Delahaye’s first new model since the late 1930s, the 175 was launched in 1948 with a forward-thinking semi-monocoque chassis, housing an enlarged and improved 4.5-liter version of the firm’s tried-and-true inline six. The 175 S was a more powerful and sporting iteration of the standard model, featuring an engine fed by three Solex carburetors, rather than one, contributing to spirited performance. Further, the 175 S’s wide chassis, riding on stylish wire wheels, allowed coachbuilders to create very appealing and perfectly proportioned bodies. Interestingly, of the 51 examples of the 175 built, the majority were of 175 S specification.

This particular 175 S, chassis number 815016, was bodied by Carrosserie Franay, one of Paris’s best-respected coachbuilders, to a design by their employee Pierre Dumont. Its flowing lines are typical of the period, with smooth curves devoid of visual distractions, creating an aerodynamic and visually appealing body. According to Club Delahaye president and marque historian Jean-Paul Tissot, this was the only 175 S mounted with a cabriolet body by Franay.

Built toward the end of 1948, the car was delivered by February 1949, when it was first registered in the former Seine department of Paris as “9277 RQ 7.” Several months later, in June, the car participated in the Grand Concours d’Elegance at Enghien-les-Bains. It went on to change hands three times during the 1950s, before being acquired in 1964 by the prominent French car collector, Jacques Baillon. Saved from the decay that befell many Baillon cars, it was sold once more and spent several years in storage, before being acquired by the well-known American French coachwork authority, Richard Adatto, during the late 1980s.

In 2007 the 175 S joined a well-known European collection of coachbuilt Delahayes, whose owner commissioned a restoration by Auto Restorations of New Zealand, reportedly taking some 12,500 hours to complete in this rich red livery with cheerfully contrasting beige leather interior. Upon its return it was displayed in the collection until 2022, when the present owner, himself a noted enthusiast of the finest French designs of the Classic Era, took possession. It has since been exhibited under good care in his own collection, and remains in very attractive overall order, inside and out.

An ideal participant for concours awards around the world, this sole Franay-bodied Delahaye 175 S cabriolet boasts unique design, attractive lines, and fine performance, on one of its manufacturer’s most modern chassis, recommending it into the hands of any collector who savors a bespoke creation.