Back to back: Lagonda or Delahaye?

• 

Britain versus France has always been a favourite comparison. Why? Well, because the differences in attitude, lifestyle and looks are rather obvious. But also since Britain and France have never really gotten along very well  historically (Monty Python explanation here).

Still then, in the late-1940s and early 1950s, you could find similarities in the upper echelons of both country’s motoring products. Take these two for example. From Britain we have a 1951 Lagonda 2.6-Litre Drophead Coupé, meant to fill the gap in the luxury car market between Jaguar and Rover at one end and Rolls-Royce and Bentley at the other. The Lagonda, mechanically based on a WO Bentley design, was meant to do just that. Its six-in-line gave 105bhp at 5,000rpm and used independent rear suspension. A heater, however, was an optional extra.

This particular car was supplied new to one Frederick Packer of Sittingbourne Kent and remained there before moving up north to Yorkshire until 2001. It still comes with all; matching numbers and is for sale now with more information to be found here.

Over to that other candidate: a 1948 Delahaye 135 M Cabriolet with body by Letourneur et Marchand and equally matching numbers. This car in this particular configuration is rarer than the Lagonda with its factory body, but can match to its performances and looks. The French six-in-line comes with 95bhp at 4,200rpm and weighs roughly the same. When new, this car was delivered on June 15, 1949 at the Delage/Delahaye dealership on Avenue Franklin Roosevelt in Paris. Unfortunately it had different colour scheme at the time, since it came in a grey-blue livery with grey upholstery. It supposedly won the Price of Honour during the Grand Cascade concours d’elegance in Spring 1949 (70th anniversary not far away now!).

Most of its early history is shrouded in mystery, though, as the next trace of the car leads to Quebec in 1977, when it appeared in an ad, in need of new paint, upholstery and hood following a fire. It received all that in 1979 when it was fully restored in France. A later restoration took place in 2009 when ‘the body was exposed to the bare metal, before being repainted, and the front axle and brakes were fully restored’. While’ The mechanicals were refurbished by the owner himself, a former engine engineer at Alfa Romeo’. This car is also coming up for sale here. Do you have a favourite?

(Words editor, pictures Vintage & Prestige Cars / Artcurial)

Make a comment, ask a question, give your opinion, share additional information or start a discussion by filling in the fields below.