Very Few Classics Can Beat The Delahaye 16C Roadster

Credit: Unsplash
This Was A Classic Car Built With All The Uniqueness Of Nature

Émile Delahaye founded Delahaye automobile way back in 1894 in his home town of Tours, France. Even from those early days, his cars were a hit and had a good measure of success.

We will focus on the Delahaye 16C Roadster, a vehicle that was no doubt built to please the eye. One of the striking elements of this Delahaye 16C Roadster is its hidden wheels.

And just as you investigate where the wheels are hidden, you come across the beautiful curves around the Delahaye. They are well outlined around this car, sitting comfortably in the right places.

The wheels hide under the huge wheel arches that give the impression that the vehicle is floating in the air. Delahaye had yet another epic car named the Delahaye Saoutchik Roadster.

Like the 16C roaster, the Sautchik was so outstanding that it was named among the most expensive and prestigious collections right after World War II. This was a winning car that took Europe by storm.

When it was unveiled at the 1949 Paris Auto Show, it stood out for its original designs that borrowed very little from other coachbuilders. It went on to win almost all the major pools around Europe and amazed the masses wherever it was exhibited.

Ian Kelleher, President and Chief Operating Officer at RM Auctions described it saying, “Following the financial depression of World War II, there were few collectors with the means, flamboyance and flair to commission a car as exotic as this Saoutchik Roadster. Arguably the most desirable post-war, coach-built automobile of all time, it is truly a masterpiece of the coachbuilder’s art. Eye-catching and exotic.”

These are the kind of gems that are hardly beaten down by time. They live long enough to tell their beautiful tales.