Auburn

Speedster

The price is not specified, you need to call to find out

Call For Price

RM Sothebys

To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Monterey event, 15 - 16 August 2025. rn$175,000 - $250,000 USD rnrnBelieved to have been the example delivered to the revered Sir Malcolm CampbellrnFormerly owned by renowned early collector Gene ZimmermanrnBeautiful restoration and presentation throughoutrnA Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) Full Classicrn rnrnBy far among the most stylish American cars of its era, the original Auburn speedster emphasized open-air performance for its two passengers, making it also the US' only true sports car of the late 1920s. Dramatically styled with lines adapted from a McFarlan-bodied Duesenberg show car, it sold for under $1,000 but offered a remarkable top speed of 100 mph, thanks to special chassis and engine modifications unique to the model. Not for nothing did Auburn advertise it as the biggest package in the world for the price.rnrnThe speedster offered here, a top-of-the-line 8-115 or Big Eight of 1928, is one of the few verifiably authentic survivors. Built as an export model with right-hand-drive, it was supplied to a British owner by Maldon C. Harley & Co., of London, as noted by the seller's plaque on the firewall, and such distinctively European touches as a Lucas King of the Road driving light and Zeiss spotlight, believed to hail from its early years.rnrnIt is believed that the car was originally delivered to Sir Malcolm Campbell, the famous Land Speed record driver, a history that has held to it for much of its known life. Period articles, included in the file, note that an 8-115 speedster was indeed shipped to Campbell, who had been impressed by watching Wade Morton drive a similar model to an average speed record of 104.347 mph on Daytona Beach. It was noted that Campbell intended to enter the car in road races in England and in many contests will drive it himself. Soon afterward he himself became the UK Auburn distributor, out of premises on St. James's Street in London.rnrnAt a later point the car made its way back to its homeland and spent some years on display in Gene Zimmerman's famous museum, Automobilorama of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The Auburn was featured in some of the Automobilorama brochures and in a 1970s issue of Vintage Vehicles magazine, wearing British registration YW 9668 as it does today. Later it was purchased by Harold Buck Evans of Massachusetts, who in 1990 sold it to Ted Leonard of Rhode Island. The car remained in The Leonard Collection for nearly 20 years and then joined Sam and Emily Mann's outstanding stable in 2009. David George undertook a mechanical restoration for them, and a cosmetic restoration was completed in California.rnrnWinner of an Amelia Award at the 2018 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance, the Auburn is still in beautiful overall condition, and described by Mr. Mann as a very pleasant and extremely powerful automobile to drive-and a very delightful one. Perhaps Campbell did some special tuning. Beyond that, for me, this is one of the most beautiful, exciting-looking automotive designs to have been created in pre-war America. It is a true sports car-of which Sir Malcolm Campbell would undoubtedly approve.To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM Sotheby's website.

Other

To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Monterey event, 15 - 16 August 2025. rn$1,000,000 - $1,500,000 USD rnrnThe very first Auburn 851 speedster produced, with numerous early production featuresrnKnown history back to the early 1950s, with several noted collectors rnWell-preserved restoration by RM Auto RestorationrnAuburn Cord Duesenberg (ACD) Club Certified Category 1 (A-101)rnThe most significant example of one of the most beautiful Classics ever builtrn rnrnPlease note that this lot is titled as a 1934.  rnrnTHE AUBURN SPEEDSTERrnrnIn the days when Bugattis crossed France and 4?-Litre Bentleys tore through the British countryside, the American equivalent was the Auburn speedster. The 1*number in the description* speedsters were designed by the legendary Gordon Buehrig. Audacious by the standards of their time, they featured curvaceous bodywork with a straight hood line shooting back from the radiator to a sharply vee'd windshield, down between pontoon fenders, over gently sloping doors, and descending in a graceful taper to the rear bumper.rnrnUnderneath, the speedster shared the same exciting mechanicals as other supercharged Auburn models. The glistening chrome side exhaust heralded the presence of a Schwitzer-Cummins blower, which boosted the horsepower of the Auburn straight-eight to 150 from a normally aspirated reading of 115. The 150 horsepower was sent to a Columbia dual-ratio rear axle, standard equipment on the supercharged models, which provided two ratios for each gear, one low and one high. The ratios could be changed as often as desired while at very low speeds or at a stop by moving the switch in the center of the steering wheel. This provided the supercharged Auburn with much greater flexibility, making it a true driver's car, ideal for both purring through crowded cities and roaring down country lanes.rnrnTHE FIRSTrnrnSerial number *number in the description*0 E, the car offered here was the first of these justifiably iconic automobiles to be produced, carrying body number U47-200 and supercharger number 1001, as well as the very early frame number 1050 and engine number GH 3341-reportedly a very early production block design. Like the other early 851 speedsters, it utilized a leftover 1*number in the description* speedster body, identified by its body number prefix of U47; the rear of the body was extensively reworked to the new Buehrig lines. According to speedster historian and restorer John Ehresman, a later owner of this example, among numerous early-production details, the first 16 speedsters had more enclosed pontoon-style front fenders, and only the first four cars had the pipes emerging through the hood louvers-features both, of course, present on this example.rnrnThe car is believed to have spent its early years in New York and Rhode Island, eventually making its way to Massachusetts, where following an accident it was rescued in the early 1950s by Martin S. Papazian of Worcestershire. In 1956 the Auburn was sold by Mr. Papazian to Paul Walker of West Brookfield, who held on to the car for 30 years and undertook an amateur restoration, installing a new frame to replace the damaged original.rnrnIn 1986 the Auburn was acquired by John Ehresman of Feeding Hills, Massachusetts, a well-regarded restorer and authority in this generation of speedster-in particular, the early production cars, of which he has owned many of the surviving examples. Mr. Ehresman had the Auburn certified by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club at that year's National Reunion, recording all of its numbers, with Certification Chief Paul Bryant's notation that this unusual speedster shows several unique features, which indicate that it was built as the first 1935 851 model speedster.a very interesting and well-preserved automobile.rnrnMr. Ehresman eventually sold the Auburn to Johnny Pascucci of Connecticut, after which it passed into the hands of Bob Levine of West Orange, New Jersey. While owned by Mr. Levine the car was fully restored by RM Auto Restoration of Blenheim, Ontario, in its present ivory hue with correct leather interior. Following the completion of the restoration in 1994, it went on to receive the Roy Faulkner Award for Best Auburn at the ACD Club National Reunion and later became a Primary First Prize winner with the Classic Car Club of America in 1995.rnrnThe speedster was acquired for the collection of the present owner in February 2001 and has remained a long-term resident of his distinguished stable alongside some of the most significant Full Classic automobiles extant. It has been seldom shown in its ownership and thus awaits a well-deserved return to both ACD circles and to the modern concours world, where its fascinating, excellent provenance and authenticity will likely win new fans and new honors. rnrnSimply put, it is one of the most historic, significant surviving Auburn automobiles.To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM Sotheby's website.

