10 Of The Most Beautiful Pre-War Cars Ever Built

The long-running Delage D8 received an upgrade in 1937 with a new chassis similar to the one being produced by Delahaye, which was not that surprising considering that the two had merged just over a year prior. A new gearbox and revised brakes were also fitted, with the resulting car christened the D8-120. As was convention at the time, a selection of coachbuilders provided bodies with the car, with no two examples exactly the same. Many of the most sought-after versions combined the latest in aerodynamics knowledge with the flair of Art Deco, giving the car a top speed of just under 100 mph without compromising on looks.

Their rarity and status as one of the leading French luxury cars has kept them high on the wishlist for collectors, although prices haven’t seen the same huge increases as other French rarities from the era like the Talbot-Lago Teardrop Coupe. Nonetheless, they remain an order of magnitude out of reach for most car collectors, with a 1937 example selling for $770,000 at auction in 2013. 

It’s tricky to establish a set model value for cars like this since condition and history play a huge part. Beyond that, many sales of pre-war cars are private, and therefore no data is available on the selling price. However, it’s safe to say that interest in the D8-120 is unlikely to wane anytime soon, and so owners can be almost sure of a safe return on their investment.