Modern Australian
The Times

TOP 7 Most Expensive Retro Cars In The History Of The Global Automotive Industry

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Old, but remote. This is how you can characterize the cars that will be discussed in our review. Private collectors buy them at auction for fabulous sums. The price tags for such machines are still breaking all conceivable records. And this is not surprising, because retro cars are history frozen in metal.

Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider (1939)

One of the most expensive retro cars that came off the assembly line before the start of World War II. The declared value of this exclusive horse at the prestigious RM Sotheby's auction was $ 20-25 million. However, in the end it was sold for $ 19.8 million. In total, the Italian automaker created 32 copies. Only a few of them have been preserved to this day. Connoisseurs from all over the world are ready to shell out eight-figure sums to take possession of this unique handsome man.

Jaguar D-Type (1956)

This rare roadster has become the most expensive British car ever sold at RM Sotheby's. It was this baby that became the triumphant of the world-famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race. In 2017, she went under the hammer for $21.8 million. In total, a little more than 50 pieces of such roadsters rolled off the assembly line. The fate of many of them remains unknown. The Jaguar D-Type accelerates to the first hundred kilometers in 4.7 seconds, and the maximum that this retro car can reach is 240 km/h.

Duesenberg SSJ (1935)

A rare sports roadster that proudly bears the title of the most expensive retro car produced in the pre-war period. In 2018, the price tag for this baby reached unprecedented heights. The Duesenberg SSJ was purchased by a private collector for $22 million. This is a real miracle of engineering, created in just two copies. Both originally belonged to the stars of the "golden age" of Hollywood - Clark Gable and Gary Cooper. At the auction, a model was sold, which in the 30s. owned by Oscar-winning actor Gary Cooper. Under the hood, this beast has 400 horses. It is not surprising that he created a real sensation.

Mercedes-Benz W196 (1954)

The car of the legendary German automaker participated in Formula 1 in 1953-1954. During the races at Le Mans, the famous driver Manuel Fangio piloted it. The ultra-rare car helped him win the Grand Prix. To date, only ten models have survived. Mercedes-Benz W196. 6 of them are in the office of the giant of the auto industry, 3 are on display in museums, and only one is owned by a private collector who laid out a fabulous sum of $ 30 million for it. The sports car is equipped with a 2.5-liter power unit that develops up to 290 horsepower. This is an outstanding figure for the 50s, allowing you to reach a phenomenal speed - 300 km / h.

Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti (1957)

Supercar, released in just four copies. At various times, this rare car was driven by the legends of world motorsport. In 1957, this car won second place in the Mille Miglia races, which took place in Italy. Then it was piloted by Wolfgang von Trips. The power unit of this baby is 300 horsepower, and the torque is 314 Nm. The engine has a V12 configuration and a volume of 3.3 liters. According to rumors, the current owner of this exclusive car is Lionel Messi, who paid $35 million for it.

Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic (1936)

A luxury supercar produced in only three copies. One of them was created by special order of W. Rothschild in 1936. Subsequently, it was sold for $59 thousand. And almost forty years later, its price tag rose to $37 million. The retro car was sold as part of the Mullin Automotive California auction. A distinctive feature of the unique car is the body design, developed by Jean Bugatti himself. Under the hood of this supercar - 120 horses, allowing you to accelerate to 200 km / h. For many years, it was the Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic that remained the most expensive retro car in the history of the global automotive industry.

Ferrari 250 GTO (1962)

The most expensive retro car in history with a price tag that reaches sky-high heights. This model has repeatedly broken records in terms of cost. As a result, the price of the Ferrari 250 GTO more than doubled from the declared $30 million. This is how much an American private collector who wished to remain anonymous paid for the retro car. This exclusive car is equipped with a three-liter V12 engine. The creators hid 300 horsepower under its hood, allowing it to reach a maximum speed of 280 km / h. To accelerate to the first hundred kilometers, the Ferrari 250 GTO takes exactly 6 seconds.

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