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There are weird cars and then there are unicorns. And this 1921 engine is certainly the last.
It is a Simplex, an American engine brand that only existed between 1906 and 1915. The last time a car from this manufacturer was put up for auction was in 2006.
This particular model, a unique 1912 50HP 5-passenger Torpedo Tourer, was sold to the highest bidder at a car auction in Arizona last week and bought for a staggering $4.85 million, which is about £ 3.9 million.
That makes this 111-year-old vehicle officially the most expensive pre-World War I car of all time.
Most Expensive Pre-WWI Car on Record – This stunning, original and totally unique Simplex has recently become the most expensive vehicle of its era and sold at an Arizona auction last week for a whopping $4 .85 million (£3.9 million).
The end of January marks the biggest auction week of the year in the United States, with major companies hosting sales in Scottsdale, including Bonhams.
The auction house’s winning lot in 2023 was this vintage car, which knocked out its pre-sale estimate of $2.5 to $3.5 million.
The winning bid is higher than the previous record for a veteran car that has stood since 2007. That was a 1904 Rolls-Royce 10 hp two-seater which was also sold by Bonhams at London auction for £3,521,500 ($4,339,092).
The Simplex sold on Friday is not only a one-of-a-kind car, it also has a famous former owner.
The original goalkeeper was Eleonora Randolph Sears, recognized as one of the best American sports figures of the first half of the 20th century, standing out in international tennis, squash, jumping, golf and 13 other disciplines.
She is also considered one of the first female motorists in the US and one of the first women to drive a race car.
Notoriously, she is also in history as the first to contest a speeding ticket.
The original goalkeeper was Eleonora Randolph Sears, recognized as one of the best American sports figures of the first half of the 20th century, standing out in international tennis, squash, jumping, golf and 13 other disciplines.
Eleonora Sears photographed 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 fiancé, Harold Sterling Vanderbilt.
Born into a wealthy family, Sears (not associated with department stores) was often in the spotlight of the gossip pages and caused a sensation when she became engaged to superstar yacht racing Harold Sterling Vanderbilt, son of the Pioneer racing driver 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.
The engagement did not last, however, although Eleonora still held the engagement present for 27 years before it was sold to Buick director and General Motors chief engineer Charles Chayne.
Bonhams says the car has been in private ownership its entire life, has never spent a night out and is a supreme example with matching chassis and engine numbers.
The car is one of the most sought after of the Bronze Age and features a massive 9.8-litre four-cylinder engine that typified the generation.
Pictured: Harold Sterling Vanderbilt (left) and Eleonora Randolph Sears (right). The couple separated before getting married, but Sears held onto the car for 27 years before finally parting ways with it.
Bonhams says the car has been in private ownership its entire life, has never spent a night out and is a supreme example with matching chassis and engine numbers.
The vintage car was sold at Bonhams’ Scottsdale auction in the US on January 27. The $4.85 million paid undid his pre-sale estimate of $2.5 to $3.5 million.
The car is one of the most sought-after of the Bronze Age, boasting a massive 9.8-litre four-cylinder engine that typified the generation.
This 50 horsepower model was the sportiest of all the Simplexes and was introduced to the public with an impressive price tag of $5,750, which equates to around £4,665. That’s the equivalent of more than half a million pounds today (£585,320).
Commissioned by Mr. Vanderbilt in 1911, this unique example of coachwork is “possibly the largest survivor of the marque,” 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 was introduced to the public in 1911 with an impressive price tag of $5,750, which equates to around £4,665. That’s the equivalent of over half a million pounds today.
The £3.9 million figure is not only the highest ever paid for a pre-World War I car, it is also a new record for a Simplex model.
Reports say that the winning bidder is a private collector who will be adding this record-breaking vehicle to an impressive garage of iconic cars.
The auction house added: “This car is among the finest vintage cars in America and the opportunity to own something of this caliber is truly special.”
The £3.9m figure is not only the highest ever paid for a vintage car, it is also a new record for a Simplex model.
Reports say that the winning bidder is a private collector who will be adding this record-breaking vehicle to an impressive garage of iconic cars.
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