A unique piece of automotive history, a Pininfarina bodied Rolls-Royce, will turn heads at this year's Salon Prive sale from Silverstone Auctions, held on September 4 in the UK.
 The car cost so much to make that negotiations between Rolls-Royce and Pininfarina ceased immediately |
The 1951 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn Coupe was once the world's most expensive car, built as a celebration of the motor industry's return following the second world war. It has a "believed genuine" 5,179 km on the clock, and holds an estimate of £375,000-425,000 ($627,210-710,838).
In the post-war period, only discerning clients of Rolls-Royce could order a separate chassis, which would then be shipped to various approved coachbuilders and made to order.
Pininfarina, whose legendary work with Ferrari is considered some of the finest in automotive design, had previously made bodies for the PII and MK VI.
This chassis was ordered by Signor Luigi Bressiani being being sent to Farina in Turin. It was later shown at the Torino motor show in April 1951.
However, it had cost over £10,000 to make, while the base car cost just a third of that amount, making any further models an unrealistic prospect.
The car was well-known to enthusiasts, but disappeared after the exhibit in 1951, until it was finally discovered and purchased by the current vendor from the original owner's relatives.
Following restoration, it appeared at the Warren Concours d'Elegance in May 2014 and placed first in class, as well a being named as a runner-up for the entire event.
According to Silverstone Auctions, the current design team for Rolls-Royce described in a press conference how the Pininfarina design had been an influence on the current Wraith Coupe.
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