Extinct species: Only one of its kind is known to have survived to this day after being exported to Australia in 1928.
Greg Wane.
A FOUR-tonne Daimler limousine valued at more than $3 million and a one-of-a-kind 1937 Alfa Romeo arrived at Melbourne airport last week. The cars are the first overseas entrants to arrive for Motorclassica – the motor show for classic cars.
Both cars have come from the United States where they made their mark at the Pebble Beach and Quail Concours d’Elegance,
The Daimler and Alfa are the first of several cars that will be shipped to Australia for the Melbourne event.
Their combined value is estimated at $5 million, but their intrinsic value is thought to be even greater with both cars irreplaceable survivors from a past age.
The 1928 Daimler P.1.50 Double Six Royal Limousine weighs a whopping four tonnes and is one of only 12 ever built. Under the bonnet is a Daimler 7.1 litre, 12 cylinder engine.
Owner Bob Lorkowski, from Wisconsin in the United States said the car was sold new in 1928 to Sir Frederick Stewart in Sydney where it was registered as NSW 1.
Sir Frederick was a successful businessman who founded Australian National Airways with (Sir) Charles Kingsford Smith and Charles Ulm and was a United Australia Party Member of the House of Representatives from 1931 to 1946.
The Daimler is believed to be the only surviving example of the type.
“Most of these large cars that were sold in England were melted down for the war effort, whereas this one was safely garaged in Australia,” Mr Lorkowski said.
The 1937 Alfa Romeo Aerodynamica Spider was conceived in 1934 by Alfa Romeo chief engineer Vittorio Jano and developed in secret by Gino and Oscar Jankovits in Hungary.
Fitted with a streamlined body and a six cylinder, 2.3 litre engine, it was hidden during the war and used by the Jankovits brothers in late 1946 to escape from the post-war communist regime.
When the Alfa was restored recently several bullet holes were found in the body panels.
Motorclassica event director Paul Mathers said he was excited that such rare and spectacular cars would be on show in Melbourne this month.
“Melbourne in springtime is the perfect place to display such wonderful cars, both from local and overseas collections and the Royal Exhibition Building is the perfect venue,” he said.
“In just a few short weeks, we will have more than 100 rare classic cars and supercars here for the Concours d’Elegance and Classic Motor Show, collector car auction and a free ‘Picnic with the Classics’ display in Argyle Square, Carlton.”
Mr Mathers said car collectors from around Australia are preparing their cars, while several more are expected to arrive form overseas.
“One local collector has already staged a dress rehearsal by bringing several of his cars out of a secret underground garage for the run to the Exhibition Building.”
Motorclassica, the Australian International Concours d’Elegance and Classic Motor Show, takes place at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton from October 22 to 24 October.
