1907 Itala 120 HP Race Car

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Coral Gables, Florida | February 2025

The Ceirano brothers founded many an Italian car company in the late 1890s and early 1900s. Matteo Ceirano founded Itala in 1904. Right out of the gate, the company was producing big-engined cars – and racing cars.

This car has a four-cylinder engine displacing more than 15 liters and making 120 horsepower. It has shaft drive and a four-speed transmission. This was big-deal stuff in 1907. The cars were successful in competition, but by 1908, Itala moved to a more mainstream design for their racing cars.

Only about four of these are thought to have been built, with this being one of two survivors. It raced in European events before (maybe) coming to the U.S. for a race in 1908. Later it was bodied for road use and was purchased by land-speed racer Henry Segrave in 1916. From 1917 through 1960 it remained with one family in Australia. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum acquired it in 1965, and a restoration followed.

This is a pretty remarkable car, and one that is sort of unfathomable for a museum to part with. But if it brings $2,000,000-$3,000,000, then it should raise some good money for whatever they plan to spend nearly $100,000,000 on after selling their most valuable assets. Click here for more info.