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The 1936 Maharaja Drophead Coupe was the only convertible ever made by the Lanchester Motor Company of Birmingham.
This one-off convertible is expected to fetch a princely sum for its owner Prince Maharaj Durgapratapsinh Sisodia of Rajasthan, India.
Auckland auctioner Dunbar Sloane Snr expects the car to fetch up to $500,000 and that an Australian could be the successful bidder. "The last few cars I've sold have been bought by Aussies," he says. "They come across and buy them because of the value of your dollar, so an Aussie will probably end up buying this."
Sloane says they have also received interest from England and India for the 1936 Maharaja Lanchester Drophead Coupe, the only convertible ever made by the Lanchester Motor Company of Birmingham.
His Highness the Maharajah Ranjitsinhji, the Jamsaheb of Nawanagar, gave it to his great nephew Maharaj Durgapratapsinh on his 18th birthday in 1964. Maharaj Durgapratapsinh moved to New Zealand in 1993 at the invitation of Sir Edmund Hilary, but when his wife died about two years ago, he decided to return to India.
"To take it (the car) back with him would be a nightmare because the Indian Government would want huge taxes and duties, so he's selling it," says Sloane. Maharaj Durgapratapsinh says the car has been "a member of my family for over 70 years so it is always difficult to part with something that close".
"But I guess the last nine years it's been in museums in America, so it's time for it to find a new owner who can enjoy it as well. "I don't mind who buys it so long as they have a love for the car and look after it and maybe let me visit it some time."
Ranji fell in love with the Lanchester marque when he went to play cricket in India in the early 1900s, during the days of the British Raj. He befriended Lanchester brothers Frederick and George, who were the first to manufacture an all-British car in 1896. He bought his first Lanchester, a 9kW two-cylinder model, in 1904, and since then, whenever a new model was made, at least one was shipped to India to add to his collection.
Lanchester stopped making the Straight-Eight in the 1930s, but new owners Daimler made six more when they received a request from King George IV for four and from Ranji for a coupe and a soft-top convertible. The soft top is the only one ever built.
When Ranji presented it to his grand nephew in 1946, the car had clocked 4800km and needed only cosmetic restoration. "I know that car inside out because I restored it myself," Maharaj Durgapratapsinh says. "I know every single nut and bolt."
He competed in several rallies with this Lanchester in India, won the Indian Concours d'Elegance from 1966 to 1970 and scored a second in its class at Pebble Beach Concours in 2000 when he was invited to show it at the event's 50th anniversary.
"It drives extremely well; very smooth ride and powerful," Maharaj says. "It's only done 10,000 miles (16,000km) from new."
The auction will be held on April 20 at 6pm with international bids accepted by phone.
1936 Lanchester Straight-eight convertible
ORIGIN: United Kingdom
ENGINE: 4.5-litre straight 8
POWER: 24kW
TOP SPEED: 160km/h
COACH: Vanden Plas Coach Builders
TRANSMISSION: pre-select gear box with fluid flywheel
