The Delage D12 is a questionable motoring revival | Axon’s Automotive Anorak

The new £1.7million, V12-powered D12 revives the reinvented Delage name, once favoured by the pre-jet set rich, famous and elegant people, plus notable racing drivers of the era. Delage produced commendable mechanicals, mounted on a highly capable and costly chassis, clothed by some of France’s finest coach builders, including classically graceful designs of Henri Chapron, flamboyant Figoni et Falaschi bodies and sober Letourneur et Marchand coachwork.

Despite its refined history, this ultra-modern 21^st Century D12 rebirth of the Delage name has as much to do with the heritage of this once-fine French marque as an egg timer, a plastic duck or a combine harvester (i.e., not a lot). If Delage had survived beyond its 1954 demise (following a merger with its once-arch rival Delahaye, after the overly-ambitious Louis Delage was forced into liquidation in 1935) would it have really made something to the tune of this wild D12 hypercar that made its UK debut at Goodwood last week? Sure, there are a few common Delage cues beyond the blue oval badge, and it’s being built in the same protected old Delage factory located in Courbevoie near Paris, but that’s about it.

The revival of the Delage name is far from the first, and definitely will not be the last, of famous old vehicle marque names being resurrected. Recent successful examples include Abarth (defunct in 1971, revived by Fiat in 2007), Alpine (dormant for a dozen years, until revived by Renault in 2007) and the commercial success of the modern age, Audi, which was killed off in 1939 and re-established by Mercedes-Benz in 1966 – a move that Mercedes would probably go on to later regret as Audi pinched its customers.

Other recent marque revivals have included a couple announced at Goodwood, with the comeback of De Tomaso introduced at the 2019 Festival of Speed, and TVR’s long-awaited return announced within the Earls Court Motor Show attraction at the 2017 Goodwood Revival – the resultant new Griffith model is still waiting to enter production, if indeed it ever will, five years on.

A host of British motoring names, such as Bristol, Lagonda, Alvis and Berkeley, have either returned or hold the promise of a comeback soon for keen marque enthusiasts, myself included in the former case, with desirable continental marques such as ISO, Bizzarrini and Hispano Suiza making very welcome returns recently too.

Inevitably there have also been some short-lived marque revivals that have ultimately resulted in failure, with once-great names disappearing into the pages of the history books once more. These past failures have included Talbot (briefly revived by Peugeot’s PSA Groupe in 1979 to sweep up all of the complex ex-Rootes, Chrysler and Simca brands, such as Hillman, Humber, Sunbeam, and so on), Jensen (with multiple failed rebirths), Lea Francis, Connaught, Invicta, Trident, plus luxury overseas sport car makers Spyker, Monteverdi (although I keep hearing rumours of a third-time-lucky comeback for this proud Swiss marque!).

Given the terrible situation currently with Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, there are currently strong rumours that the once-popular ex-USSR Moskvich name might make a comeback too with a basic Russian ‘people’s car’ to satisfy a local demand that is now unfulfilled by the main overseas car makers rightfully withdrawing from Putin’s dictatorship state. Even the Morris name (once Britain’s best-selling vehicle maker) has now been revived, via its dedicated Commercial operation, building a charming all-electric update of the characterful JE van with sliding passenger doors.

Some ex-manufacturer names are best laid to rest, however, although it would be interesting to see what a modern Triumph, Studebaker, Tatra, Pontiac or Panhard might look like.

Back to the revival of the Delage name though. Louis Delage first founded his vehicle making company in 1905, quickly building an enviable reputation for producing fine, expensive and exclusive quality motor cars. This enviable image was enhanced by participating in, and winning, motor races with numerous innovative products at celebrated venues like Indianapolis, Dieppe and Brooklands. This was often at the expense of his road cars, which tended to take a back seat to racing in his affections, despite funding his competition aspirations.

Delage eventually moved into the costly but elegant Grande Routier niche, building outstandingly refined and desirable motor cars such as the D6 and D8, but the Great Depression hit his sales and business hard, forcing him into liquidation and causing him to sell out to rival Delahaye in 1935, with his prestigious Champs-Elysées showroom sold on to ‘commonplace’ Ford and then Simca. Louis Delage died in 1947 a bankrupt and broken man, aged 73. The marque expired in 1954, until the revival of this once revered name (with the longest-established car club in the world) at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Doubtless the new V12-powered Delage D12 hypercar will be a splendid vehicle in its own right and sensational to drive, but time will tell whether it is worthy of wearing the famous Delage badge or not. For me, sorry, but it’s already a no.

Photography by Pete Summers, Jonathan Sharp and Phil Hay.