor is more significant, improving driving smoothness and low-torque response for daily driving.
D12 Club: A lightweight version biased towards track optimization, equipped with a smaller 20-horsepower motor, resulting in a combined output power of 1,010 horsepower. Its dry weight is only 1,300 kg, reducing weight by about 90 kg compared to the GT version, focusing on pure driving handling and track lap performance.
The D12 adopts a fighter-style tandem two-seater layout, with the driver in the central position and the passenger directly behind. This layout compresses the body width to the extreme, thereby optimizing aerodynamic efficiency. The cockpit features a fighter-style upwards-opening transparent canopy instead of traditional doors, and can also be optionally equipped with a small windscreen to be changed into an open Speedster form. The D12 is globally limited to 30 units, with a starting price of 2 million Euros (excluding taxes and options), approximately $2.3 million USD. The delivery cycle for each D12 is as long as 4 to 5 years.
As a "micro-brand" revived in 2019, Delage's commercial performance is not measured by sales figures, but focuses on brand recognition in the top collector market. The 30-unit limited quota of the D12 attracted attention from global top collectors immediately upon release, but as of the end of 2025, Delage official has not announced whether all 30 units have been sold out. Each of the D12's vehicles can undergo deep personalized customization, from seat molding to steering wheel shaping, all crafted based on the driver's body data, further strengthening its exclusivity and collector value.In the classic car market, classic Delage models still maintain extremely high value, with original surviving boutique models often trading at millions of US dollars in auction markets.
Delage's core technologies are concentrated in three areas: powertrain, chassis engineering, and aerodynamics, with its technical team cumulatively holding 16 FIA World Championship titles, and former F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve personally responsible for the D12's chassis and suspension tuning.
Power System: The D12 is equipped with Delage's self-developed 7.6-liter V12 naturally aspirated engine, with displacement of 7.6 liters, engine body output power 990 horsepower.This huge displacement naturally aspirated V12 is extremely rare in the current supercar market; its high-pitched sound and linear power response constitute the final footnote of ultimate mechanical charm in the fuel era.Complemented by electric motors of different powers to form a hybrid power system, combined output can reach 1100 horsepower.An 8-speed single-clutch transmission is responsible for power transmission; this technical choice reflects the pursuit of lightweight and fast shift response.
Chassis and Suspension: The D12 adopts a carbon fiber monocoque chassis (carbon monocoque), with an architecture design sharing the same source as F1 race cars, integrating carbon fiber front anti-collision structures.The most technical characteristic is undoubtedly the contractile suspension system equipped by the D12. This technology was used in McLaren and Ferrari F1 race cars in the 1990s, invented by Mauro Bianchi, Delage's current Chief Chassis and Suspension Engineer. The D12 is the world's first mass-produced car with this suspension system approved for road use.This suspension design completely abandons traditional anti-roll bars, providing more sensitive body attitude control and road feedback.
Aerodynamics: The body and chassis of the D12 are both made of carbon fiber, equipped with an active aerodynamics system; the downforce it produces is nearly twice that of traditional top-tier supercars, causing the G value felt by the driver in corners to surpass any other legal on-road vehicle.Additionally, the D12 is the world's first mass-produced car equipped with aerodynamic effect carbon fiber wheels; wheel design not only serves weight reduction but also integrates brake cooling air duct functions.
Driving Modes: The D12 offers four driving modes, including City (100% pure electric mode), Road (hybrid mode), Circuit (hybrid mode + maximum aerodynamic downforce), and "Mixed" custom configuration mode, balancing the tranquility of city commuting and the ultimate performance of track competition.
As of 2026, Delage's business focus is entirely on R&D and production within France. All D12 models are hand-assembled at the Magny-Cours factory in France.In terms of sales, Delage mainly targets top supercar collector groups worldwide, with customers covering wealthy markets in Europe, North America, and the Middle East. Regarding the order distribution of the D12, the brand official has not disclosed specific data, but classic Delage models from the 1920s still have multiple fan clubs around the world today, reflecting the continued influence of the brand in the international collector market.Currently, Delage has not yet established official sales channels or dealer networks on the Chinese mainland.
Delage's revival plan goes beyond the D12. Brand CEO Laurent Tapie has explicitly announced that the second model is actively under development; its positioning will be similar to the Bugatti Chiron luxury two-seater GT sports car, also equipped with a hybrid system. The design work for the second model is already underway, and the third model has also entered the planning stage. This indicates that Delage is not planning to rely on a single car but is committed to building a complete top-tier high-performance product matrix.
In terms of powertrain strategy, Tapie retains reservations about pure electric vehicles. He believes internal combustion engines can still provide the best driving experience, and that hybrid systems (rather than pure electric) are the best solution to achieve CO₂ emission reduction. Therefore, Delage will continue to adhere to the hybrid route of large-displacement V12 engines combined with electric motors, preserving the mechanical soul of the fuel era while meeting emission regulations. Based on the production and delivery of the D12, gradually expanding the product line and consolidating the brand's position in the global top supercar market will be the core strategy for Delage in the next decade.
© 2024 Bitauto.com. All Rights Reserved.
Bitauto (www.yiche.com and www.bitauto.com) is one of the most visited automotive websites in China. We provide detailed info on Chinese car brands available in your area. Please note that the information provided on this website is based on publicly available data and is for reference only. It may not be fully updated or accurate at all times.
