A 102-year old Vauxhall car, regarded by historians as the world’s first sports car, is due to go on sale for the first time in half a century, with prices expected to reach £600,000 or more.
The Vauxhall Prince Henry Sports Torpedo was first built in 1914 and was capable of a top speed of more than 80mph: roughly twice the top speed of the average road car of its time.
Built on the underpinnings of a racing car, the Vauxhall’s engine remarkably made a total of only 25bhp, but it was still capable of carrying four people and a boot full of luggage at high speeds.
Top speed of 80mph
This particular car was bought by businessman T.W. Badgery, who worked in the leather industry in Worcester and who used castor oil pressings from his leather factory as fuel.
Eventually, the car was sold to Laurence Pomeroy Jnr, the son of the famous Vauxhall engineer who had designed the Prince Henry, and it stayed with him until his death in 1966.
In 1970, Lincolnshire engineer Reg Long bought the Prince Henry, with whom it has stayed for the past 46 years, until he died earlier this year.
World's first sports car
Rob Hubbard, senior motor car specialist at Bonhams, which is auctioning the car, said: “The Prince Henry is considered to be the first sports car and came from Vauxhall's various racing successes.
“It was a racing car with wings and headlights and it could comfortably seat four. This variant of Prince Henry is the rarest Vauxhall - I think there are just seven left in existence.”
The car was last taken for a drive in July, when it covered 30 miles, and Bonhams auctioneers believe that it still has most of its original parts intact, including the leather upholstery.