The poshest, the most fascinating, the one with the best history and the oldest

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The PreWarCars offered for sale by Historics Auctioneers at Ascot Racecourse on May 15th are so divergent that we decided not to mate two of them for our traditional ‘back to back’ comparison. We picked out four of them instead.

The poshest: 1933 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Saloon by Lancefield

This is the jacquet or morning suit of vehicles. In traditional black over light grey and with low roof line, polished waist rail, 'trouser crease' front wings and rear luggage trunk this Rolls-Royce would fit in perfectly at any wedding or funeral, gala or garden party. The driver / chauffeur is seated on grey leather while passengers at the rear can sit back in fawn Bedford cord. It’s bodied by Lancefield of London and was owned for 37 years by an ex-Concorde captain.

The most fascinating: 1933 UW Front ‘Prototype’ by Gläser

Is this an Audi, a Horch, a Wanderer or what? Historics sticks to UW for ‘Umgekehrter Wanderer’ referring to the fact that it features a Wanderer engine that had been ‘umgekehrt’ (turned around) through 180 degrees to drive the front wheels. As a matter of fact, this is believed to be the prototype to the Audi UW Front with its front-wheel drive and three-litre six-cylinder engine. It’s bodied by Gläser of Dresden and its history is as fascinating as it is mysterious. The car was purchased in 1984 in Kalningrad from a Russian who’d inherited it from his father and who’d kept it hidden for the Soviet Government. It may have links to the German National Socialist (Nazi) Party but that is still unverified.

The one with the best history: 1937 Austin 10 Cambridge

Although a price is not mentioned, we think we’re safe to say this will become the cheapest pre-war car of the sale. That while it’s anything but ordinary. The great thing about this Austin (we think) is that it comes with a detailed history file from day one, when Navy Commander John Winfield Heath bought it back in 1937, to the day he sold it 21 years later. The auctioneer writes: “Commander Heath was a well-decorated Anti-Submarine Officer whose naval training and organisational skills have produced the most complete vehicle record we have ever seen!”

The oldest: 1908 (or 1906?) De Dion-Bouton 8hp

This is a four-seater with so-called Rear Entrance Tonneau - the door at the back. The year of manufacture is slightly confusing: according to the DVLA it’s a 1906 car, but the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain marks it as 1908. A previous owner was De Dion-Bouton Club Chairman and it comes with a history file so we do not doubt this will bring light to this matter. The 948cc engine was rebuilt recently with some modifications including Zenith Carburettor and electronic starter.

Words by Jeroen Booij. Pictures courtesy of Historics Auctioneers.

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