A vintage motor that spent 63 years in a derelict barn is to go up for sale for a staggering price.
An incredibly rare 1933 Mercedes 370 S Mannheim Sport Cabriolet is considered a collectible by classic car fanatics with just 195 ever built… and it could fetch up to £180,000.
This incredibly rare Mercedes has never been damaged or restored, but will require some restorationCredit: BNPS
The vintage beauty was built in 1933 and has spent 63 years locked in a barn
Little is known of the car’s early years but it’s believed this model was first stored in a British-occupied area of Berlin before it was later acquired by a serving member of the RAF and imported to the UK in 1955.
As reported by London-based auctioneers RM Sotheby’s, the car was sold to a woman named Dorothy Stewart, and in 1958 it passed into the care of the owner’s father – who purchased it from a dealer for £250, about £5,000 today.
But a growing family meant he had to buy a more practical vehicle, so the Mercedes was locked away in a barn and subsequently forgotten about.
It emerged 63 years later in its original condition although in dire need of renovation.
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The rusting car, which officially goes up for auction on November 4, has a 3.8 litre six-cylinder engine which gives it 75bhp and a top speed of 75mph.
Annette Abaci, a senior car specialist at RM Sotheby’s, said: “Not only is this car one of only 195 examples ever built but it is a great example of a timewarp car that’s never been damaged or restored.
“Over 60 years of the same family ownership, this is now a fantastic opportunity to either bring it back to its former glory or give it a bit of TLC and present it at various concourses.
“This is an opportunity that rarely comes up.”
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This comes after a rare Ferrari F50 owned by Rod Stewart is up for auction and could sell for up to £3m.
This comes after a heavily damaged Lamborghini destroyed by Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street is set to sell for a jaw-dropping price.
DiCaprio, playing stockbroker and convicted fraudster Jordan Belfort, drove the 1989 Countach model while filming the beloved 2013 film.
In one scene, he wrecks the £576,000 sports car while high on drugs as he attempts to make it home in a near-paralytic state.
The legendary motor represents a ‘fantastic opportunity’ to be brought back back to its former glory ‘with a bit of TLC’
The rusting car goes up for auction in London on November 4
The German motor could sell for up to £180,000 at an auction
It’s believed this model was first stored in a British-occupied area of Berlin before being imported to the UK
