Tag Archives: French Cars

2013 Radnor Hunt Concours: 1938 Delahaye 135M Roadster Figoni et Falaschi

September 27, 2013 ndubs77 1 Comment

Those of you who’ve been following this blog will know that I LOVE Delahayes. I am generally a fan of all French Art Deco cars, but Delahayes have a flamboyance and a craftsmanship to their designs that make them unique.

While many Delahayes come in bright, flashy colors, this 135 M Roadster Figoni et Falaschi took a different approach. It is a rich black, and looks very sinister with its swooping lines, almost like a bat. Inside the interior is fitted with red leather, and finely crafted wood. Black and red is one of my favorite color schemes on a car, so this really hit the spot for me that much more.

The car itself is currently owned by J.W. Marriott Jr. (Yes, of Mariott Hotel fame), and it was fully restored in 1991. One detail that I particularly loved on this Delahaye was its hood ornament. At first glance it is a dragonfly, which would be great on its own, but looking closer, it becomes apparent that the dragonfly is actually a glider stretched over a beautiful, naked woman — Oh how French!

It was wonderful to see this stunning Delahaye 135M Roadster at this year’s Radnor Hunt Concours d’Elegance, and it wound up winning the “Best Open Art Deco Car” award. Enjoy the photos.

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Car Shows

2013 Monterey Motorsports Reunion: Paddock Highlights

September 5, 2013 ndubs77 Leave a comment

During the Monterey Motorsports Reunion, the paddock of Laguna Seca is always full of interesting and legendary things. 2013 was no exception, with drool worthy race cars everywhere you looked. In particular there were numerous Porsche 962s, monster Group Group C racing cars for those unfamiliar with them. It is always difficult to focus your attention while down in the paddock because everywhere you look there is something awesome to see. I will let the photos take it from here. Enjoy.

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Car Shows

2013 Monterey Motorsports Reunion: 1948 Delahaye 135MS Chapron Cabriolet and Bugatti Type 37

August 27, 2013 ndubs77 1 Comment

While touring the paddock of the 2013 Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca, we came across race car after race car. Then we rounded a corner and found this unbelievable green 1948 Delahaye 135MS Chapron Cabriolet. It literally “stole the show” for me with its two-tone green paint job and immaculate details. Even surrounded by some of the greatest racing cars of all time, this French masterpiece was still just breathtaking.

As we poured over the car, capturing its beautiful details, the owner rolled up, fresh from a race heat, in a Bugatti Type 37. Its bare metal finish was striking, and its exposed rivets were, well, riveting. This lineup of pre-war french cars in the paddock really made my day, and they even had coordinated the color of their table cloth with the green of the Delahaye.

There were so many epic racing cars in the paddock that day, but this combo of the Bugatti for the track and the Delahaye for the street was by far my favorite single bay. Enjoy the photos of these magnificent cars.

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Car Shows

The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering 2013

August 21, 2013 ndubs77 1 Comment

The Quail is probably the most exclusive show during Monterey Car Week. The best cars are always in attendance, many of which don’t even show up at Pebble Beach — despite Pebble Beach being the far more prestigious event. There is some political BS surrounding the event that I could address, but frankly, I only care about the cars.

Put simply, the Quail is absolutely the show to go to on the Friday of Monterey Car Week, provided you can get in. Every event on the Monterey Peninsula is worth checking out, but the comparative quality of the automotive crop at this event is staggering, even with the high standards of the other events. We got there a bit late because of prior engagements that day, but I we still managed to see most of the event. I’m going to just let the pictures do the talking from here. Enjoy.

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Car Shows

Highlights from the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

August 20, 2013 ndubs77 2 Comments

Best in Show Winner, the 1934 Packard 1108 Twelve Dietrich Convertible Victoria

We have just had a mighty few days in the midst of the automotive Valhalla that is Monterey Car week, but the capstone event is surely the most grand of all, and that is the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

This is an event where champions compete against champions. At any other event, every participant in the Pebble Beach Concours would likely win best of show. The field of automobiles is just plain unbelievable — the second you think you’ve seen everything, something incredible catches your eye. This is a place where a Lamborghini Miura may go overlooked, a place where everywhere you look, there is something astonishing to take in. This is la creme de la creme de la creme of automobiles.

Pebble Beach was once again kind enough to grant us media passes for this event, for which we are extremely grateful. I definitely feel like we put it all to good use this year, capturing tons of material to be used over the coming months. This is a highlight gallery of the event that aims to wet your appetite for what’s to come. Enjoy the photo gallery, and check back for much more from the 2013 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

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Auto Idolatry, SHOWCASE

Renault Clio 182 Trophy by Evo Magazine

July 27, 2013 ndubs77 3 Comments

Evo’s Harry Metcalfe shows us his Renault Clio 182 Trophy, and explains why he feels it deserves to be in his collection of supercars. Seeing this makes me a very sad American because we don’t get so many wonderful cars from Europe. Enjoy.

