THE DELAGE D8 S The Delage was, during the Classic Era, France’s premiere automobile, offering a combination of superlative performance, exquisite engineering, and finely wrought beauty that was difficult to surpass.

This was never more true than when referring to the company’s eight-cylinder models, of which the inarguably finest was the exclusive D8 S of the early 1930s.

Based upon a shortened chassis to optimize maneuverability and reduce weight, the D8 S boasted a competition-bred four-liter, eight-cylinder engine that produced 118 brake horsepower at 3,800 rpm, some 20 more than the standard D8.

Tweaked for maximum durability at speed, the S-tuned engine utilized shorter valve springs, to resist breakage at higher rpm ranges, as well as a Delage-only aircraft-inspired system in which warm engine oil was routed through the intake system, rather than water or coolant, in order to prevent performance loss due to carburetor icing.

In many senses, the D8 S was France’s Bentley—it w...