Priciest pre-WW1 car EVER: 111-year-old Simplex Torpedo Tourer sells for £4m

There are rare cars and then there are unicorns. And this 1921 bike is definitely the latter.

It is a Simplex, an American motorcycle brand that only existed between 1906 and 1915. The last time a car from this manufacturer came up for auction was in 2006.

This particular model – a one of a kind 1912 50HP 5 Passenger Torpedo Tourer – was sold to the highest bidder at an Arizona motorcycle auction last week and was purchased for a whopping $4.85 million, equating to approximately £3.9 million.

This makes this 111-year-old vehicle officially the most expensive pre-World War I car of all time.

The end of January is the biggest auction week of the year in America, with the big companies selling in Scottsdale, including Bonhams.

The auction house’s 2023 prize lot was this vintage car, which shattered the presale estimate of $2.5 to $3.5 million.

The winning bid is higher than the previous record for a 2007 veteran car. That was a 1904 Rolls-Royce 10 hp two-seater that was also sold by Bonhams at auction in London for £3,521,500 ($4,339,092).

The Simplex sold on Friday is not only a unique car, it also has a famous former owner.

The original goalie was Eleonora Randolph Sears, who is known as one of the top American sports figures of the first half of the 20th century, excelling in international tennis, squash, show jumping, golf and an additional 13 disciplines.

She is also credited as one of the first female drivers in the US and one of the first women to drive a race car.

She is also notorious for going down in history as the first to ever contest a speeding ticket.

The original goalkeeper was Eleonora Randolph Sears, who is known as one of the top American sports figures of the first half of the 20th century, excelling in international tennis, squash, show jumping, golf and an additional 13 disciplines

Eleonora Sears pictured in 1913 driving Princess Patricia of Connaught (Queen Victoria’s granddaughter) in West Roxbury, Massachusetts

The 1912 Simplex 50HP 5 Passenger Torpedo Tourer was an engagement gift to Mrs. Sears from her fiancée, Harold Sterling Vanderbilt

Born into a wealthy family, Sears (who was not associated with the department stores) was often in the spotlight of the gossip pages and caused a sensation when she became engaged to yacht racing superstar Harold Sterling Vanderbilt – son of pioneering motorcycle racer and sportsman William Kissam Vanderbilt – in 1911.

In fact, this 1912 Torpedo Tourer was purchased by Mr. Vanderbilt as a gift for Mrs. Sears to celebrate their engagement.

However, the engagement didn’t last long – although Eleonora held onto the engagement gift for another 27 years before it was sold to Buick chief and General Motors chief engineer Charles Chayne.

Bonhams says the car has been privately owned all its life, never spent a night outside and is an excellent example with matching chassis and engine numbers.

The car is one of the most desirable cars of the brass era and features a huge 9.8 liter four-cylinder engine that was typical of the generation.

Pictured: Harold Sterling Vanderbilt (left) and Eleonora Randolph Sears (right). The couple separated before they got married, but Sears kept the car for 27 years before finally parting with it

Bonhams says the car has been privately owned all its life, never spent a night outside and is an excellent example with matching chassis and engine numbers

The vintage car was sold on January 27 at Bonhams’ Scottsdale auction in the US. The $4.85 million paid overturned the $2.5-$3.5 million presale estimate

The car is one of the most desirable cars of the brass era and features a huge 9.8 liter four-cylinder engine that was typical of the generation

This 50hp model was the sportiest of all the Simplexs and was introduced to the public with a then breathtaking price tag of $5,750, equating to around £4,665. That’s the equivalent of over half a million pounds today (£585,320).

This unique coach example, ordered by Mr. Vanderbilt in 1911, is “arguably the brand’s greatest survivor,” Bonhams said ahead of Friday’s event.

“Cars of this quality rarely come up for public auction.

“It’s been almost 17 years since an original bodied Simplex was publicly offered.”

The Simplex and was introduced to the public in 1911 with a then breathtaking price tag of $5,750, equating to about £4,665. That’s the equivalent of over half a million pounds today

The £3.9 million figure is not only the highest paid for a pre-World War I car, it’s also a new record for a Simplex model

According to reports, the winning bidder is a private collector who will add this record-breaking vehicle to an impressive garage of iconic cars

The auction house added: “This car is one of the finest antique cars in America and the opportunity to acquire something of this caliber is truly special.”

Not only is the £3.9 million the highest paid for a seasoned car, it’s also a new record for a Simplex model.

According to reports, the winning bidder is a private collector who will add this record-breaking vehicle to an impressive garage of iconic cars.