At the 1934 Paris Auto Salon, Delahaye unveiled the Type 135.

Unlike the earlier and lesser-known, yet related Type 138 that had launched the previous year, the 135 featured a lowered chassis, lending itself to beautiful hand-built coachwork.

It was supplied with a 3.2-litre straight-six engine, breathing through twin-Solex carburettors and producing 95 horsepower.

The Parisian marque offered a sporting version of the 135, dubbed the 135 MS—standing for Modifiée Speciale—with these examples supplied with triple carburettors and power output that ranged from 120 to 160 horsepower.

The low-slung Type 135 chassis proved popular with high society with orders coming from movie stars, military leaders, politicians, royalty and socialites.

Type 135s were often bodied by the great French coachbuilders of the era, such as Henri Chapron, Joseph Figoni, Marius Franay, Alphonse Guilloré, and Jaques Saoutchik.

At the hands of these master coachbuilders, some of the most elegant designs were b...