Borgward Isabella

1960 Borgward Isabella Coupe

Offered by Oldtimer Galerie | Toffen, Switzerland | October 20, 2018

Photo – Oldtimer Galerie

The Isabella was a car built by Carl F.W. Borgward GmbH between 1954 and 1962. It was the brand’s volume model and the one they are best remembered for. It was available as a two-door sedan, wagon, pickup, coupe, and convertible.

This car is powered by a 1.5-liter straight-four, as were all Isabellas. Power was rated at 75 horsepower and they were underpowered compared to their competition. The Coupe was not initially available and went on sale halfway through the production run.

Unfortunately, the company filed for bankruptcy in 1961 and various conspiracy theories persist to this day as to why, and Borgward himself died in 1963. It makes for an interesting read, but I don’t really want to go down that rabbit hole right now. This blue example should bring between $24,000-$26,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Borgward Rennsport

1958 Borgward 1500 Rennsport

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 5, 2015

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The story of Carl F.W. Borgward is a really interesting (and heartbreaking) one. His companies definitely built some interesting cars but they were all closed down for financial reasons that may or may not have been valid.

The story of Borgward racing started as a racing project from a privateer team but morphed into a factory effort after the privateers took some victories. Borgward reworked the engine from the Hansa 1500 and dropped it into an ever-evolving chassis and went racing. The engine underwent development from it’s 1952 racing debut and by 1956 the 1.5-liter straight-four was putting out 150 horsepower, thanks to 16-valve fuel injection.

This particular car was constructed using spare parts left over from Borgward’s racing program, which was on the decline after 1956. The car was assembled in 2009 and completed in 2013. So it’s sort of new but uses all period parts and looks really cool. At any rate, reproduction or not, it should still command an impressive $300,000-$410,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Sold $256,698.

Retromobile 2014 Auction Highlights

We covered three auctions from the fantastic Retromobile event in Paris this year. Two of them, Bonhams and RM Auctions, have their results posted. Artcurial had a second day of their sale and therefore do not have their results just yet. First up is RM’s sale. The top sale was this 1955 Jaguar D-Type for $4,947,835.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

We featured three cars from this sale. Of those, only the Gordini failed to sell. Cool cars included this 1982 Rondeau M482 GTP for $284,875.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Our featured Porsche Carrera GTS brought $1,724,246 and the Th. Schneider sold for $82,464. Another cool car was this 1939 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Cabriolet by Gebrüder Tüscher which sold for $397,326.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

And finally, this awesome barn find condition 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 Six-Door Pullman Landaulet which was pulled from an African country (it was not said from which country but I think it’s safe to assume it has been dictator-owned). Anyway, these are extraordinarily rare. It brought an impressive $719,685. Check out full results here.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Now on to Bonhams’ sale. The top sale here was a 1968 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 for $3,434,222.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Two of our featured cars from this sale failed to sell: the Marlboro Steam car and the Lion-Peugeot. The most interesting car award goes to this 1969 Mazda Cosmo L10B Coupe which sold for $74,928.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Our featured Metallurgique Berline brought $35,903. This 1957 Borgward Isabella sold for $39,025.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Our featured Attica 200 sold for $18,732. The awesome Hispano-Suiza Omnibus brought $234,151. This cool, ex-Maurice Trintignant 1947 Delage D6 3-Liter Grand Prix sold for $1,482,959. Check out full results here.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Borgward Half-Track

1942 Borgward H kl 6

All offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | December 8, 2012

Photo – Auctions America

Carl Borgward’s little (okay, it wasn’t that little) automobile company was drafted into producing vehicles for the Reich. This truck has a 3-ton payload capacity and entered production in 1937. This particular vehicle does not have an engine – it’s more of a static display piece – but back during the war it likely had a 100 horsepower 4.2-liter Maybach straight-six. More here.

Update: Sold $145,000.

Half-Track Mania!

Half-Tracked Vehicles from The National Military History Center

All offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | December 8, 2012

                                                                                                                                                 

1943 Ford Maultier

This Ford “Maultier” (or “Mule”) is one of quite a few half-tracks going under the hammer from the National Military History Center in Auburn, Indiana. I’m not sure of the story behind this sale. The collection is quite astounding and it’s a shame that it’s being broken up and sold off, especially considering they are all available for the public to see. Half-tracks are some of my favorite WWII vehicles because… well they’re just so awesome. I’m unaware of the condition of these vehicles. The paint looks fresh but they are museum pieces so they might not be in the best shape mechanically (some even lack engines). But who cares – they are all rare and all really, really cool.

This one was built by Ford of Germany (this collection includes an impressive number of rare “Axis” vehicles). It’s powered by a 3.9-liter V8 making 95 horsepower. It will do 25 mph with those big tracks on the back. More here.

Update: Sold $42,500.


