Gregor Wenner
Specialist Consultant
LOT 151
1946 Delahaye 135MS Cabriolet Coachwork by Walter Köng, Basel Chassis no. 800391
Estimate: CHF220,000 - CHF280,000
Lot 151
One-off Coachwork by Köng Basel; Delivered new in Switzerland
1946 Delahaye 135MS Cabriolet
1946 Delahaye 135MS Cabriolet
1946 Delahaye 135MS Cabriolet
Coachwork by Walter Köng, Basel
Chassis no. 800391
Coachwork by Walter Köng, Basel
Chassis no. 800391
• The unique Delahaye bodied by Köng
• Known ownership history
• Four-speed semi-automatic Cotal gearbox
• 125bhp, 185km/h
• Swiss registration document
"Köng did not build many car bodies but the few he did make were always of restrained design and of high quality, built on expensive chassis from Bentley, Delahaye, Cadillac and others." – The Beaulieu Encyclopaedia of the Automobile.
Delahaye made an exploit in 1935 when it presented the first model of a new generation: the 135. They improved on the formula the following year with the 3.6-litre 135M and 135MS, and the latter was soon making a name for itself in competitions, taking 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th places in the run-to-sportscar-regulations 1936 French Grand Prix and winning the 1937 Monte Carlo Rally and 1938 Le Mans 24-Hour Race. The 135MS reappeared post-WW2 and lasted in production until 1951. Delahaye had no in-house coachworks, so all its chassis were bodied by independents making the 135 a laboratory for the most elegant lines of the era.
#800391 was delivered to Switzerland to be bodied by Walter Köng. Originally founded in 1878 by Alfred Köng, the family firm had a good reputation as a coachbuilder, with clients including the Swiss Post and other private clients. Having been trained from his father Alfred, Walter Köng completed his training and honed his eye and technique with Carrozzeria italiana Cesare Sala in Milan and Louis Gallé in Paris before working in the USA for Chrysler and then Packard. In 1935, he took over the family business, specialising in coupé convertible coachworks on top-of-the-range chassis.
The only Delahaye bodied by Köng, this elegant 135 MS cabriolet is accompanied by touching documentation that enables us to retrace most of its life. It was first owned by Arthur Rodel, a physician from Olten in the canton of Solothurn, and then by Röthlisberger & Sohn AG, a cheese box factory in Langnau im Emmental. The registration document in the latter's name on file was cancelled in 1962. The current owner bought the car from the Muriaux Museum in 2003. Since then, it has taken part in numerous Club Delahaye rallies and events, including the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in 2006, where it was exhibited alongside Peter Mullin's Bugatti Aravis, and has also been invited to exhibitions devoted to Köng in Fribourg in 2007 and to Swiss coachbuilders at the Pantheon Basel Museum in 2013.
The car passed its most recent technical inspection on 23th August 2022 having undergone works costing almost CHF30,000: front seats restored, tyres replaced, brakes overhauled, waterproofing, etc. The corresponding invoice is on file, along with the original Swiss customs clearance and export card dated 15 October 1946, the original registration document cancelled in 1962 and the current one; a 2006 FIVA card.
• Known ownership history
• Four-speed semi-automatic Cotal gearbox
• 125bhp, 185km/h
• Swiss registration document
"Köng did not build many car bodies but the few he did make were always of restrained design and of high quality, built on expensive chassis from Bentley, Delahaye, Cadillac and others." – The Beaulieu Encyclopaedia of the Automobile.
Delahaye made an exploit in 1935 when it presented the first model of a new generation: the 135. They improved on the formula the following year with the 3.6-litre 135M and 135MS, and the latter was soon making a name for itself in competitions, taking 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th places in the run-to-sportscar-regulations 1936 French Grand Prix and winning the 1937 Monte Carlo Rally and 1938 Le Mans 24-Hour Race. The 135MS reappeared post-WW2 and lasted in production until 1951. Delahaye had no in-house coachworks, so all its chassis were bodied by independents making the 135 a laboratory for the most elegant lines of the era.
#800391 was delivered to Switzerland to be bodied by Walter Köng. Originally founded in 1878 by Alfred Köng, the family firm had a good reputation as a coachbuilder, with clients including the Swiss Post and other private clients. Having been trained from his father Alfred, Walter Köng completed his training and honed his eye and technique with Carrozzeria italiana Cesare Sala in Milan and Louis Gallé in Paris before working in the USA for Chrysler and then Packard. In 1935, he took over the family business, specialising in coupé convertible coachworks on top-of-the-range chassis.
