Bella Figura Coupe Delahaye

Scheduled to debut at RETRO AUTO in the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Aug. 13-15 in Monterey, CA, DELAHAYE USA's new carbon fiber bodied “BELLA FIGURA” BUGNOTTI was inspired by the classic Type 57S. This is not a real Bugatti, but our tribute to Ettore’s son Jean. In development for more than a year using digital technology from REVOLUTION DESIGN STUDIOS combined with the latest state of the art vacuum infusion process from carbon fiber specialists 3 G SERVICES INC., we will offer a “carbon fiber finish” where you can see the weave of the cloth through a clear coat. Or you can have your choice of a painted body of carbon fiber and composite, or all composite. Available as “turnkeys” or the bare body and rolling frame for the build-it-yourself enthusiast, you can order a coupe, a drophead coupe with folding convertible top mechanism or a targa-top version. For details, prices, see www.delahayeusa.com/bugnotticoupe.

DELAHAYE USA
The epitome of elegance, style and grace Custom building world's most beautiful automobiles

Connoisseurs of classic automobiles agree that the golden age of car design was the 1930s. Unquestionably some of the most beautiful and sensual automobiles in history were created in Europe in this decade. Paris was the undisputed fashion center of the world. It was also the place to find the finest, built to order, custom coach built automobiles. A coachbuilder is an artisan who makes the hand crafted bodies for custom built carriages or automobiles. The best 1930’s French creations featured flamboyant streamlined automobiles with absolutely voluptuous sweeping styling. Top designers and craftsmen from different countries established workshops in France to cater to the world's discriminating elite carriage trade. Aome of history's most renowned Parisian chic French coachbuilders were Guiseppi Figoni and partner Ovidio Falaschi from Italy, Achilles Van Vooren from the Netherlands and Russian cabinet maker Jacques Saoutchik who created cars for the kings of Cambodia, Siam, Egypt and Norway, and the Emperor of Ethopia. Today few examples of their rolling works of fine art remain. Some are valued in excess of ten million dollars. Most are not for sale at any price and are in the hands of the world's most respected private collectors of elite automobiles. Because of their value, combined with their antiquated engines and suspensions, today most are rarely driven.

Fortunately there is one firm dedicated to hand building a few recreations of these classic sensuous streamliners. DELAHAYE USA, of Long Valley, New Jersey is passionate about recreating the automobile styling of this magic era. However, cloaked beneath their fastidiously hand hammered aluminum bodies are modern V-8, V-10 and V-12 cylinder engines and suspensions. They are combining classic flowing design with contemporary functional excellence. Conveniences such as power windows, power convertible top, six way driver's seat, power rumble seats, symphonic sound systems, cruise control, GPS systems, automatic transmissions, air conditioning, power brakes, power steering etc. are standard equipment. DELAHAYE USA's mission is to carefully craft a few incredibly beautiful bespoke cars with modern engines, suspensions and accoutrements so their owners can drive and enjoy them in safety and comfort. The quality, craftsmanship and attention to detail workmanship is of the highest caliber They are not built for speed, they are built for elegance, grace and style.

DELAHAYE USA has sought out the top artisans to bring together a team of top coachbuilding craftsmen skilled in the lost art of hand formed metal shaping. Many of the tools and techniques used to create these aluminum bodies are the same as those of the original craftsmen. However by having skilled fabricators fastidiously incorporating today's modern computer technology and engineering, the blend of classic old styling together with present day safe and reliable chassis construction can be accomplished. Since our cars are hand built to suit the customer, they can take from one to two years to complete.

The epitome of exclusivity is to have one's home, jewelry, clothing, yacht or automobile designed and custom built to suit your individual, personal taste. DELAHAYE USA could be compared to normal automobile shops just as the famed haute couture French fashion houses such as Coco Chanel, Givenchy, Christian Dior, Paco Rabanne, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin and others are compared to the world of women’s fashion. DELAHAYE USA’s automobiles are made to order for an individual customer. Their mission is to passionately custom build to order a very select few of these most sensuous, voluptuous shapes of rolling automotive sculpture. Discriminating individuals demand cars that don't look anything like what anyone else has. To deliver complete exclusivity, all of our cars are truly bespoke, custom fitted exactly to the customer's specifications. Each is unique with no other car like it. The hand formed exterior trim can be chrome or gold plated, and engraved. The selection of interior fabrics ranges from the finest broadcloths to a wide array of leather and animal hides. Over 1,000 different grain patters are available, custom dyed to any color you desire.

Named as a tribute to Emil Delahaye who started manufacturing cars in Tours, France in 1879, DELAHAYE USA is in no way connected with the original Delahaye GFA (Générale Française Automobile) that went out of business in 1954. For 75 years Delahaye produced some of the most elegant cars of all time. Now DELAHAYE USA is paying homage to world's top coachbuilders and carrying on their classic tradition, recreating their most breathtaking, delicious designs of all time. We’ve assembled a team of fine panel beaters, coachbuilders, fabricators, designers and interior trim artisans who combined have decades of experience building literally hundreds of cars. DELAHAYE USA is literally building higher quality cars today than most French coachbuilders of the 1930s. We proudly invite anyone to personally inspect and compare our product to substantiate this bold claim.

The fiberglass bodied cars are the least expensive and start in the $200,000 USD and up range. Aluminum bodied cars require far more time and start in the $400,000 and up range, with the more complex Figoni & Falaschi Delahaye and the "Shah of Persia" Bugatti costing in excess of a half million dollars. Carbon fiber bodied cars such as their new Bella Figura Type 57S Coupe starts at $250,000.

While Delahaye USA can custom build any car to order, it specializes in a limited number of these classic French coachbuilt cars from the 1930s renowned as some of the most beautiful in the world. These include marques such as Delahaye, Delage, Bugatti, Rolls Royce and Duesenberg, as well as custom designed, one of a kind creations such as rebodied Ferraris.