• Offered from The Timeless Collection
• A fascinating early postwar Franco-American special
• Built to promote Georges Bigata’s compressed natural gas firm
• Equipped with an American Auburn V-12 engine
• Handmade aluminium bodywork by Dassault; remarkable finish

Please note this car is titled as 1932.

Veuillez noter que cette voiture est immatriculé en 1932.

This amazing machine was constructed in the late 1940s by Georges Bigata, whose family owned a compressed natural gas business in Bordeaux. Recognising that a powerful automobile powered by his family’s product would attract business, Bigata set about converting his American-built 1932 Auburn 12-160 coupé into a potent sports car. Working with his son, Marc, he upended the Auburn’s chassis, moving it nearer the ground, and retained the Auburn’s 12-cylinder engine. This was clothed with magnificent hand-hammered aluminium bodywork formed by Marcel Dassault’s aircraft concern, including headlights concealed behind a shapely Delahaye-like grille and a fully instrumented dashboard. Originally, the engine was fuelled by compressed gas, supplied from two huge tanks whose fitment necessitated the curved, rather full-figured shape of the bodywork. Power is delivered through a three-speed manual transmission with overdrive. Reportedly the Bigata Douze was capable of a top speed of nearly 200 km/h.

According to the 24 September 1998 issue of Rétro Hebdo, the car was discovered in the ownership of the Bigata family by enthusiast André Varenne, who returned it to functional order and enjoyed demonstrating it at various historic events; it was test-driven by such legendary figures of motorsport as Juan Manuel Fangio, a photograph of whom behind the wheel is included in several magazine articles within in the history file. Acquired for the present collection from Mr. Varenne in 2008, it has been converted to conventional petrol for ease of operation, but otherwise remains in its original configuration and a fascinating piece of Franco-American engineering—a speciale indeed.

i. Please note this car will be taken to Nieuw-Vennep in the Netherlands immediately following the sale, and onward transport will need to be arranged from there.

i. Veuillez noter que cette voiture sera transportée à Nieuw-Vennep, aux Pays-Bas, immédiatement après la vente, et que le transport ultérieur devra être organisé depuis cette adresse.

ii. Please also note, this car does not run and requires recommissioning prior to being driven.

ii. Veuillez noter que cette voiture ne fonctionne pas et nécessite une remise en service avant d'être conduite.

To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/auctions/pa24/.