A Late Benz

Posted on September 3, 2013 by classiccarweekly

1921 Benz 8/20 HP Doctor’s Cabriolet by Forton & Bettens

Offered by RM Auctions | London, U.K. | September 8-9, 2013

The Mercedes and Benz merger happened in 1926. Prior to that, Benz had been building road cars for a remarkable 40 years. This was one of their later designs as it was introduced in the 1910s.

The company actually built two different 8/20 HP models. This was the second type and it used a larger 2.0-liter straight-four engine making 20 horsepower (it was basically 70cc larger than the earlier engine). The body is by an almost-unknown British coachbuilder called Forton & Bettens and this car is one of two existing that uses one of their bodies.

It is a convertible, even though the top looks very rigid. It all folds back and looks rather pleasant. I also like the aluminium side panels. This rare example of a late Benz should sell for between $265,000-$310,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $83,500.

S/N: 24782.

Bonhams Paris 2013 Highlights

Posted on February 9, 2013 by classiccarweekly

Bonhams’ sale held in Paris (in conjunction with the giant Rétromobile-fest also going down in that city) was a fascinating sale with a lot of interesting cars. Let’s get to it: the top sale was this 1929 Bentley 6.5-Litre Speed Six Tourer for $1,110,000. (Top sale that is, unless they later post that the Grand Prix Bugatti actually did sell).

Among our feature cars, the 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Coupe Special that was formerly owned by Ettore Bugatti himself sold for $924,600. Our featured Bugatti Type 54 Grand Prix failed to sell. As did the Brasier Berline. Another highlight was this 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet by Vanden Plas. It sold for a cheap $901,000.

Our next highest selling feature car was the beautiful Lancia Astura Cabriolet. It brought $893,700. Other interesting cars included this pair of Delahayes. First, this 1911 Type 48 Open Drive Opera Coupe (below) sold for $32,000. And then there was a 1902 Type O 6hp Vis-a-Vis (second below) that brought a more substantial $107,800.

This 1947 Talbot-Lago T26 Record Cabriolet was one of three Talbot-Lagos that sold at this sale. It was the cheapest at $231,000.

Some other French marques were represented here, including Mors and Renault. First, this 1922 Mors 30HP Torpedo (below) sold for $64,700. And the 1927 Renault Six-Cylinder Torpedo Double Phaeton by Kellner (second below) sold for $223,000.

The rest of our feature cars sold as follows: the 1957 Minerva C22 brought $55,500. The 1911 Marion Bobcat rightfully blew past its estimate and sold for $67,800. And the 1904 Pierce Motorette sold for $80,100. While not as old as the Pierce, this 1912 Benz 8/20HP Sports Wagen sold for $100,100.

And finally, this 1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Playboy Roadster by Brewster – a bodystyle of Rolls-Royce I really like – sold for $385,000. You can check out complete results here.

1914 Benz Runabout

Posted on July 9, 2012 by classiccarweekly

1914 Benz 18/45 Four-Passenger Runabout

Offered by RM Auctions | Nysted, Denmark | August 12, 2012

I’ve been trying to feature this car for about three weeks, but other cars kept popping up and I’d slot them ahead of it. But here we go, a pre-Mercedes Benz. Benz is one of the oldest nameplates in the world – okay, the oldest, as its namesake sort of invented this whole “car” thing – the company was founded in 1885. (Yes I realize there are nameplates that can trace their lineage back farther than Benz, but as an internal-combustion automobile manufacturer, they are the first).

This model, the 18/45HP, was produced from 1914-1921, making this from the first year of production. It was available as a sedan or a runabout, as you see here. The 4.7-liter four-cylinder engine makes 45 horsepower. The wheelbase is 133 inches – just four inches shy of the gigantic Ford Expedition mega-SUV. So it really is as long as it looks. And the bordello-like seats are a nice touch.

Benz became Mercedes-Benz in 1926. As rare as pre-war Mercedes-Benz’s are, you see a lot more of them come up for auction than you do any kind of Benz. Estimates are not available for cars at this sale yet, and I don’t have a record of a similar car selling. You can check here to see what it says whenever it is posted and for more information. And click here to see more from this amazing sale.

Update: Sold $370,900.

Update: Sold, Bonhams Scottsdale 2023, $201,600.