1933 Auburn 12-165 Salon Speedster
Only 14 examples of this Art Deco masterpiece were ever produced, making it one of the rarest American speedsters of the Depression era.
Designer Al Leamy created the distinctive “boattail” body with flowing, sensuous curves that wrapped around the rear of the car in a blunted tail design.
The Salon variant featured exclusive styling elements including the signature “bowtie” front bumper adorned with V-12 insignia, sweeping front fender lines with chrome trim, and dual side-mounted spare tires.
Built on a 133-inch wheelbase, the speedster housed a 391 cubic inch Lycoming V12 engine producing 160 horsepower. This powerplant was paired with a three-speed manual transmission featuring Columbia two-speed rear axle (electric overdrive).
The combination enabled impressive performance, with factory driver Eddie Miller setting speed records that reached up to 117 mph at Indianapolis.
Despite being Auburn’s most exclusive offering, the 12-165 carried the distinction of being the lowest-priced twelve-cylinder automobile ever manufactured, priced under $1,000. This positioning paradoxically hurt sales, as buyers questioned the quality reflected by such competitive pricing during economically challenging times.
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