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Delahaye 145 Grand Prix '1937

Delahaye 145 Grand Prix

In 1937, the French government announced the Prix du Million, a prize of one million francs to the automaker who builds a car to overtake the German Silver Arrows. It was a good incentive for Delahaye and its Ecurie Bleue team, but they had to develop a new model practically from scratch.

Design Delahaye 145 Grand Prix

The 1938 Grand Prix rules limited engine displacement to 3 liters. with a compressor and up to 4.5 liters. without him. Delahaye chose the second option as they had no experience with blowers. The Delahaye 145 was powered by a 4.5-liter overhead valve V12 engine made of magnesium and aluminum alloys with 220-245 hp. depending on the type of fuel. A feature of its design were three camshafts: one lower one was in the middle and set in motion the intake valves, and the two upper ones in the block heads were exhaust valves. The chassis with independent front suspension, mechanical brakes and a Cotal preselector was borrowed from the Delahaye 135 Speciale with a wheelbase of 2700 mm.

Design Delahaye 145 Grand Prix

Three French companies (Bugatti, Talbot Lago and Delahaye) ventured to compete with the Germans, but only Delahaye managed to win the prize. In 1937, racer Rene Dreyfus in a Delahaye 145 set a new record on the Montleri track with 16 laps at an average speed of 146.7 km / h. Thanks to the million francs she earned, Delahaye was well prepared for the 1938 season and fielded five Delahaye 145 roadsters.

Design Delahaye 145 Grand Prix

They won the Po and Cork Grand Prix but proved unreliable in endurance races such as the Mille Miglia, although one car finished in 4th place. The 3-liter compressor Mercedes-Benz, which appeared at the end of the season, put an end to the Delahaye 145's career, and the cars were hidden during the war.

Design Delahaye 145 Grand Prix

After the war, at least three Delahaye 145s were found and sold to private hands. Two of them were bought by the famous French bodybuilder Henri Chapron, who installed almost identical coupe bodies with open tear-shaped fenders on the chassis. One was painted in gray-blue, the second had a two-tone blue-burgundy color. In the 2000s. both cars ended up in the Mullin Automotive Museum.