Christie's Postpones Auction of Auto Union Racer

Auctioneer cites question about the car's history

The sale of one of the most valuable vehicles in the world has been postponed by the auctioneer. The 11th hour demur by Christie's of the auction of the Auto Union Type D was announced Wednesday with the auctioneer citing the provenance of the racer as an issue.

The Auto Union GP car was expected to draw record bids at the upcoming "Retromobile" auction in Paris. However, Christie's said the auction was suspended "pending further exploration into the car's race history." No other explanation was given. Yet Hemmings is reporting that Philip Powell at Classical Drive is among those supporting the idea that the postponement could be a sign that the history and authenticity of the Type D may be questionable.

Citing Hemmings, a story on Autoblog.com comments further:

This car's history is known, from being totally rebuilt after being reduced to just a driveline in an accident, to being found in the former Soviet Union, but the questions can linger in the minds of potential owners. It should be noted, however, that Christies is investigating the car's race history, not its authenticity, per se. We saw something similar in Arizona last month when a rare Ferrari Dino SP failed to crack the $1 million mark and didn't meet its reserve, going unsold. The car had been well-documented, but because it had been nearly totaled in a racing incident, the rebuilt car can sometimes raise doubts among buyers who would rather have the genuine article than one rebuilt by a non-factory team years after its birth or rebirth.

SIDEBAR

Back in December, a bass guitar from the collection of Dick Clark that was alleged to be a gift to the emcee emeritus by Paul McCartney in his Beatles days was revealed to be a fake. Considering all of the players involved, this was a surprising revelation. Now this question mark on another item with what would seem to have been unassailable credentials comes to light. If the provenance of these items could be in doubt, how can we mere mortals ever attest to the authenticity of our Bauer plates or hockey souvenirs?

(Photo: Hemmings)