A supercharged 1928 Mercedes-Benz sports tourer with what is believed to be one-off bodywork, a Bugatti that is one of the last Type 57 chassis produced, and a 1937 Maserati 6CM with significant racing history have been consigned to the Gooding & Company collector car auction scheduled for August 18-19 at Pebble Beach Equestrian Center in Monterey, California.
“I love studying early automotive engineering and design, and admiring the work of true craftsmen. These are not simply rare cars, but expressive works of art that continue to inspire us, especially when you explore the details,” David Gooding, auction company president and founder, said in a news release. “We are honored to present these distinguished automobiles and the people and historical events that surround them.”
The 1928 Mercedes-Benz S-Type 26/180 sports tourer is for sale for the first time in 53 years and has been assigned a pre-auction estimated value of $5 million to $6 million.
The car was engineered by Ferdinand Porsche and carries coachwork by Glaser. Thrust, 180 horsepower, comes from a 6.8-liter inline 6-cylinder engine with a Roots-type supercharger.
Gooding & Company notes that the car, consigned by the estate of a private collector, had been driven frequently, even for family errands, and has been maintained and recently restored by D.L. George Coachworks of Cochranville, Pennsylvania.
The Bugatti Type 57C cabriolet is a 1939 model, but because of the pending war, the car was not sold until 1941, and then went to a friend of Jean Bugatti. Gooding & Company says the car, chassis 57841, is believed to be the last Type 57 produced. The coachwork is by Letourneur et Marchand and the car has been in a collection for more than 30 years. The pre-sale estimated value is $1.5 million to $2 million.
The 1937 Maserati 6CM is chassis 1540 and was sold new to Giovanni Rocco, a racing driver from Naples, who used the car to set the fastest-lap time in the 1937 Targa Florio. Collector Raymond Fielding acquired the car in 1969 and owned it for more than 30 years. The pre-sale estimated value is $1 million to $1.4 million.
Gooding & Company also announced three other special pre-war cars added to its Pebble Beach docket:
- A 1938 Peugeot 402 Darl’Mat special sport roadster (estimated at $700,000 to $900,000).
- A 1938 Packard Twelve 1608 convertible Victoria ($650,000 to $750,000).
- A 1930 Minerva Modal AM dual-windshield convertible sedan ($500,000 to $700,000).
For more information, see the auction website.