North car could fetch up to £6m

Jan 2 2009 by Paul James, The Journal

AN astonished family have inherited what could become the most expensive car in the world from their eccentric uncle – left in a Tyneside garage for nearly 50 years.

Reclusive Dr Harold Carr hoarded the 1937 Bugatti – one of only 17 in the world – in his Gosforth lock-up.

When the surgeon passed away his nephew was left to clear out his garage, and inside found the rare Type 57S Atalante.

Now the car could fetch its stunned new owners as much as £6m when it goes under the hammer at Bonham’s upcoming Retromobile car show and sale in Paris.

It was left to gather dust for 48 years since its last tax disc expired in December 1960. Dr Carr paid £895 for it in 1955.

Other previous owners include Le Mans 24-hour race winner Earl Howe and Lord Ridley.

Dr Carr’s heirs will be transformed into millionaires overnight when the piece of motoring history is sold on February 7.

His nephew, an engineer from Gosforth, Newcastle, said: “We just can’t believe it. We knew he had some cars and a Bugatti. No-one knew how much it was worth.

“It’s amazing, really. It’s worth so much because he hasn’t used it for 50 years. It was one of the original supercars. When it was built it could reach 130mph when most cars could only do 50. Of course we’re delighted and we’re going to make sure the money is shared out among the family. It’s a wonderful thing to leave. He was a very eccentric old gent – I suppose you could call him a mad doctor. People would delight at seeing him in the street when he tinkered with his cars because he wore a piece of grip round his head to stop oil getting in his hair and surgical gloves still covered in bloodstains.

“But he was always such a generous man. Because he kept himself to himself not many people knew that, but we all knew how amazing he was.”

A severe obsessive compulsive, Dr Carr became increasingly reclusive in his later years, only letting his nephew into the house.

When the property was cleared, dozens of notes from would-be buyers of the French supercar were found inside. “People must have known because he got letters from all over the country,” his nephew said. “He got notes pushed through his door. People travelled to try and convince him to sell the car.” He added: “It would have been boring and so unlike him to have just left normal things.”

The Bugatti 57S is understood to be only one of 17 ever made. At least four of those are believed to belong to Musee Nationale de L’Automobile in Mulhouse, France.

In recent years similar but less sought-after models have sold privately for millions of pounds. If the 57S reaches top estimates, it could rocket into the history books as the most expensive car ever sold at auction.

Car experts have described the find as one of the last great “barn discoveries”. It’s whereabouts had been kept a closely-guarded secret over the last few years, with only a handful of car fanatics aware of its existence.

James Knight, international head of Bonhams’ motoring department, said: “We at Bonhams are honoured to have been selected to handle its sale.”

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