Istorie
This post-war Delahaye 135M has the Cotal semi-automatic gearbox and carries cabriolet coachwork by Jean Antem. Jean Antem's work is rarely encountered today; indeed, an article published in 'La Vie de l'Auto' in January 1979 cited just four Antem-bodied Delahaye 135M Cabriolets known at the time.
Full description
Delahaye's early products tended to be rather lackluster, but then in 1935 came the first of a new generation that would change the marque's image: the sporting Type 135 "Coupe Des Alpes". Delahaye improved on the formula the following year with the 3.6 litre, 120hp 135M (M for Modifie), and the sports version (135CS) was soon making a name for itself in competitions, taking 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th places in the 1936 French Grand Prix and winning the Monte Carlo Rally and Le Mans 24-Hour Race outright in 1937 and 1938 respectively.
The model reappeared post-World War II as the 135M with the 3.6 litre engine and lasted in production until 1951. Delahaye had no in-house coachworks, so all its chassis were bodied by independents, which created some of their most attractive designs on the Type 135.
Right-hand drive, like many high quality French cars of the period, this post-war Delahaye 135M has the Cotal semi-automatic gearbox and carries cabriolet coachwork by Jean Antem. Antem established his coachbuilding business in 1919 and over the course of the next 30-plus years would body chassis of all kinds in a wide variety of styles.
Antem manufactured series-production bodies for La Licorne and Aries during the 1930s while reserving his bespoke creations for quality marques such as Bentley, Bugatti, Hispano-Suiza and, of course, Delahaye. Jean Antem's work is rarely encountered today; indeed, an article published in 'La Vie de l'Auto' in January 1979 cited just four Antem-bodied Delahaye 135M Cabriolets known at the time.
This is a very desirable 135M Cabriolet model equipped with triple-carburettor induction. Regular contenders at the most prestigious Concours d'Elegance events, these Antem-bodied cars are rare and highly sought-after.
