Delage Takes the Top Off With Open Air D12 Hypercar

The ultimate dream for many motorsports enthusiasts is enjoying a Formula 1 experience on the road rather than the track. In practice, that’s hard to do. Tracks and common roadways are very different from each other. But with the Delage D12 hypercar, you can enjoy a race-track-like experience on the road.

Delage isn’t as well-known of a brand as say Ferrari or Lamborghini, but once upon a time, it ranked among the most promising luxury auto brands. In 1954, Delage ceased production, however, and the brand seem destined to be buried in the history books. Then, in 2019, Laurent Tapie “refounded” the Delage brand.

The result of the refounding? The Delage D12, a super sports hybrid with an inline seating arrangement. This means the passenger sits behind the driver, and both are seated in the middle, akin to a Formulate 1 car. Most drivers are used to sitting on either the left or right of a car, but many Formula 1 drivers will tell you that an in-the-middle seating arrangement works better.

Which brings us to the new open-air Delage D12. The standard D12 features a fighter jet-like canopy, rather than a windshield. There’s a reason canopies are used in fighter jets, they offer exceptional visibility and protect pilots from wind and debris.

Now, D12 purchasers can elect for an open-air Speedster model with a more traditional windshield. You can also opt for a windshield-free F1 model. Both options, however, add $190,000 to the $2 million base price.