Delahaye Type 1
1895 · Rear Engined Car with Belt Drive · Work 251 of 1,871
A Delahaye Type 1 in the Tours workshop yard, rear mounted twin-cylinder engine with hot tube ignition burners, belt pulleys on a countershaft, wooden wagon body with folding entry step.
- What it was used for
- In 1879 Émile Delahaye took over Julien Bréthon's business in Tours, which built machinery and kilns for ceramics makers. The Type 1 was developed there in 1895. Delahaye promoted it through racing: in Paris–Marseille–Paris, 24 September to 3 October 1896, over 1,710 km, two Delahayes finished seventh and tenth of 14 classified vehicles; according to the Club Delahaye, Delahaye himself took part. Among the first customers was the Duchesse d'Uzès, who according to the French historic vehicle federation FFVE bought a Type 1 in October 1897; it is now in the museum at Compiègne.
- What was new
- A local heritage society in Vouvray writes that the Type 1 is said to have been the first entirely French car – the source hedges this itself. The background: the Club Delahaye stresses that the car was entirely Delahaye's own design, engine included, which was rare at the time – a horizontal two-cylinder of about 2.5 litres with electric ignition. Output is given as about 8 hp. The start is disputed too: the Club Delahaye dates the first car to 1894, others date the Type 1 to 1895; these may be two different vehicles.