Autoblog

1936 Delahaye Type 135 Special – Lot 278
Seeing the racecars at these auctions this week has been a special thrill. Barrett-Jackson and Russo and Steele have some very cool ones this time around. Factory drag racers, dealer-prepped track specials, and even NASCAR Cup cars are among the lots. RM Auctions, however, had several notable racers in their offerings that were so special they made the trip out here a must. Some very special racecars, like Dan Gurney's 1969 Eagle Indy Car, the most successful Shelby GT350R, and this featured car, the ex-Ecurie Bleue 1936 Delahaye Type 135 Special.

This gorgeous little racing spyder was very advanced for its day and was campaigned by the famous Ecurie Bleue team after leaving the factory effort after its first season. With those teardrop-fendered bodies, they could be run in sports car races, or in grand prix races by unbolting the fenders. What made the Specials extra special was the ultimate development of the Delahaye 3,557cc six-cylinder engine. It produced at least 40 more horsepower than the lesser-tuned versions at an output of 160 hp. This particular car was one of two (out of a total run of 16) retained by the factory for their own efforts in the 1936 French racing season. After 1936 it went to Ecurie Bleue and then continued on a long path of different owners and different configurations running in different races on different continents. It is 1 of 12 remaining cars and is so incredibly gorgeous that the $1,200,000 gavel price seemed like a bargain. Check out the full high-res gallery by clicking one of the images.

[Source: RM Auctions]