CARS OF THE WORLD

Delage D12 Hypercar 2023.

French hypercar Delage D12: now also roadsters.

The French company Delage shone on the world stage in the first half of the twentieth century, but after financial turmoil and changes of ownership, it closed in 1953.

Businessman Laurent Tapi together with Les Amis de Delage fan club started its revival in 2019.

Then the first mockup of the hypercar Delage D12 was presented — and finishing of this car is not completed till now.

But now the company Delage Automobiles has announced expansion of the range: in addition to the coupe two versions without a roof are offered at once.

It is declared that the hypercar Delage D12 is almost entirely developed in France, and the Formula 1 pilot Jacques Villeneuve is involved in fine-tuning.

The car has a defiant design, a two-seat cockpit with a tandem arrangement of seats and a steering wheel instead of the usual steering wheel.

The monocoque carrier and front module are made of carbon fiber, the rear subframe is aluminum.

It promises the highest level of acceleration among road cars, unsurpassed downforce and much more.

Behind the seats within the base is an atmospheric V12 engine of its own design.

It has a 66-degree cylinder camber block, a dry-sump lubrication system and distributed fuel injection.

The 7.6 liter displacement is 990 hp and 832 Nm. An electric motor with 110 hp and 244 Nm works in tandem with it.

The hybrid system peaks at 1,100 hp and 1,076 Nm.

The traction to the rear wheels is transmitted by an eight-speed «robot» with one clutch, but it has no rear gear: reverse is provided solely by an electric motor.

There is also a track version Delage D12 Club. It has a lighter and more compact electric motor with an output of 38 hp and 52 Nm, which reduced the dry mass of the car from 1390 kg to 1300 kg.

In any case the French hypercar has adjustable suspension and carbon-ceramic brakes.

The base coupe (pictured above) lacks the usual doors, access to the cockpit opens a composite glass hood, which tilts forward on gas stops.

The open-top Delage D12 Speedster also has such a hinged section, but without side windows and roof panel.

And in addition there is a version of the Delage D12 F1, which does not have the front fairing: instead of it there is only a small deflector, cutting off the air flow.

Interestingly, Delage does not offer cars with different body types, but different types of flaps in a set with one car.

The owner will be able to change them depending on the season and weather conditions.

The basic variant remains a coupe for 2 million euros (without taxes), and additional superstructure will cost another 190 thousand euros.

For the set of two superstructures (Speedster and F1) the company asks 260 thousand.

The type of superstructure does not affect the overall design of the truck and almost does not change its weight, so the dynamic characteristics have not changed.

According to calculations of the developers, a basic Delage D12 can accelerate to 100 km/h in 2.6 seconds, and to 300 km/h — in 14.1 seconds.

The track Club version is not so dynamic: 2.9 and 14.9 seconds respectively.

Maximum speed is the same: 360 km/h. But the lightweight track hypercar should be faster at the Nürburgring: the developers expect to break the track record and make a lap in less than 6 minutes and 40 seconds.

Anyway all test drives will take place only next year when the Delage D12 will be completely ready.

At the same time, the company expects to start sales. Planned circulation of the French hypercar is 30 copies.