The only Delahaye bodied by Köng, this elegant 135 MS cabriolet is accompanied by touching documentation that enables us to retrace most of its life. It was first owned by Arthur Rodel, a physician from Olten in the canton of Solothurn, and then by Röthlisberger & Sohn AG, a cheese box factory in Langnau im Emmental. The registration document in the latter's name on file was cancelled in 1962. The current owner bought the car from the Muriaux Museum in 2003. Since then, it has taken part in numerous Club Delahaye rallies and events, including the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in 2006, where it was exhibited alongside Peter Mullin's Bugatti Aravis, and has also been invited to exhibitions devoted to Köng in Fribourg in 2007 and to Swiss coachbuilders at the Pantheon Basel Museum in 2013.
The car passed its most recent technical inspection on 23th August 2022 having undergone works costing almost CHF30,000: front seats restored, tyres replaced, brakes overhauled, waterproofing, etc. The corresponding invoice is on file, along with the original Swiss customs clearance and export card dated 15 October 1946, the original registration document cancelled in 1962 and the current one; a 2006 FIVA card.
Footnotes
Livrée neuve en Suisse
Carrossée par Walter Köng, Basel
Châssis n° 800391
Document suisse d'immatriculation
• Unique Delahaye carrossée par Köng
• Historique connu de propriétés
• Boîte semi-automatique Cotal à quatre rapports
• 125 ch et 185 km/h
"Köng n'a pas construit beaucoup de carrosseries de voitures, mais les rares qu'il ait produites étaient toujours d'un style raffiné et de haute qualité, exécutées sur de coûteux châssis Bentley, Delahaye, Cadillac et autres." – The Beaulieu Encyclopaedia of the Automobile.
Delahaye fit un coup d'éclat en présentant en 1935 la première d'une nouvelle génération : la 135, qu'elle affina avec les 135M et 135MS à moteur 3,6 litres. La MS ne tarda pas à se faire un nom en compétition en remportant les 2e, 3e, 4e et 5e places de la catégorie voitures de sport au Grand Prix de France 1936, et en triomphant au rallye de Monte Carlo 1937 et aux 24h du Mans 1938. Intemporelles et puissantes, les 135MS réapparurent après-guerre et restèrent en production jusqu'en 1951. Delahaye n'avait pas d'atelier de carrosserie intégré, tous ses châssis étaient ainsi habillés par des carrossiers indépendants, ce qui fit de la 135 un laboratoire des lignes les plus séduisantes de l'époque.
Le châssis 800391 fut livré en Suisse pour y être carrossé par Walter Köng. A l'origine, l'entreprise familiale fondée en 1878 par Alfred Köng, avait bonne réputation dans la fabrication de calèches, ayant notamment en clientèle la Poste suisse, entre autres particuliers. Ayant appris le métier auprès de son père Alfred, Walter Köng paracheva sa formation et affina son œil et sa technique auprès de la Carrozzeria italiana Cesare Sala à Milan et de Louis Gallé à Paris avant de travailler aux USA pour les firmes américaines Chrysler puis Packard. En 1935, il reprit l'entreprise familiale pour se spécialiser désormais dans les carrosseries coupés décapotables sur des châssis haut de gamme.
Seule Delahaye carrossée par Köng, cette élégante 135 MS cabriolet est accompagnée d'une émouvante documentation qui nous permet de retracer la majeure partie de son existence. Elle fut d'abord la propriété d'Arthur Rodel, médecin spécialiste résidant à Olten, dans le canton de Soleure, puis de Röthlisberger & Sohn AG, une usine de boîtes de fromages située à Langnau im Emmental. Le document d'immatriculation au nom de cette dernière, présent au dossier, fut annulé en 1962. Notre vendeur a acquis la voiture auprès du Musée de Muriaux en 2003, il a depuis participé à de nombreuses manifestations telles que les rallyes du Club Delahaye ou le Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, en 2006, où elle était exposée au côté de la Bugatti Aravis de Peter Mullin. Elle a également été invitée lors d'expositions consacrées à Köng, à Fribourg en 2007 ou aux carrossiers suisses au Pantheon Basel Museum en 2013.
La voiture a passé son dernier contrôle technique le 23 août 2022 après avoir bénéficié, pour près de 30 000 CHF, de travaux tels que la restauration des sièges avant, le remplacement des pneus, la réfection des freins, l'étanchéification, etc. La facture correspondante se trouve au dossier ainsi que la carte de dédouanement et d'exportation suisse originale datée du 15 octobre 1946, sa carte grise originale annulée en 1962 ainsi que l'actuelle et une carte FIVA de 2006.
Saleroom notices
We are delighted to announce that this Delahaye 135 MS bodied by Walter Köng has been awarded the Spirit of Conservation Prize at the Concours d'Elegance Suisse in Coppet in June 2024.
Please kindly note the original registration documents will be delivered after the auction.
Nous avons le plaisir d'annoncer que cette Delahaye 135 MS carrossée par Walter Köng a reçu le Prix de l'Esprit de Conservation au Concours d'Élégance suisse en ce mois de juin 2024, à Coppet.
Veuillez noter que les documents d'enregistrement originaux seront livrés après la vente aux enchères.
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