Delahaye VLR
Encyclopedia
The Delahaye VLR was a four wheel drive passenger vehicle clearly inspired by the Jeep
and first presented, after an unusually long gestation, by Delahaye
during the Summer of 1950. At a time when the luxury car market had been driven into freefall by a combination of government taxation policy and the depressed state of the postwar economy, the VLR was critical in keeping alive the company that produced it during the early 1950s.
“VLR” stood for « Véhicule léger de reconnaissance » (light reconnaissance vehicle). The name « VLRD » Véhicule léger de reconnaissance Delahaye» is also sometimes used.
The vehicle featured a light metal ohc four cylinder water-cooed engine of (initially) 1,995 cc and, by the standards of the time, a sophisticated suspension system. The four speed gear box featured synchromesh on all four speeds.
During the second half of 1950 the military
tested it extensively and declared themselves impressed. With only very minor modifications, they homologated the VLR for army use and placed an order for slightly more than 4,000. The company’s postwar production model, the Delahaye 175
had fared disastrously in the market place with just 521 produced between 1947 and 1950, so the military order secured for the VLR was more than welcome.
The army were impressed by the performance of the vehicle both on and off road, and the company was encouraged to try to sell VLRs into the civilian market. Civilian market models were hard to distinguish from the military ones, but the 24 volt electrical system upon which the military had insisted was replaced, in the civilian VLRs, by a more conventional (for the time and vehicles size) 12 volt electrical system. The VLR's civil market price of above one and a half million francs was considered expensive (though much lower than the prices asked for the company’s luxury passenger cars) and its mechanical complexity made it an unattractive proposition other than for rich owner-mechanics. It is worth bearing in mind that in the aftermath of a massive European war there were at this time a large number of second hand Jeeps competing for the attention of anyone thinking to buy a civilian version of a VRC. Almost all of the 9,623 VLRs produced were accordingly sold to the military.
It was said that the mechanical complexity of the vehicle, which excited much comment in the press and was blamed for the vehicle's lack of sales success on the civilian market, was not seen as a problem by the army. Nevertheless, by the mid 1950s the army had switched to the mechanically simpler Jeep
which in France was now being assembled under licence
by Hotchkiss
. The Delahaye business itself was taken over by Hotchkiss in 1954 after which VLR production seems to have been quickly stopped.
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
and first presented, after an unusually long gestation, by Delahaye
Delahaye
Delahaye automobile manufacturing company was started by Emile Delahaye in 1894, in Tours, France. His first cars were belt-driven, with single- or twin-cylinder engines. In 1900, Delahaye left the company.-History:...
during the Summer of 1950. At a time when the luxury car market had been driven into freefall by a combination of government taxation policy and the depressed state of the postwar economy, the VLR was critical in keeping alive the company that produced it during the early 1950s.
“VLR” stood for « Véhicule léger de reconnaissance » (light reconnaissance vehicle). The name « VLRD » Véhicule léger de reconnaissance Delahaye» is also sometimes used.
The vehicle featured a light metal ohc four cylinder water-cooed engine of (initially) 1,995 cc and, by the standards of the time, a sophisticated suspension system. The four speed gear box featured synchromesh on all four speeds.
During the second half of 1950 the military
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
tested it extensively and declared themselves impressed. With only very minor modifications, they homologated the VLR for army use and placed an order for slightly more than 4,000. The company’s postwar production model, the Delahaye 175
Delahaye 175
Delahaye 175 was an automobile manufactured by Delahaye between 1947 and 1951. The last of the large Delahayes, the type 175 was essentially a 135 with a larger engine and more modern suspension, with between 120 and 160 hp depending on compression and how many Solex carburettors were fitted...
had fared disastrously in the market place with just 521 produced between 1947 and 1950, so the military order secured for the VLR was more than welcome.
The army were impressed by the performance of the vehicle both on and off road, and the company was encouraged to try to sell VLRs into the civilian market. Civilian market models were hard to distinguish from the military ones, but the 24 volt electrical system upon which the military had insisted was replaced, in the civilian VLRs, by a more conventional (for the time and vehicles size) 12 volt electrical system. The VLR's civil market price of above one and a half million francs was considered expensive (though much lower than the prices asked for the company’s luxury passenger cars) and its mechanical complexity made it an unattractive proposition other than for rich owner-mechanics. It is worth bearing in mind that in the aftermath of a massive European war there were at this time a large number of second hand Jeeps competing for the attention of anyone thinking to buy a civilian version of a VRC. Almost all of the 9,623 VLRs produced were accordingly sold to the military.
It was said that the mechanical complexity of the vehicle, which excited much comment in the press and was blamed for the vehicle's lack of sales success on the civilian market, was not seen as a problem by the army. Nevertheless, by the mid 1950s the army had switched to the mechanically simpler Jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
which in France was now being assembled under licence
Hotchkiss M201
The Hotchkiss M201 was the standard light transport vehicle used by the French army from shortly after the war until well into the 1980s. It started as a World War II Jeep built under license and in many respects was little changed forty years later...
by Hotchkiss
Hotchkiss et Cie
Société Anonyme des Anciens Etablissements Hotchkiss et Cie was a French arms and car company established by United States engineer Benjamin B. Hotchkiss, who was born in Watertown, Connecticut. He moved to France and set up a factory, first at Viviez near Rodez in 1867, then at Saint-Denis near...
. The Delahaye business itself was taken over by Hotchkiss in 1954 after which VLR production seems to have been quickly stopped.
Technical data
| Technical Data Delahaye VLR | ||
|---|---|---|
| Empty weight | 1360–1460 kg (2,998.3–3,218.7 lb) | |
| Max load | 400 kg (882 lb) | |
| Max trailer weight | 750 kg (1,653 lb) (unbraked) | |
| Width | 1570–1630 mm (61.8–64.2 in) | |
| Length | 3410–3460 mm (134.3–136.2 in) | |
| Height (roof up) | 1860 mm (73.2 in) | |
| Height (roof down, screen down) | 1430 mm (56.3 in) | |
| Wheelbase Wheelbase In both road and rail vehicles, the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels.- Road :In automobiles, the wheelbase is the horizontal distance between the center of the front wheel and the center of the rear wheel... |
2150 mm (84.6 in) | |
| Top speed | 105 kilometre per hour | |
| Ground clearance | 340 mm (13.4 in) | |
| Max tilt | 70% | |
| Wading depth | 600 mm (23.6 in) | |
| Motor | Four-stroke, 4 cylinder in-line, OHV | |
| Engine capacity | 1,992 cc | |
| Power | 63 hp | |
| Seats | 5 | |