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2013 Shannons Sydney Custom & Collectable Auction at MotorEx
Lot
27

1920 Vauxhall E-Type 30/98 Velox Tourer

$220,000

Sold

Description

This lot is no longer available

Introduced in 1913 and based on the Vauxhall Prince Henry chassis, the 30/98 was the first British sports car to reach 100 miles per hour (160km/h) in production form, something Vauxhall guaranteed it would achieve at Brooklands. It was also the first British car with a four-speed transmission.
Its designation was reportedly an amalgam of its 30 horsepower (22kW) produced at 1,000rpm and the 98HP (73kW) developed at 3,000rpm.
The Vauxhall weighed 400kgs less than a Bentley 3.0-litre, had a powerful 4.5-litre four cylinder engine and a high axle ratio and became renowned as a high-performance car that could swallow long distances with ease.
It was developed in just 71 days and went on to spawn a production run of 584 cars over a 14-year period, despite a break for World War I.
In a testament to the model's significance, around a third of these cars still survive.