Hachette 1:43 1948 Delahaye 148L Promotion Car: Kleber Colombes Tires

This model is sold in a blister pack

This is a copy of the promotional car in the Tour De France parade

Delahaye was one of the best-known manufacturers of sporty luxury cars in France from the 30s to 50s, did not survive the post-war period like most, but the creations of famous coachbuilders on the chassis called 135, 175 or at the end 235 are among the greatest cars of this time. The 148 type had the same technology as the 136, i.e. a six-cylinder engine with 3,557 ccm, but only one carburettor, which resulted in 105 hp. The wheelbase was longer, in order to be able to realize large sedan bodies in particular, 3350 mm for the 148 and 3150 mm for the 148 L. Two of these chassis were ordered in 1949 by the tire company Kléber-Colombes and then by the Beaublat company based on a design by the illustrator and draftsman Géo Ham provided with an impressive streamlined body.

As early as 1910, a branch of the US tire manufacturer Goodrich was established in Colombes, France, which was renamed Kléber-Colombes after the Second World War due to the new address "avenue Kléber" and the name Goodrich-Colombes, which had existed since 1934. The tire market was revolutionized as early as 1951 with the first tubeless tyres, and early belted tires such as the Kléber V10 were also very popular. In 1981 the company came under the leadership of Michelin, in 1996 the brand finally disappeared.