                                                                                                                                                 

1945 Daimler-Benz DB10 Sd.Kfz. 8

Daimler-Benz was the name of the company that owned Mercedes-Benz in the 1930s. Instead of badging their Sd.Kfz.8s as “Mercedes-Benz,” they went ahead and just called them “Daimler-Benz”es – as were most of their heavy machinery during the war. The front is adorned with the three-pointed Mercedes-Benz star, but lacks the ring around it.

These were in production from 1937 until 1945 and used a Maybach 8.5-liter V12 making 185 horsepower, although this particular truck is engine-less. It has a 12-ton payload capacity – in other words, it’s a monster. About 4,000 were built in total by various manufacturers making this one of the most desirable half-tracks you can get. More here.

Update: Sold $200,000.


                                                                                                                                                 

1941 Autocar M3

This is, by far, one of my favorites of this sale. It has that classic look – as did most of the vehicles produced by White, Autocar and Diamond T. That slanted front where a radiator would usually be. And whatever that thing is hanging off the front. Classic.

About 12,000 of these were built for the U.S. war effort (about 41,000 half-tracks were built in total of all kinds for the U.S.). This one has a 148 horsepower 6.3-liter straight-six. It’s quick too, capable of 40 mph. More here.

Update: Sold $38,000.


                                                                                                                                                 

1940 Hanomag S.P.W. Ausf. C Sd.Kfz. 251/1

This massive Hanomag is technically a 3/4-track. Whatever. I don’t like fractions. The Sd.KFz. 251 was one of the more popular German vehicles with 15,252 built by various manufacturers, with Hanomag being the most prolific. It uses a 100 horsepower 4.2-liter Maybach straight-six. This is a Model C (they made them in A through D configuration) so it had many improvements over earlier models, such as better engine ventilation. More here.

Update: Sold $160,000.


                                                                                                                                                 

1944 Auto Union HL kl 6p

This Auto Union model was the final evolution of the 3-ton half-track. They were made for a short time in 1944 only and, due to material shortages in Germany at the time, the cabs were mostly finished with wood and/or cardboard. Classy. It’s powered by a 100 horsepower 4.2-liter Maybach straight-six. More here.

Update: Sold $75,000.


                                                                                                                                                 

1943 Opel Maultier

This 2-ton Opel Maultier is one of about 4,000 built. It has a 75 horsepower 3.6-liter straight-eight. Opel was a curious case during the war. They  have been a General Motors subsidy since 1929. When the war broke out, Opel’s automobile production ceased so they could help with the war effort. Meanwhile, back in Detroit, GM was building airplanes that could have possibly flown missions in Europe, essentially bombing their own factories. More here.

Update: Sold $65,000.

 

                                                                                                                                                 

1939 Unic Kegresse P107/U304(f)

Unic, the French automobile manufacturer that turned to trucks in 1938 – which was highly convenient when war broke out the following year. Military vehicles are usually an extension of the heavy-truck business. Unic was bought by Fiat in 1966 and was merged into Iveco in 1975.

This Kegresse tracked tractor uses a 60 horsepower 3.4-liter straight-four. Kegresse means that the tracks are made out of rubber or canvas and not metal like most tanks and other half-tracks. I guess it’s gentler on the roads… or enemy soldiers. Strangely, all of these vehicles were built before the Germans took over France – but Germany used them anyway. More here.

Update: Sold $20,000.


                                                                                                                                                 

1942 Borgward H kl 6

Carl Borgward’s little (okay, it wasn’t that little) automobile company was drafted into producing vehicles for the Reich. This truck has a 3-ton payload capacity and entered production in 1937. This particular vehicle does not have an engine – it’s more of a static display piece – but back during the war it likely had a 100 horsepower 4.2-liter Maybach straight-six. More here.

Update: Sold $145,000.

 

                                                                                                                                                 

1944 White M16

Here’s another good-lookin’ White half-track, this one an M16. The M16 was essentially an M3 (like the Autocar above) but it has a powered, armored turret with up to four .50 caliber machine guns. As with all of the items offered in this sale, the guns have been demilitarized – meaning, they no longer work as guns. But this is what makes something like this legal to own… and drive down the street. Engine-wise, this is powered by a 148 horsepower 6.3-liter straight-six. More here.

Update: Sold $95,000.

 

                                                                                                                                                 

1943 Opel Maultier Panzer-Werfer 42 Rocket Launcher

This Opel Panzer-Werfer is a tracked rocket launcher. It’s pretty mean looking, isn’t it? It has one 10-barreled rocket launcher mounted in the back – of course it no longer works, so you won’t be able to blast traffic jams out of your way. This piggish brute is powered by a 75 horsepower 3.6-liter eight-cylinder engine. It weighs about 7-tons, so that is probably no where near enough horsepower. Only 300 of these were built. More here and the rest of the auction lineup here.

Update: Sold $60,000.