As with the vast majority of car marques past and present, Delage was named after its founder, in this case Louis Delâge, an engineer previously employed by Renault.

In 1905 he established an assembly plant in a converted barn on the outskirts of Paris and had soon built a reputation for the stylish appearance of their cars and as a strong contender in motor racing.

Like most car producers, Delage delivered chassis and drivetrain to a roster of coachbuilders, including Letourneur et Marchand who also built bodies for luxury brands like Duesenberg, Hispano-Suiza, Rolls-Royce and Bugatti.

To provide a more standardised body production in larger volumes, L&M established a subsidiary, Autobineau.

The six-cylinder Delage D6 launched in 1930 but the ensuing Great Depression saw sales plummet and the company was liquidated, with the rights to the name being bought by the Delahaye car company in 1935.

By 1939, the seventh generation D6-75 was launched with a 95 hp 2,798cc engine, plus the...