1925 Renwick & Bertelli 1½-Litre Sports

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | September 10, 2016

Photo – Bonhams

William Renwick and A.C. Bertelli came together in 1924 to build engines… but their sticking to engines was short-lived. In 1925, they built the car you see here. Starting with a custom designed engine, they mounted it to a chassis from Enfield-Allday (where Bertelli used to work) and then they had Bertelli’s brother – who was a coachbuilder – build the body.

The engine is a 1.5-liter straight-four. It’s an important engine because the following year Renwick & Bertelli became the controlling directors of a little, financially insolvent company called Aston Martin. This car, dubbed “Buzzbox,” was the inspiration for the company-saving International and Le Mans models from Aston Martin. And with Aston up, running, and successful, Renwick & Bertelli never built another car under their own names.

This one-of-one car is a couple of things. One, it is incredibly sporty and good-looking. Two, it is an important piece of Aston Martin history, having given the company a path to success. It has been restored twice with the most recent work being quite fresh. It is ready and eligible for all major shows. The pre-sale estimate is between $310,000-$370,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.