Page 8 - The Kellner Affair Sample Pages

THE KELLNER AFFAIR: MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
The repaired and repainted V-12 GP Delage on the Labourdette stand at the 1937 Paris Salon with its two-piece curved Vutotal windshield. Note the two Vutotal cars with at windshields in the background. (Peter Larsen)
D8-120 mirrored the Peugeot Andreau prototypes and mimicked the Vutotal solution on the GP Delage.
In doing away with the n, Paulin created a new and slightly different rear-end shape on the upper body, which allowed the deck to taper in an uninterrupted line all the way from the passenger compartment until it ended in a pointed tip at the center of the rear end. With a concave curve on either side going from the center to the fender tips, the top view of the rear resembled a bat wing. In order to assist the aerodynamics of the rear upper body, a at undertray covered the underside of the chassis from the tip of the car back to the differential stretching out to the rear wheel openings. This was another aerodynamic design element lifted directly from Andreau’s GP Delage.
Paulin concurrently used this Andreau-in uenced rear-end design on the Peugeot Darl’Mat Spécial Sport barquettes, coupés, and cabriolets. It was a low volume production car with a total production run of 106 units, all of which were built by Pourtout in 1937 and 1938. Paulin continued to work with Pourtout, with the of cial title of stylist. In the few remaining years leading up to the outbreak of hostilities, he created a number of remarkable designs,
At the 1937 Paris Salon, this Delage D8-120 was shown with a Pourtout body designed by Georges Paulin. The overall similarities with the Andreau Delage were too far reaching to be a coincidence. Note the A-pillar. This design is not a Vutotal. (Peter Larsen)
Andreau’s in uence reached far and wide. Here a Letourneur et Marchand design drawing for a Delage D8-15. Note the skirted front fender with its Figoni-esque swirl. (Peter Larsen)
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