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The car was auctioned by Bonhams in London on Dec. 4, 2016 as part of its Bond Street Sale.
It was one of the first four Vauxhall 25hp ‘Prince Henry’ Sports Torpedoes ever produced commercially.
Only seven vehicles of this make and model are left in the world according to Rob Hubbard, a senior motor car specialist at Bonham
The car was designed by engineer Laurence Pomeroy and originally purchased by T.W. Badgery, an English businessman, in 1914.
Laurence Pomeroy Jr., the original creator’s son, bought the car in 1945.
It was most recently owned by Reg Long, an engineer from Lincolnshire, England, who purchased the car in 1970. Long died earlier in 2016, but the 102-year-old car is still running.
A 1914 Vauxhall 25 hp (horsepower) ‘Prince Henry’ Sports Torpedo has sold for $657,185 (£516,700)With innovations from industry heavyweights like Bugatti, Ferrari, Aston Martin and McLaren, the intense competition to create a faster, more powerful machine is as strong as ever.
The 1914 Vauxhall 25 hp ‘Prince Henry’ Sports Torpedo, often regarded as the world’s first true sports car, sold for £516,700 ($657,185) at a Bonhams auction in London on December 4.
Capable of hitting 80 miles per hour when it was first made, the Prince Henry outclassed its competitors and stunned crowds with its speed and beauty upon its release.
More than a century later, it’s a rarity, and only seven of the cars are left in the world, according to Rob Hubbard, a senior motor car specialist at Bonhams.
A storied past
Designed by English engineer Laurence Pomeroy, the Prince Henry was made for T.W. Badgery, an English businessman who purchased one of the first four of these 25 hp cars to be produced.
In use for a large part of its 102 years, Its most recent owner, Reg Long, an engineer from Lincolnshire, England, owned the car for 46 years, until he died earlier in 2016.
Helped by careful maintenance and specialist engineering work, Long regularly drove the car around Europe, entered it into competitions and allowed it to be photographed for car publications.
Although the vehicle saw less use in more recent years due to Long’s advanced age, it still drives smoothly and most recently completed a 30 mile journey in July this year.
