It was advertised as " The World ’s Finest Motor Car . " And indeed , the famed Duesenberg Model J , which would serve as the basis for this 1935 Duesenberg Speedster - Roadster , likely was incisively that .
bow in late 1928 , it was back by the apace ascending self-propelled empire of Errett Lobban Cord and designed by Fred and August Duesenberg .
Classic Cars Image Gallery
Built on a price - no - object footing , it started with an 8.5 - inch - deep figure with stern - column inch thick rail . Into this foundation was dropped a 420 - cubic - inch straight eight that boasted four valve per cylinder , duplicate overhead cams , and 265 horsepower – a psyche - boggling figure back then . Aluminum admixture was used extensively , moderate the automobile ’s weight to around 5,200 British pound .
To the imposing physical body was summate the o.k. custom coachwork money could buy – and a Duesenberg cost plenty : $ 9,500 for the form alone in 1931 , enough to buy 20 mark - Modern Model A Fords .
However , even the finest was n’t enough for the Maharajah Holkar of Indore , India , who buy a " speedster - roadster " built on the poser JN ’s 11 - column inch - longer 153.5 - inch wheelbase . The ruler ’s car also got the modeling SJ ’s supercharged 320 - horsepower eight ; it did 104 mph in 2d and topped out at 140 .
Most British Empire and " Colonial " Duesenberg sales were handled through English sales agents , this one being trade by R.S.M. Automobiles , Limited , of London . It then went to J. Gurney Nutting & Company for its special body .
The speedster frisk a concealed top , built - in license crustal plate bearer , dual fuel cooler , and individual - bar bumper . More interesting was a rumble seat that was all separate from the trunk ; refined fold - down steps built into the sides of the eubstance made admittance easier .
The unique coachwork was finished in black , with a peculiar " Sun - Glow " orangeness sweeping boldly from the hood ornament , over the hoodlum and the top of the doors , onto the rearward deck . Sun - Glow also decorate the leather Interior Department .
beseem royal family , the right - hand - drive speedster was fitted with a dyad of running luminance atop each front fender . They informed the world who was at the steering wheel : Maharajah ( red ) or Maharanee ( blue ) .
The Maharajah ’s Duesy was the only one to receive J. Gurney Nutting coachwork . It was climb up on the final Duesenberg chassis , number 2,614 ( it was not the last one to be bodied , however ) . The engine , J-585 , was also patently the fourth - to - the - last one built , and the last with a supercharger .
Although this speedster was thought to be misplace , it resurface in 1959 and was bring to the U.S. It finally ended up in the hands of General and Mrs. William Lyon of Trabucco Oaks , California , and now domicile in the William Lyon Classic Automobile Collection ( not open to the public ) .
The Autocar , a British motoring magazine , discover this royal Duesenberg as " colossal " back in 1936 . Even today , there ’s no reason to challenge that conclusion .
