Vehicle Description
As one of France's oldest and most storied marques, Peugeot is a
cornerstone of the modern automobile industry. With its
manufacturing history predating the motorcar, they were one of the
earliest major car companies to realize the publicity that came
with the thrilling new sport of motor racing. Peugeot's first
significant victory came in 1895 when a Type 7 won the
Paris-Bordeaux-Paris rally. Multiple victories followed in the
ensuing years, with notable wins at the French Grand Prix and at
the highly-publicized Indianapolis 500 mile race, where they were
three times a winner - in 1913, 1916, and 1919. Peugeot eventually
quit motorsport to concentrate on their core business of production
road cars. They did not return to competition on a large scale
until the 1980s, yet the Peugeot name made an indelible mark during
the formative years of the automobile. In the 1930s, Emile Darl'mat
owned one of the world's largest Peugeot agencies, located in
Paris. He was a passionate champion of the marque who longed for
the company to return to racing, particularly at prestigious home
events like the 24 Hueres du Mans. Emile used his considerable
influence to get the factory's blessing for a limited run of sports
cars worthy of Peugeot's sporting legacy. He was one of a select
few dealers with the ability to offer custom coachwork options to
his customers, and Peugeot was more than happy to supply him with
whatever resources he needed, so long as the orders kept rolling
in. Darl'mat had a close relationship with Marcel Pourtout's
successful carrosserie on the outskirts of Paris, and together the
men created some of Peugeot's most memorable - and beautiful -
automobiles. For the fabulous new Special Sport model, Darl'mat
utilized the Peugeot 302 chassis, modified with a twin-carb 402
engine. Later in production, Peugeot supplied the wider, shorter,
and lighter 402 chassis, providing a boost to handling and
straight-line performance. Both the 302 and 402 versions shared the
same Pourtout coachwork, available in coupe, cabriolet, or roadster
variations. Designed by Pourtout's immensely talented lead stylist
Georges Paulin, the Peugeot Darl'mat was a dramatic embodiment of
the French Art-Deco movement, with graceful compound curves
intersected by creased surfaces and bold geometric details.
Particularly in roadster form, the light, aerodynamic body, and
powerful 2-liter engine combined to make a formidable sports car.
Darl'mat took his team to Le Mans on multiple occasions, finishing
on the podium in class at the 1937 race. He returned in 1938 with
"semi-works" support to secure victory in the 2-liter class and an
impressive 5th place overall. Between 1936 and 1938, Darl'mat
produced 105 examples of his sports car - 53 roadsters, 20 coupes,
and 32 cabriolets, and survivors are coveted by collectors around
the world. This outstanding Peugeot 402 Darl'matLegereSpecial Sport
is one of 53 roadsters originally constructed, and one of
approximately 30 known survivors of all body styles. It is the
subject of a recent concours-quality restoration finished in
stunning light metallic silver over blue leather. It is a
beautifully prepared example, suitable for premier motoring events
around the world. This particular chassis has a well-known history
back to the 1960s when it was in the care of noted collector Henri
Mallatre of Lyon, France. Mallatre operated a salvage yard in the
late 1920s, and his car collection started in the early 1930s when
he received an 1898 Rochet-Schneider and didn't have the heart to
dismantle it. He saved many historically significant automobiles
from the scrap heap, as well as the Nazi occupation. He managed to
survive internment at a concentration camp to return home and grow
his collection for many years after the war. Mallatre's legacy
lives on in a museum that is still in operation today. It isn't
entirely clear when Mallatre acquired this Darl'mat, but he sold it
in the late 1960s to a collector in Switzerland who commissioned
the first restoration in the early 1970s. It quietly changed hands
a few times, winding up in the USA by the late 1990s. In the early
2000s, it had some further restoration work done, and remained in
fine condition in the care of collectors. In 2019, this Darl'mat
underwent a meticulous, concours-quality, ground-up restoration. It
debuted at the Ocean Reef Vintage Weekend in Florida, earning a
well-deserved Best in Show. Shortly after, it scored a class win at
the 2020 Boca Raton Concours d'Elegance. The light metallic silver
livery highlights Georges Paulin's design beautifully, accentuating
the graceful curves and sharp creases of the lightweight coachwork.
Details of the restoration include gorgeous Marchal lighting,
unique original road wheels with period-correct Michelin rubber,
and that unmistakable retractable windscreen - a patented design by
Paulin. Gorgeous dark blue ostrich leather accents the exterior
color beautifully, pulling the subtle blue hues of the metallic
when viewed in the sunlight. The two-seat cockpit is elegant and
minimalistic with little to distract the driver from the road
ahead. A pair of instrument clusters flank switchgear and the
centrally-mounted selector for the Cotal gearbox. The sculpted
seats provide plenty of support for enthusiastic driving, and the
cut-down doors allow room for the occasional elbows-out moment. The
spare wheel consumes much of the boot space, but a fitted and
leather-upholstered Louis Vuitton suitcase occupies the dedicated
compartment behind the seatback. Using a standard 2-liter Peugeot
402 engine as the base, Darl'mat updates include twin
Zenith-Stromberg carburetors and mild tuning to boost output to
over 70 horsepower. With its light and inherently streamlined body,
the car's performance is impressive, offering a driving experience
that belies this car's 82 years. The 4-speed Cotal pre-select
gearbox operates beautifully, and the running gear benefits from
recent attention by a Darl'mat specialist to ensure it is dialed-in
for enjoyable running on rallies and concours road tours. With
robust underpinnings and magnificent styling courtesy of the
brilliant Georges Paulin, the Peugeot 402 Darl'mat Special Sport is
one of the most extraordinary and desirable pre-war French sporting
cars. This gorgeous example is in the ultimatelegerespecification,
featuring the desirable lightweight 402 chassis. It is already a
proven performer on the road and the show field and will make a
marvelous centerpiece to virtually any collection of European
sports cars. Offers welcome and trades considered For additional
details please view this listing directly on our website
https://hymanltd.com/vehicles/6402-1938-peugeot-darlmat/
