Chassis n° 33 551 E

To be registered as a Collection

A player in the early history of the American automobile, Auburn Automobile Company was founded in 1900 by Frank and Morris Eckhardt, sons of Charles Eckhardt, founder of an industrial company of the same name manufacturing horse-drawn carriages and wagons in Auburn, Indiana. Very inspired by their father's work, the first creations of the two brothers were essentially runabouts equipped with single-cylinder engines that were already accessing the luxury market with exceptional finishing qualities for the time. The First World War and its attendant shortages marred the success of the brand, which could no longer cope with the ever-growing competition. The brand was sold in 1924 to the powerful businessman Errett Cord who added Auburn to the group comprising Cord, Duesenberg and Lycoming Engines to create a behemoth of the American luxury car industry.
It was in this inter-war context that sumptuous models were created under the Auburn name, with innovative mechanics and techniques, including the introduction of V12s and compressors housed in bodies that rivaled in style and elegance.
The crisis of 1929 put a damper on the automotive group and especially Auburn; the decision was taken to entrust the management of the brand to Lycoming Engines, a designer of automobile and later aeronautical engines.
The 851 was to be Auburn's greatest success, and its design was the result of a long study from the late 1920s until its public unveiling in 1935. In the midst of the Depression, the gamble of offering a top-of-the-range or even very top-of-the-range car was risky, but Auburn took the risk and rightly so. Offered, like many at the time, in several body styles: Speedster, Sedan, Phaeton, Roadster; it was powered by a 4.6L in-line 8-cylinder engine developing 115 horsepower and up to 150 horsepower thanks to the work of a compressor propelling the car to more than 160 km/h (100mph), a feat unthinkable in 1935. Designed by Gordon Buehrig, the Speedster stands out from the rest of the 851 range thanks to its characteristic "cuttlebone" or Boattail lines. The nose and the whole car in general is stretched forward to give the car a bouncy, aggressive, very sporty effect. The interior, typical of 1930s art-deco, shines with luxury but also simplicity, with the main information in front of the driver and an elegant clock in front of the passenger.
Mechanically, apart from the unusual engine, the 851 speedster features a mechanical 3-speed gearbox operated by a first lever on the driver's right thigh. The rider behind the wheel will find a second lever that allows him to change the range of gears, a short range for sport and a long range that multiplies the gears to create a 6-speed gearbox.
To slow down the 1700 kilos of the machine, 4 drum brakes aided by a Bendix hydraulic pump are necessary.
Guided by an elegant mascot reminiscent of the Spirit of Ecstasy, the 851 could not save Auburn from imminent bankruptcy and the end of production marked the death of the brand in 1937.
This is certainly the "only" Speedster Boattail in France!
It was bought by its current owner in 1987. At that time, it joined the family museum of beautiful models. The engine is running, but like many museum cars, it needs to be restarted to fully enjoy this masterpiece of the American Automobile.