Darl'Mat, a record-breaking Peugeot 202
The Peugeot 202 is one of the most characterful pre-war French family cars. With its headlights neatly integrated and concealed at either end of the radiator grille, it features an aerodynamic silhouette inspired by its larger sibling, the Peugeot 402.
Powered by a 1,133 cc engine producing 30 bhp, this little saloon was capable of approaching 100 km/h. Launched in 1938, production was interrupted by the Second World War. Once the conflict was over and Peugeot's factory facilities, which had been badly damaged by bombing, were restored, production resumed.
One of the cars built in 1946 was acquired by Émile Darl’Mat, a Peugeot dealer and specialist car tuner. With the intention of competing in the 1947 Le Mans 24 Hours, Darl’Mat used the little 202 as a basis for a new, streamlined aluminium body. However, the race could not take place until 1949, by which time the circuit had been rebuilt following the war.
Being unable to compete at Le Mans did not deter Émile Darl’Mat. Instead, he set himself an even more ambitious challenge: to use the little Peugeot to break the speed records in the up-to-1,100 cc class, which were then held by Amilcar.
The new bodywork reduced the aerodynamic drag coefficient from 0.5 to just 0.298. To qualify for the class, the engine capacity also had to be reduced, from 1,133 cc to 1,085 cc.
1000 miles at an average speed of 144’536km/h
2000 km at an average speed of 145’045 km/h
12 hores at an average speed of 144’548 km/h
Following this remarkable achievement, the Peugeot 202 Darl’Mat was displayed at the 1948 Brussels Motor Show, where it was purchased by a representative of Peugeot's importer in Uruguay.
In the finest gentleman driver tradition, the car went on to enjoy an active life on the Uruguayan motoring scene, taking part in various competitions as well as weekend touring outings.
In 1962, an accident involving a bus left the car laid up and forgotten in a garage for several decades. In 1996, Sadar, Peugeot's importer in Uruguay, rescued it. Three years later, thanks to the efforts of the Friends of Darl’Mat, the original drawings were obtained and access was even secured to the wooden bucks used in 1947 to shape the aluminium body panels. These documents and original tools proved invaluable in completing the restoration of the bodywork.
Since 2010, the Peugeot 202 Darl’Mat, in the condition shown in the photographs, has taken part in various exhibitions and has been on display at the Sadar dealership museum in Montevideo.