Alfa Romeo Maserati of Santa Monica

Alphamotiv3

Alpha One Motors

Amador Motorcars

Aston Martin Lotus Orlando

Atlantis Motor Group

Audi Wesley Chapel

Autosport-Classic Exotics and Highline

Avondale Premier Collection

Bentley Boston

Bentley Bugatti Lamborghini Maserati and Rolls-Royce of Chicago

Bentley Edison

Bentley, Maserati, Alfa Romeo of Jacksonville

Bentley Omaha

Bentley Salt Lake City

Bespoke Motor Group

BINGO

BJ Motors

Boardwalk Ferrari

BRABUS

Buggati BBT

Busted Knuckles Auctions

Byers Imports

Canepa

Cargold Collection GmbH

Carrio Motor Cars

Cauley Ferrari of Detroit

Cavallino Rosso St. Louis

Celebrity Cars Las Vegas

Chicago Motor Cars

Cleveland Motorsports

Collectors Garage

Copley Motorcars

CopleyWest

Creative Bespoke

Cunningham Automotive

Curated

Desert European Motorcars

Dhruvtest

Dimmitt Automotive Group

Dimmitt Cadillac Clearwater

Driving Emotions

dR Test Dealer

dupont dealer

duPont REGISTRY Direct LLC

duPont REGISTRY Exchange

duPont REGISTRY Supercars

DuPont Registry Test Dealer

ECD Automotive Design

Elder Ford of Tampa

EUROCAR

Euro Prestige Imports

Executive Coach Builders

Exotic Motorcars of Michigan

FaisalTestDealer

FariCars

F.C. Kerbeck

Ferrari Beverly Hills

Ferrari Lake Forest

Ferrari Los Angeles

Ferrari Maserati of Central Florida

Ferrari Maserati of Salt Lake City

Ferrari of Austin

Ferrari of Central New Jersey

Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale

Ferrari of Houston

Ferrari of Miami

Ferrari of Newport Beach

Ferrari of Rancho Mirage

Ferrari of San Antonio

Ferrari of San Diego

Ferrari of San Francisco

Ferrari of Seattle

Ferrari of Tampa Bay

Ferrari of Washington

Ferrari Quebec

Ferrari Silicon Valley

Ferrari South Bay

Ferrari Westlake

First Class Customs

Foreign Cars Charlotte

Foreign Cars Italia

Fort Lauderdale Collection

Fort Lauderdale Collection South

Fusion Luxury Motors

Gaudin Ford

Gold Coast Maserati - Alfa Romeo

Graham Rahal Performance

Grand Prix Motors

Grech RV

Hennessey Performance

HGreg Lux 

Holman Motorcars Fort Lauderdale

Holman Motorcars St. Louis

iLusso

iLusso Miami

India car dealer

Interstate Motorsport

Isringhausen Imports

Jaguar Clearwater

Abarth

Acadian

Acura

Alfa Romeo

American Coach

Amphicar

Apocalypse

Apollo

Ariel

Aston Martin

Audi

Austin-Healey

Backdraft Racing

Bentley

Bugatti

Buick

Cadillac

Can-Am

Chevrolet

Chrysler

Clenet

Cole

Combat

Cord

Crosley

Custom

Datsun

Delage

DeLorean

DeSoto

DeTomaso

Dodge

Ducati

Duesenberg

Edsel

Essex

Excalibur

Factory Five Racing

Ferrari

FIAT

Ford

Freightliner

Genesis

Grech

Harley-Davidson

Hennessey

Honda

Hudson

Hummer

Hupmobile

Hyundai

Infiniti

Iso Grifo

Jaguar

Jeep

Karma

Koenigsegg

Lagonda

Lamborghini

Lancia

Land Rover

Lexus

Lincoln

Lotus

Lucid

Maserati

Maybach

Mazda

McLaren

Mercedes-Benz

Mercury

MINI

Mitsubishi

Morgan

Nash

Nissan

Norton

Oakland

Oldsmobile

Packard

Pagani

Peterbilt

Plymouth

Polestar

Pontiac

Porsche

Radical

Sedan

Sedan long

Hatchback

Convertible

Pickup

Coupe

duPont REGISTRY

New and Used Auburn for Sale

Find Auburn Cars for Sale by Model

New and Used Auburn Cars for Sale