The Delahaye 135, also known as "
Coupe des Alpes" after its success in the
Alpine Rally, was first presented in 1935 and signified Delahaye's decision to build sportier cars than before. The 3.2-litre
overhead valve straight-six with four-bearing
crankshaft was derived from one of Delahaye's truck engines and was also used in the more sedate, longer wheelbase () Delahaye 138. Power was in twin carburetor form, but were available in a version with three downdraught
Solex carbs, The 135 featured independent,
leaf-sprung front suspension, a
live rear axle, and cable operated
Bendix brakes. 17-inch spoked wheels were also standard. Transmission was either a partially
synchronized four-speed manual or four-speed
Cotal pre-selector transmission. Competition 135s set the all-time record at the
Ulster Tourist Trophy and placed second and third in the
Mille Miglia in 1936, and the
1938 24 Hours of Le Mans. The list of independent body suppliers offering to clothe the 135 chassis is the list of France's top
coachbuilders of the time, including
Figoni & Falaschi,
Letourneur et Marchand, Alphonse Guilloré,
Marcel Pourtout, Frères Dubois,
Jacques Saoutchik, Marius Franay,
Henri Chapron, Faget-Varnay,
Antem, and others. Production of the 3.2-litre version ended with the
German occupation in 1940 and was not taken up again after the end of hostilities.
135M A larger-
displacement (3,557 cc) 135M was introduced in 1936. Largely the same as the regular 135, the new engine offered 90, 105, or 115 hp, with either one, two, or three carburetors.Peter Hull, in"Delahaye: Famous on Road and Race Track", in Ward, Ian, executive editor.
World of Automobiles (London: Orbis, 1974), Volume 5, p.523, says up to 130hp.--> As with the 135/138, a less sporty, longer wheelbase version was also built, called the "148". The 148 had a 3,150 mm wheelbase, or 3,350 mm in a seven-seater version. On the two shorter wheelbases, a
134N was also available, with a 2,150 cc four-cylinder version of the 3.2-litre six from the 135. Along with a brief return of the 134, production of 148, 135M, and 135MS models was resumed after the end of the war. The 135 and 148 were then joined by the one litre larger engined Delahaye 175 / 175S; 178; and 180, being an entirely new series that was under development before the war. When the large displacement chassis-series was discontinued in 1951, the 135M was updated to be introduced as the Type 235, as a last ditch effort to save Delahaye. The 235 was offered until the demise of Delahaye in 1954, but only 84 examples were built. File:Delahaye 135 Cabriolet Chapron.JPG|1937 Delahaye 135-M Cabriolet
Chapron File:Le coupé DUBOS du salon 1946, restauré..jpg|1937 Delahaye Type 135-M Dubos uncoverable coupe (chassis 47 633) File:Paris - Retromobile 2013 - Delahaye Type 135-M roadster - 003.jpg|1937 Delahaye Type 135-M roadster body by
Figoni & Falaschi File:Paris - Retromobile 2013 - Delahaye Type 135-M roadster - 007.jpg|1937 Delahaye Type 135-M roadster body by
Figoni & Falaschi File:Paris - Retromobile 2013 - Delahaye Type 135-M roadster - 009.jpg|1937 Delahaye Type 135-M roadster body by
Figoni & Falaschi interior File:Paris - Retromobile 2012 - Delahaye 135 M Chapron - 1938 - 001.jpg|1938 Delahaye 135-M
Chapron File:1939 Delahaye 135M Cabriolet- Haynes International Motor Museum - Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset (11694550816).jpg|1939 Delahaye Type 135 M Guilloré cabriolet File:Bonhams - The Paris Sale 2012 - Delahaye 135M Cabriolet - 1946 - 007.jpg|1946 Delahaye Type 135-M Graber cabriolet (chassis 800 269) File:Bonhams - The Paris Sale 2012 - Delahaye 135M Cabriolet - 1946 - 017.jpg|1946 Delahaye Type 135-M Graber cabriolet (chassis 800 269) File:Delahaye 135 Cabriolet Figoni Falaschi (51716446755).jpg|1946 Delahaye Type 135-M Figoni & Falaschi cabriolet (chassis 800 308) File:1946 Delahaye 135M Cabriolet 3 - Bonhams Paris 2015.jpg|1946 Delahaye Type 135-M Pennock cabriolet (chassis 800 424) File:Delahaye135 1948.jpg|1948 Delahaye Type 135-M Figoni & Falaschi cabriolet "El Glaoui" (chassis 801 189) File:Delahaye 135 M Coach Gascogne (49737518261).jpg|1949 135-M Coach
Gascogne File:Paris - Bonhams 2014 - Delahaye 135M Cabriolet - 1949 - 001.jpg|1949 Delahaye 135-M Cabriolet File:Paris - Bonhams 2014 - Delahaye 135M Cabriolet - 1949 - 004.jpg|1949 Delahaye 135-M Cabriolet File:Paris - Bonhams 2014 - Delahaye 135M Cabriolet - 1949 - 005.jpg|1949 Delahaye 135-M Cabriolet interior File:Delahaye Typ 135 Bj 1949.JPG|1949 Delahaye Type 135-M Saoutchick cabriolet (chassis 801 424) File:1949 Delahaye type 148 L Berline front.jpg|1949
148L with four-door
berline bodywork by
Letourneur et Marchand File:Delahaye 135 M Cabriolet 1949 von Guillore schräg.JPG|1950 Delahaye Type 135-M Guilloré cabriolet "Atlas" 1950 (chassis 801636)
168 Presented in December 1938 and built until the outbreak of war in 1940, the Type 168 used the 148L's chassis and engine (engine code 148N) in
Renault Viva Grand Sport bodywork. Wheelbase remained 315 cm while the use of
artillery wheels rather than spoked items meant minor differences in track. This curious hybrid was the result of an effort by Renault to steal in on Delahaye's lucrative near monopoly on fire vehicles: after a complaint by Delahaye, Renault relinquished contracts it had gained, but in return Delahaye had to agree to purchase a number of Viva Grand Sport bodyshells.
