Christie’s to sell uber-expensive 1939 Auto Union D-Type

Historic GP Winner To Fetch Record Price


5 February 2007 11:31 GMT / By Jonathan Goddard

Auction house Christie’s reckons it could sell the most expensive car in its history later this month.

Christie’s has estimated the value of the 1939 Auto Union D-Type, one of just two remaining examples of this legendary grand prix racer, at between £5.78-7.88 million, when it goes under the hammer at the international vintage car fair Rétromobile in Paris on February 17.

Formed in the 1930s through the amalgamation of four German automotive marques, Auto Union was a precursor to the modern day Audi brand, and its memory is kept alive by the German prestige manufacturer’s heritage division, Audi Tradition.

This particular car – long with its sister – was taken as war booty by the Russians following the Second World War. American Paul Karassik eventually brought them to the West in the 1980s after searching for them for a decade. He eventually finding them stripped down into individual parts and had them reassembled by East Sussex-based car restoration experts Crosthwaite & Gardiner.
Full tags
Car And GPS, Cars, Audi

share print story pdf email story

Recommended articles


Search

Loading

Follow


Best iPad 2 apps

We detail the best iPad 2 and iPad apps in the app store Which iPad app should you download?

Windows 8

All the features and details of the new Microsoft operating system explained What's new in Windows 8?

iPad 3 rumours

What comes next? We look at the possible features, leaks, images, specs and more

Pocket-lint poll

Q. Will you be buying a PS Vita?

Vote YES Vote NO

» LAST TIME
When asked Will Samsung be making a mistake if the Galaxy S III isn't shown at Mobile World Congress in February? 51% said yes and 49% said no