Thornycroft Double Phaeton

1903 Thornycroft 20HP Double Phaeton

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | October 30, 2020

Photo – Bonhams

Thornycroft was mostly known for its commercial vehicles, but for a decade in their early years (1903-1913), they also produced passenger cars. The company was founded as a shipbuilder in 1864 and produced its first motor vehicle – a steam van – in 1896. Thornycroft was absorbed by AEC in 1961 and was gone by 1977.

This double phaeton is powered by a 20-horsepower 2.5-liter inline-four. It was owned by a member of the Thornycroft family (supposedly one of the automotive arm founders) from new until 1957, and it’s had three owners since. Bonhams notes that the car has never failed to complete the London-to-Brighton run, but neglects to tell us just how many times it has accomplished the feat. It is entered in this year’s event.

Only about 450 Thornycroft passenger cars were built, and they are exceedingly rare today (this is, perhaps, the first one to come up for public auction in nearly a decade). The pre-sale estimate is $440,000-$470,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $400,020.