By J.A. Ackley
Aug 20, 2024
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The Quail,
Monterey Car Week,
The Quail A Motorsports Gathering
Photography Courtesy The Quail
Sure, this 1937 Delahaye Type 135 stands on its own as a quintessential example of an art deco masterpiece. In fact, it won best of show at this year's The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. However, it has some history, too. Delahaye Club historian Andre Vaucourt believes it to be the car that Delahaye used to make a name for itself in motorsport, with René Dreyfus behind the wheel and American heiress Lucy Schell as the car owner.
The Delahaye won the Prix du Million, a French government-backed time trial event held to entice French automakers to build a car capable of beating the Germany-backed grand prix entries from Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union. Dreyfus won the event at the precarious Autodrome de Montlhéry, a track that took the life of Antonio Ascari in 1925.
That win earned the car the nickname of the “Million Franc Delahaye.” Dreyfus later competed with the Delahaye in the 1938 Pau Grand Prix. There, he achieved an incredible upset. Dreyfus, a Jewish driver, won, beating the three-time champ Rudolf Caracciola, who competed in the well-heeled and German-backed Mercedes-Benz Silver Arrow. The victory made Dreyfus a national hero.
(As an aside, if you want to learn more about the story behind Dreyfus, Schell and the Delahaye, read the 2020 book by Neal Bascomb, “Faster: How a Jewish Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Beat Hitler’s Best.”)
After its racing days, the Delahaye was rebodied to its current look. The vehicle later went on to win the “Prix du Honneur” at the 1947 Paris Salon.
However, the late Peter Mullin, a noted French automobile collector, namesake of the Mullin Automotive Museum and friend of the owner of The Quail-winning car, Sam Mann, also claimed to have the Million Franc Delahaye.
“I know Peter thinks he has the correct car, and he cares more about it than I do, but we’re relying on documentation from the Delahaye club,” Mann told The New York Times in a 2020 article. “It’s a lifelong exploration, and at the end of the day it’s almost impossible to tell which car is the real one.”
In the same article, they asked Bascomb what he thought: “If I was to bet. I’d say they both own a piece of the car that beat Hitler.”
If you missed out on this year’s The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, mark next year’s one on your calendar. It’s set for Friday, August 15, 2025.
2024 Winners of The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering
Rolex Circle of Champions Best of Show
Car: 1937 Delahaye Type 135
Owner: Sam & Emily Mann
Spirit of The Quail
Car: 1949 MG TC
Owner: Aaron Shelby
Hagerty Drivers Foundation Award
1963 Jaguar E-Type FHC
Buzz & Julia Lynn
30th Anniversary of Koenigsegg Automobile
Car: 2005 Koenigsegg CCR
Owner: Glenn Yuen
50th Anniversary of the Porsche 911 Turbo Type 930
Car: 1975 Porsche 911 Turbo Type 930
Owner: Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG
100 Years of MG
Car: 1925 Morris MG 14/28 Bullnose Supersports
Owner: Michael Dacre
Tribute to World Rally Cars
Car: 1985 Audi S1 E2
Owner: Stephen Rimmer
The Evolution of the Supercar
Car: 2002 Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR
Owner: Damon Sueter
The Great Ferraris
Car: 1952 340 Mexico
Owner: Brian Ross
Pre-War Sports and Racing
Car: Bugatti Type 57
Owner: Bernard Kress
Post-War Racing
Car: 2001 Chrysler Viper GTS-R
Owner: Florent Moulin
Post-War Sports 1961-1975
Car: 1967 Lamborghini Muira
Owner: Tom Price
Post-War Sports 1945-1960
Car: 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SC
Owner: Vin DiBona
Custom Coachwork
Car: 1934 Ford Model 40 5 Window
Owner: Coby Gewertz
Sports and Racing Motorcycles
Motorcycle: 1930 Indian Four Cylinder
Owner: Mike Lynch
ArtCenter College of Design Award
1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale
Owner: Scott Leibow
The Art of Bespoke Award presented by Magneto Magazine
1975 Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 Croisette Shooting Brake by Felber
Owner: Andreas Wuest
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