De la Chapelle Roadster
1996
Overview & Origins
De La Chapelle (DLC / DLC Technologies) is a small French boutique carmaker founded by Xavier de La Chapelle, reviving a family legacy in automobile building.
The brand is better known for its neo-classic “replica” style cars (inspired by Bugatti Type 55, etc.), but in the mid-1990s it attempted a more “modern” small sports car: the DLC Roadster.
The Roadster was first unveiled (in concept / prototype form) at the 1996 Paris Motor Show.
On DLC’s official “our history” timeline, the Roadster’s launch is marked in 1996.
WheelsAge (a car photographic / cataloguing site) lists the DLC Roadster as existing from 1998 to (presumably) present / prototype stage.
So: it seems the Roadster was conceived in 1996, but production / limited delivery likely began a couple of years later, around 1998.
Design & Technical Highlights
Layout & Engineering
The DLC Roadster is a mid-engine, two-seater convertible / open-top design.
Its chassis was developed / refined (in particular the right-hand drive prototype) by engineer Philippe Beloou, who reworked the structure into a tub + spaceframe form with independent suspension (double wishbones front; 5-link rear with coil-overs) to improve dynamics.
The styling is by Bertrand Barré / Barré Design, noted for its attractive “neo-retro yet muscular” lines.
The bodywork molds and chassis jigs were to be manufactured in France and shipped (in some proposals) for assembly elsewhere (e.g. India) to reduce labor cost.
Powertrain & Performance
The prototype / intended version used a Peugeot 2.0 L (I4) engine, producing about 167 bhp.
In some references, alternate configurations are mentioned: e.g. a 3.0 L (6-cylinder) version is sometimes cited in user forums about the Roadster.
With the 2.0 L engine and a kerb weight of ~900 kg (as per estimates in press coverage), the Roadster was projected to reach a top speed around 220 km/h.
In more enthusiastic (but less formal) sources, it’s claimed that a 0–60 mph (≈0-96 km/h) time is ~6 seconds, and maxing ~140 mph (~225 km/h).
Production & Volumes
Because DLC is a small-volume boutique builder, the Roadster was never intended for mass production.
One story: DLC signed an agreement in January 1997 with an Indian company (DLC-Sagitta, founded by Shrikant Shah & Nikesh Thakkar) to build the Roadster in India, shipping molds and jigs there, and exhibiting a version in India. Unfortunately, the project ran into financial difficulties: the main investor’s death, internal disputes, and lack of capital caused the factory plan to collapse. Some proposals or attempts were made to produce a few units (even via a British concern, Reliant), but whether more than a handful were ever built is unclear. Official DLC history (on their site) mentions “4 exemplars” for the 1996 Roadster. In various accounts, the Roadster is treated more like a low-volume or prototype series rather than a fully commercial production run.