Priciest pre-WW1 car EVER: 111-year-old Simplex sells for £4million

There are rare cars, and then there are unicorns. And this 1921 motor is certainly the latter.

It’s a Simplex, a US motor brand that only existed between 1906 and 1915. The last time a car from this manufacturer came to auction was in 2006.

This particular model – a unique 1912 50HP 5 Passenger Torpedo Tourer – was sold to the highest bidder at a motor auction in Arizona last week and was bought for a staggering $4.85million, which is around £3.9million.

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

The end of January marks the biggest auction week of the year in America, with the major companies hosting sales in Scottsdale, including Bonhams.

The auction house’s prize lot in 2023 was this vintage car, which obliterated its pre-sale estimate of $2.5 to $3.5million.

The winning bid is higher than the previous record for a veteran car held since 2007. That was a  that was also sold by Bonhams at a London auction for £3,521,500 ($4,339,092).

Not only is the Simplex sold on Friday a one-of-a-kind car, it also has a famous former owner.

The original keeper was Eleonora Randolph Sears, who is renowned as one of the finest American sporting figures of the first half of the 20th century, excelling in international tennis, squash, show jumping, golf and a further 13 disciplines.

She is also considered one of the first female motorists in the US and one of the first woman to drive a racing car.

Notoriously, she’s also down in history as the first to ever contest a speeding ticket. 

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 the pioneering motor racer and sportsman William Kissam Vanderbilt – in 1911.

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

However, the engagement didn’t last – though Eleonora still kept the engagement present for 27 years before it was sold to the head of Buick and General Motors chief engineer Charles Chayne. 

Bonhams says the car has been in private ownership throughout its life, has never spent a night outside and is a supreme example with matching chassis and engine numbers. 

The car is one of the most sought after from the brass era and feature a massive 9.8-litre four-cylinder engine that typified the generation.

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

Ordered by Mr Vanderbilt in 1911, this unique coachwork example is ‘arguably the greatest survivor of the marque,’ Bonhams said ahead of the Friday’s event.

‘Cars of this quality rarely come to public auction. 

‘It has been nearly 17 years since an original bodied Simplex has been offered publicly.’

The auction house added: ‘This car is among the finest antique cars in America and the opportunity to acquire something of this calibre is truly special.’

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

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