135MS An even sportier version, the 135MS, soon followed; 120–145 hp were available, with competition versions offering over 160 hp. The 135MS was the version most commonly seen in competition, and continued to be available until 1954, when new owners
Hotchkiss finally called a halt. The MS had the 2.95 m wheelbase, but competition models sat on a shortened 2.70 m chassis. The
Type 235, a rebodied 135MS with ponton-style design by
Philippe Charbonneaux, appeared in 1951. File:Rétromobile 2015 - Delahaye 135 M Chapron Cabriolet-Roadster - 1937 - 001.jpg|1937 Delahaye Type 135-MS
Chapron cabriolet (chassis 47 538) File:Paris - Retromobile 2012 - Delahaye 135 M Compétition Chapron cabriolet - 1938 - 003.jpg|1938 Delahaye 135-MS Compétition Chapron cabriolet (chassis 49 198) File:1938 Delahaye 135 MS (19770).jpg|1938 Delahaye 135-MS Figoni & Falaschi cabriolet (chassis 49 346) File:Delahaye 135 MS.jpg|1938 Delahaye 135-MS Figoni & Falaschi cabriolet (chassis 49 346) File:Delahaye (52094347374).jpg|1939 Delahaye 135-MS Chapron unrestored cabriolet (chassis 60 162) File:Delahaye 135 MS (1939) (52860035851).jpg|1939 Delahaye 135-MS Chapron unrestored cabriolet (chassis 60 162) File:Den Haag Louwman Museum 221.jpg|1946 Delahaye 135-MS Coupé Pourtout File:1947 Delahaye Model 135 M Figoni et Falaschi 'Narval' Cabriolet, Blackhawk Museum DSC 0203.jpg|1947 Delahaye 135-MS Figoni & Falaschi "Narval" cabriolet (chassis 800 495) File:Delahaye 135MS Pininfarina (7914448528).jpg|1947 Delahaye 135-MS Pininfarina coupe (chassis 800 697) File:Paris - Retromobile 2012 - Delahaye 135 MS Cabriolet par Franay - 1947 - 002.jpg|1947 Delahaye 135-MS Cabriolet Franay File:1947 Delahaye 135 MS Chapron Cabriolet.jpg|1947 Delahaye Type 135-MS Chapron cabriolet File:1947 Delahaye 135 MS Chapron Cabriolet 2.jpg|1947 Delahaye Type 135-MS Chapron cabriolet File:1948 Delahaye 135 MS Faget-Varnet Cabriolet - blue - rvl.jpg|1948 Delahaye 135-MS Faget & Varnet cabriolet (chassis 801 077) File:1948 Delahaye 135 MS Faget-Varnet Cabriolet - blue - dash.jpg|1948 Delahaye 135-MS Faget & Varnet cabriolet interior File:1947 Delahaye 135 MS - green - 8511813627.jpg|1948 Delahaye Type 135-MS Chapron cabriolet "Vedette" 1948 (chassis 800 384) File:1947 Delahaye 135 MS - green - 8511813871.jpg|1948 Delahaye Type 135-MS Chapron cabriolet "Vedette" 1948 (chassis 800 384) File:1948 Delahaye Type 135 MS Cabriolet Blackhawk Museum.jpg|1949 Delahaye Type 135-MS Chapron "Vedette" cabriolet (chassis 800 727) File:Delahaye 135 (35839242553).jpg|1949 Delahaye 135-MS Guilloré coach "Alpin" (chassis 801 186) File:1951 Delahaye Type 135 M Cabriolet Blackhawk Museum.jpg|1950 Delahaye 135-MS Chapron cabriolet "Dandy" (chassis 801 011) File:Delahaye 135 MS Coach Special by Figoni & Falaschi (1951).jpg|1951 Delahaye Type 135-MS Figoni & Falaschi coach (chassis 801 736) ==Competition==