Automobile Auburn 851 Supercharged Speedster 1935 in vendita

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To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' The Hershey Auction event, 7 - 8 October 2026.
$850,000 - $950,000 USD

The very first Auburn 851 speedster produced, with numerous early production features
Known history back to the early 1950s, with several noted collectors
Well-preserved restoration by RM Auto Restoration; benefits from over $15,000 in further cosmetic and mechanical work completed by RM from 2025–2026
Auburn Cord Duesenberg (ACD) Club Certified Category 1 (A-101)
The most significant example of one of the most beautiful Classics ever built

Fast and flamboyant, the Auburn 851 Supercharged Speedster is one of the great cars of the Classic Era. It was also something of a last-ditch effort by Auburn—struggling mightily in the face of the Great Depression—to revive its flagging fortunes. An exclusive high-performance offering with jaw-dropping look it would, it was hoped, create buzz and drum up sales across the Auburn model lineup.

In its first objective, it unquestionably succeeded. From its bold grille and glistening chrome side exhaust pipes to its “boattail” rear, the Supercharged Speedster embodies Art Deco design at its finest. It was a true driver’s car, too—the addition of a Schwitzer-Cummins supercharger boosted engine output to 150 horsepower, sent rearward through a Columbia dual-ratio rear axle (a standard feature on supercharged Auburns) that provided low and high ratios for each car, selectable via a switch on the steering wheel.

A plaque on each Speedster’s dashboard, which featured the engraved signature of racer Ab Jenkins, asserted that each car had “been driven 100.1 miles per hour before shipment”—a fanciful claim, though one based in fact, as Jenkins did top the century mark in a stock Speedster at Bonneville.

Thanks to its stunning lines, designed by the legendary Gordon Buehrig, these Supercharged Speedsters were beautiful at any speed. Audacious by the standards of their time, they featured curvaceous bodywork with a straight hood line shooting back from the radiator to a sharply vee’d windshield, down between pontoon fenders, over gently sloping doors, and descending in a graceful taper to the rear bumper.

THE FIRST 851 SUPERCHARGED SPEEDSTER

Early examples of the 851 Speedster are of special interest, with the initial cars constructed from unused previous-generation 1932–1933 Speedster bodies that Auburn had stashed away. Identifiable by their body number prefix of U47, these were updated to Buehrig’s new design in a masterful feat of creative repurposing. The car offered here, serial number 851 32050 E, is even more noteworthy as the first example of these justifiably iconic automobiles to be produced.

This car carries body number U47-200 and supercharger number 1001, as well as the very early frame number 1050 and engine number GH 3341—reportedly a very early production block design. According to speedster historian and restorer John Ehresman, a later owner of this example, among numerous early-production details, the first 16 speedsters had more enclosed pontoon-style front fenders, and only the first four cars had the pipes emerging through the hood louvers—features both, of course, present on this example.

The car is believed to have spent its early years in New York and Rhode Island, eventually making its way to Massachusetts, where following an accident it was rescued in the early 1950s by Martin S. Papazian of Worcestershire. In 1956 the Auburn was sold by Mr. Papazian to Paul Walker of West Brookfield, who held on to the car for 30 years and undertook an amateur restoration, installing a new frame to replace the damaged original.

In 1986 the Auburn was acquired by John Ehresman of Feeding Hills, Massachusetts, a well-regarded restorer and authority in this generation of speedster—in particular, the early production cars, of which he has owned many of the surviving examples. Mr. Ehresman had the Auburn certified by the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Club at that year’s National Reunion, recording all of its numbers, with Certification Chief Paul Bryant’s notation that “this unusual speedster shows several unique features, which indicate that it was built as the first 1935 851 model speedster…a very interesting and well-preserved automobile.”

Mr. Ehresman eventually sold the Auburn to Johnny Pascucci of Connecticut, after which it passed into the hands of Bob Levine of West Orange, New Jersey. While owned by Mr. Levine the car was fully restored by RM Auto Restoration of Blenheim, Ontario, in its present ivory hue with correct leather interior. Following the completion of the restoration in 1994, it went on to receive the Roy Faulkner Award for Best Auburn at the ACD Club National Reunion and later became a Primary First Prize winner with the Classic Car Club of America in 1995.

The Auburn joined the stable of its next long-term caretaker in February 2001, seldom-shown but well-kept alongside a collection of other significant Full Classic automobiles. It remained there until 2025, when it was acquired by the consignor; under his care, the speedster returned to RM Auto Restoration for mechanical and cosmetic freshening. Invoices on file spanning 2025–2026 outline over $15,000 in service performed to the steering, braking, fueling, and suspension systems, as well as component detailing and refinishing as needed, all to burnish what was already a high-quality restoration.

Ideally positioned for a return to both ACD circles and to the modern concours world, this is a special 851 Speedster with fascinating, excellent provenance and authenticity that will likely win new fans and new honors.

Simply put, it is one of the most historic, significant surviving Auburn automobiles.To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/auctions/hf26/.