A 1938 Maybach Zeppelin DS8 Roadster (above) has sold for €1.3 million (ten times its original estimate) at RM’s Aalholm Automobil Museum sale in Denmark yesterday.
The car came complete with a 7978cc V12 engine, but as interesting to the numerous rival bidders was its gearbox. Known as the Variorex it had eight speeds, a vacuum shift and is thought to be one of only 100 built.
It gained a roadster body following the lines of original Erdman & Rossi coachwork after initially being discovered virtually naked (above).
Second-highest price went to the other side of Europe’s luxury car building – Rolls-Royce. The 1911 40/50hp Silver Ghost Roi Des Belges Tourer (below) went for €708,008, three times over estimate.
Rounding off the perfect trio was a 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Stelvio Drophead Coupé (below), which sold for €542,304.
Fourth and fifth-placed sales went to a 1932 Hispano-Suiza HS26 Three-Position Drophead Coupé (€361,536), which is shown below, and a 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500K Spezial Roadster Replica (€301,280), shown second from bottom.
Also notable in Denmark was the large collection of early brass-era veteran cars spanning from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Chief among these was a 1903 Renault 10 CV Limousine (bottom of the page). It surpassed its estimate, selling for €180,768.
RM Europe’s managing director, Max Girardo, said: “We have been absolutely stunned by the interest that the Aalholm auction has attracted and on auction day we witnessed a three kilometre traffic queue simply to gain access to the sale!
