Delage D12 hybrid: French Hypercar Returns After 70-Year Hiatus, Starts Production
French automaker Delage, known for its historical luxury cars and racing machines between 1905 and 1953, has made a revival under the leadership of entrepreneur Laurent Tapie. The company has started production of the D12 hybrid hypercar and is already working on a successor to take on the Bugatti Chiron.
The D12 GT, unveiled at the 2022 Goodwood Festival of Speed, boasts a powerful 728kW 7.6-liter V12 engine and an electric motor, delivering a combined output of 809kW. The car features a central carbon-fiber monocoque with a tandem seating configuration, where the passenger sits behind the driver.
Delage’s unique contractive suspension system, designed by Delage chassis and suspension chief Mauro Bianchi, draws inspiration from the successful systems used by McLaren and Ferrari in Formula 1 during the 1990s. Technical director Benoit Bagur, with experience in rally car engineering, and chief test driver Jacques Villeneuve, the 1997 F1 champion, are key figures behind the project.
While Delage has completed four examples of the D12, they plan to produce a limited run of 30 units. Laurent Tapie mentioned that the D12 had garnered significant interest, and the company is gradually building awareness. He acknowledged the challenge of revitalizing a brand that had been dormant for 70 years, emphasizing that success would not happen overnight.
Production of the D12 hypercar is scheduled to take place in Magny-Cours, and it is expected to take four to five years to build the entire production run. Delage is already working on its second hypercar, set to be a road-legal, high-performance two-seater more akin to the Bugatti Chiron. While specific details were not provided, it will feature a hybrid powertrain. Tapie hinted that work on a third car, targeting a different market segment, has also commenced.
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