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The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts

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Driving the Type 135 M Delahaye

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By Ed McDonough

Want a video clip of this drive? Send an email to pete@velocetoday.com.

A Chapron Delahaye

It seemed extraordinary to me doing the research for this series, reading a large number of period articles and reviews in notable journals, that many of these totally failed to mention who provided the body for some of the cars reviewed. Was it just a matter of routine that performance cars would have special bodies or could it have been that the reviewer didn’t know? After all, specialised car production was just that, and the history is complex.

Henri Chapron gets a few mentions in 1938, and when the Paris Salon V-12 car was sent to England in 1939, Figoni and Falaschi started to get some attention. But bodies for Delahayes had also been built, often to specific customer orders, by some intriguing people…a 1949 135M with a body built by Pennoch of the Netherlands to a design by Selborne of Mayfair, London. While Figoni and Falaschi may have executed some of the most ‘daring’ designs, bodies were also built by Saoutchik, Franay, Carrozzeria Motta, Carlton Carriage Company, Henri Labourdette, Letourneur et Marchand, and others.

Delahaye Chapron

Delahaye used Chapron for its more conservative designs but they were always effective.

[Read more…] about Driving the Type 135 M Delahaye

French Survivor: Delage 105S

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By Pete Vack with comments and research by Daniel Cabart
(This great Delage has changed hands since this article was originally published in 2011)

The last time our readers heard much of Alex Vazeos was in an article about last year’s Ville d’Este, where he was the first entrant to brave the judges with an Etceterini, in this case the ex-Rafi Minasian Giaur. Seemingly bent on buying small Italian cars, Vazeos found others, including the purchase the editor’s old Abarth 750 Zagato to sit next to his Record Monza. Alex also owns the ex-Jack Reuter Bandini, an Abarth Simca 1300 Corsa and a very rare Moretti 1200 Grand Sport.
[Read more…] about French Survivor: Delage 105S

Delage, France’s Finest Car: A Review

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One of the many color posters and cover art that can be found in 'Delage France's Finest Car'.


“Delage France’s Finest Car”
By Daniel Cabart and Claude Rouxel
Two volumes hard bound with dust jackets and slip case, 300mm x 245mm. Pages: Vol I 376, Vol II 150. Illustrations: 1000 B&W and color images.
Dalton Watson, 2006
Price $225 USD now reduced to $169

To order this two volume set at a savings of $56 plus free shipping in the U.S. send an email to vack@cox.net with your request and mailing address. This sale ends December 31st 2011 so act now.

Review by Pete Vack
All images courtesy of Dalton Watson

This comprehensive two volume set on Delage is more like a travelogue through history, a fascinating flow of people, posters, catalogues, sidebars, notes, statistics, art and marvelous photography all presented on the highest quality binding, paper and reproduction. In fact, it is almost like walking through a museum of winding passages, with lighted windows full of interesting artifacts and artful displays that superbly illustrate the subject. [Read more…] about Delage, France’s Finest Car: A Review

Celebrating Fifty Years of the Renault R4

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1963, going to the Opera

by Roberto Motta

Photos: Renault communication- RENAULT INTERNAL/PRESS

You may think this sad, funny, or just a sign of the times. If you Google “Renault R4”, there will be more results than if you Googled “Brigit Bardot”. [ PS: Brigitte, you have been redeemed. Reader Matthew Boyer says, “That’s only because you spelled Brigitte Bardot wrong. 1.5M hits for Renault R4 vs. 2.3M for BB.” Our faith in lechery has been restored–Ed.]

But the old R4 and its familiar French silhouette still turn heads like Bardot did in the early sixties. Not the most curvaceous of bodies, a half-century since its introduction in 1961, its fans still love the R4, like a favorite pair of blue jeans. And the R4 is the object of obsession for many collectors. Rare in the U.S.—it was never imported here—it was at least famous for its performance in the movie “Romancing the Stone” with Michael Douglas and Danny Devito.

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Facel Vega Excellence Sedan

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The Doctor's fine four door carriage. Photo by Hugues Vanhoolandt.


Story by Brandes Elitch
Photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt and Steve Snyder

“I like cars that nobody can maintain!”
Dr. Rick Zeiger, on the restoration of Excellence sedan EX12A

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is still the most famous in the world, and likes to feature recently restored cars that have never been shown since their restoration. This year, Dr. Rick Zeiger entered his 1958 FACEL Excellence sedan, a car that he has owned for 12 years and only recently finished. [Read more…] about Facel Vega Excellence Sedan

French at Le Mans by Vanhoolandt

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Still looking for the Pink Panther.

Last week Hugues Vanhoolandt displayed the Italian effort at this year’s Le Mans Classic, which everyone is saying gets better and better every year. For the 5th time, Le Mans Classic celebrated the greatest long distance race in the world. With more than 420 cars on the track, ranging from 1923 to 1979, it was close action from Saturday at 4 pm to Sunday same hour.With 96,000 spectators, Le Mans Classic proved to be one of the world’s greatest historic racing car event.

Photos and captions by Hugues Vanhoolandt.
[Read more…] about French at Le Mans by Vanhoolandt

Book Review: Citroen DS/ID Buyer’s Guide

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Citroen DS and ID Essential Buyer’s Guide

The Essential Buyer’s Guide: Citroen DS and ID, All models from 1966 to 1975. By Rudy A. Heilig. Published by Veloce Publishing Ltd. 33 Trinity Street Dorchester, Dorset DT1 1TT, England. Telephone 01 305 260068 ISBN 978-1-84584-138-6
Click here to Purchase

Review by Pete Vack

Citroen DS.jpg

Like the Citroen 2CV, the D series cars are one of France’s marvels of differentiation, unless of course you are French and living in France. Then the are merely a part of the culture, although now receding into the distant past.

Introduced in 1955, these unusual cars continued to be produced until 1975 after 1,330,775 models were built. Rudy Heilig’s guide covers only the 783,863 Series 2 cars, produced from late 1965 to 1975.
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French Dressing

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french design
Photo by Brandy Elitch.

When Terry Cook was the Editor of HOT ROD in the early 1970s, he had always been more passionate about how cars look than how fast they can accelerate, brake or go around corners. To Cook, styling was everything. He became interested in the French and German coachbuilders who, during the 1930s and 1940s pushed the envelope with bold, fresh, risky styling. [Read more…] about French Dressing

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