1913, Spain: King Alphonso is a young and handsome gentleman, known for his love of sport and automobiles. He was an avid driver, collecting vehicles and touring with them all over Europe. He preferred one car company, and that was the Spanish brand Hispano-Suiza. He loved them so much that he owned 30 of their vehicles. The company, honored by his patronage, named its Type 15T in his honor: Type Alfonso XIII. It has not been available to the general public for quite some time, but next month one rare Alphonso XIII is hitting the auction block.
Few such examples, rare as they are, ever change hands, but the example you see here is destined for the auction block when RM Auctions sets up shop March 10 at Amelia Island. This 1913 model – chassis # 718 – is one of only four built, and packs a 3.6-liter inline four with 64 horsepower, making it a super car in its time, capable of hitting a top speed of 80 miles an hour. The vehicle was made with two interchangeable bodies, one for the winter (pictured here) and open coachwork that could be installed for the summer.
The bidding will start 1t $750k and auction attendees will likely see the car sell for well over $1m. Amelia Island is off of the coast of Florida, so any Phoenix Valley automotive enthusiastic would have to be quite dedicated to the love of a good road trip to attend the auction without the intent and means of purchasing. Phoenix Valley auto enthusiasts can stay tuned to Vroom for more updates on interesting and luxury auto auction items, both close to home and around the world.