-Nick

Car Shows

The Elegance At Hershey: 1937 Delage D8 120SS Aerodynamic Coupe

July 15, 2013 ndubs77 1 Comment

Most of the cars we feature are quite special, but this Delage D8 120SS Aerodynamic Coupe is a special sort of special. This car is the only one of its kind, a unique short wheelbase variant of the D8 120S Aerodynamic Coupe. Going off of what I’ve found about this car, the 120SS shares the same 4.7L inline-eight cylinder engine found the D8 120S. Producing as much as 160hp, this motor gave the car quite a large amount of punch for its day. Its top speed was said to be in excess of 115mph.

Originally the D8 120SS was a commission order for some European prince, but after World War II it wound up in the Gerry Albertini collection in London. Today it has been recently restored by RM Restorations, and is poised to be a major contender in the concours circuit.

This is one truly stunning automobile, likely my personal favorite from The Elegance At Hershey this year. We wound up only having a short time to get our photos this year, on account of bad weather, so I hope to see the car again soon to capture even more of its details. That said, I am happy with the photos I got, so enjoy.

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Car Shows

The Elegance at Hershey 2013

June 17, 2013 ndubs77 1 Comment

We attended the The Elegance at Hershey this past weekend. It was actually our second show of the day, so time was precious to begin with, but the rain wound up cutting the event even shorter. It actually turned out to be favorable for us because most people left the show, leaving the cars largely unobstructed for photographs. The clouds also made the lighting fantastic for shooting classic cars, by both reducing glare and making to colors more striking. Our time in Hershey was a bit rushed, but I like how the pics came out. There were some really fantastic cars there too. This is an overview gallery of the event. There will be specific features to follow. Enjoy. Continue reading The Elegance at Hershey 2013 →

Car Shows

The 2013 Greenwich Concours d’ Elegance

June 3, 2013 ndubs77 5 Comments

James Glickenhaus in his 1947 Ferrari 159S Spyder Corsa — James Glickenhaus taking “Best in In Show” in his 1947 Ferrari 159S Spyder Corsa…. believed to be the oldest Ferrari automobile in existence.

We were in attendance for the 2013 Greenwich Concours d’ Elegance this past weekend in Connecticut. It was a fantastic event, and we saw, and drove, many awesome cars. Like most Concours events we go to, we have come back with months of material that we will be sharing with you over time, but this is a highlight reel to wet your appetite. Enjoy.

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Cars We've Seen

Spotted! Citroen SM, Sedona, AZ

May 22, 2013 ndubs77 2 Comments

I found this Citroen SM in the parking lot of a hotel yesterday. The SM is a very interesting car. After Citroen purchased Maserati in 1968, they began development on a flagship grand touring car. The SM debuted at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show, and they produced it through 1975. The SM is remains one of the only true gran touring cars to have front wheel drive, with the same Maserati V6 found in the original Quattroporte and Merak under its hood, producing between 170-180hp. Thanks to its sleek aerodynamics, the Citroen SM could reach 140mph, and onwers said it had no problem cruising at a steady 120mph on the autobahn. Today the SM exudes a level of class and style rivaled by few other cars on the road, and that is why I took the time to shoot these pics. Enjoy.

-Nick Walker

Car Shows

Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance: 1937 Delahaye 135 M Competition

April 15, 2013 ndubs77 Leave a comment

It would be a great mistake to think this Delahaye is some ordinary combination of red and black. Look a little closer and you will see a brilliant duet of raspberry and grey, accented by chrome and some of the most finely crafted wood I have ever seen on a car. I had already been through most of the show at the 2013 Amelia Island Concours d’ Elegance, but this stunning Delahaye 135 M Competition left me speachless when I found it. I saw one unbelievable car after another that day, but this was definitely my own personal “best of show”. I am a huge fan of French cars from the Art Deco era, but Delahayes hold a special place for me. The richness of flavor, the swoopy designs, it all embodies exactly what I want in a car like this, and this particular 135 M is one of the finest examples I’ve ever seen. Enjoy the photo gallery of this magnificent work of art.

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Car Shows

Lime Rock Historic Festival: Bugatti Type 57S and Type 57C

February 19, 2013 ndubs77 Leave a comment

Two gorgeous pre-war Bugatti Type 57’s, one Type 57S and one Type 57C. It is very interesting to see both sides of Bugatti during this era. The Type 57S is very much a racing car, and the Type 57C is an elegant touring car. Back then there was a more obvious direct line between race cars and road cars than their is today. Enjoy the pics.

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