Delage D4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Berline" (saloon/sedan) 4-doors/4-seats
"Coupé" 2/3 seats
"Coach luxe" 2-doors/4-seats
"Torpédo roadster" (cabriolet) 2-seats
"Cabriolet décapotable" 2-doors/4-seats
Also offered in bare chassis form
| Delage D4 | |
|---|---|
.JPG) | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Delage |
| Production | 1933–1934 |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | "Coach standard" 2-doors/4-seats "Berline" (saloon/sedan) 4-doors/4-seats "Coupé" 2/3 seats "Coach luxe" 2-doors/4-seats "Torpédo roadster" (cabriolet) 2-seats "Cabriolet décapotable" 2-doors/4-seats Also offered in bare chassis form |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1480 cc 4-cylinder ohv |
| Transmission | Four-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,800 mm (110 in) |
The Delage D4 was a 4-cylinder compact luxury car in the 8CV car tax band produced by the manufacturer between 1933 and 1934.[1]
.JPG)
With the D4, the manufacturer returned to a market sector that it had neglected ever since ending production of the "Type AM" in 1921. A strategy of broadening the range downwards was understandable in the context of a French car market that failed to rebound from the economic depression like Britain and Germany. (French automobile production only returned to its 1928 level in 1938.[2]
Launched in October 1933 at the 27th Paris Motor Show, the D4 was positioned at the lower end of the Delage range, below the 2-litre D6-11 which had been introduced the previous year, initially to complement and then replace the manufacturer's DS. The D4 was, therefore, part of a broader change in focus by Delage away from the larger cars, reflecting a more general switch towards middle-class cars in the overall French auto-market during the first five or so years of the 1930s.
The D4 sat on a 2,800 mm (110 in) wheelbase,[1] and was designed to incorporate the maximum possible level of component commonality with other Delage models.[1] It was nevertheless fitted with the manufacturer's only four cylinder engine, an overhead valve unit of 1480 cc (8CV).[1] The maximum listed output was 40 hp (30 kW), produced at 4,200 rpm.[1] Performance would have varied according to the body type selected and driving conditions, but a value of "approximately 100 km/h (63 mph)" was quoted.[1]
The car could be ordered in bare chassis form, permitting customers to make their own arrangements with bespoke coach builders for clothing the chassis. That reflected normal practice among more traditional auto-makers, especially in respect of larger cars. Nevertheless, the catalogue given out at the Motor Show listed six "standard" body types from which customers could also choose.[1] These included 2-door and 4-door saloon/sedan bodies as well as a coupe, a four-seater cabriolet and a two-seater "roadster" style cabriolet.[1]