News/ Industry/ Delage D12 | Hypercar with 1100 HP

Delage D12 | Hypercar with 1100 HP

Delage has started building the D12 hypercar and has already completed four of the 30 that are intended.

The D12 is being produced in a plant in Magny-Cours, France, and was first exhibited by the resurrected Delage brand in 2020. Laurent Tapie, the brains behind the modern Delage brand, estimates that it will take his company four to five years to finish producing the D12 hypercar and recognizes that it is taking time for the brand to gain awareness.

According to him, the automobile draws a lot of attention because there isn't anything else like it on the market. The brand has lain dormant for 70 years; hence, success won't arrive quickly.

A 7.6-liter naturally-aspirated V12 paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and assisted by an electric motor powers the Delage D12. There are two models available: the normal GT, which has a combined 1,100 horsepower, and the lightweight Club, which is 198 lbs (89.8 kg) lighter than the GT and has a smaller electric motor with a 1,010 horsepower maximum.

Similar to the Czinger 21C and a jet fighter, the D12 is supported by a carbon fiber monocoque, and the driver sits in the middle with the passenger sitting right behind them. The Delage team was able to create an extraordinarily tiny cockpit as a result, which helped it create the most aerodynamically effective car imaginable.

The D12's usage of a contractive suspension system, developed by Delage's current head of chassis and suspension Mauro Bianchi, is one of the model's most fascinating features. This suspension system was utilized by McLaren and Ferrari in Formula 1 throughout the 1990s.

Although it is yet unknown if Delage has sold all 30 D12 models, we do know that they are not inexpensive at an average starting price of $2 million.

With the D12, Delage isn't letting its guard down. According to Tapie, the company is already developing its second production vehicle, which will be a quick grand tourer akin to the Bugatti Chiron. He stated that the third model from the company is now in the design phase and would include a hybrid engine.

TopGear Magazine June 2024