Cars Mania

Hershey, PA, United States (AHN) – A 127-year-old steam powered automobile, billed as the world’s oldest car that still runs, has been sold at an auction here for $4.6 million.

The sale Friday by RM Auctions represents the highest price ever paid for an early automobile at auction. The $4.6 million price tag includes a 10 percent buyers premium that goes to the auction company.

The four-wheeled Dion-Bouton et Trepardoux, nicknamed “La Marquise,” was built in France in 1884, roughly a year before the founders of Mercedes-Benz separately built their first experimental gasoline powered cars. Henry Ford put the finishing touches on his first garage-built car 12 years after this one.

The “La Marquis” was originally built for the French Count De Dion, one of the founders of the company that built it. It was fueled by coal, wood and bits of paper. About a half an hour was required to work up enough steam to power the engine.

Its top speed is 38 miles per hour. The car came close to that speed during the world’s first automobile race in 1887, RM Auctions reported.

In 2007 the car was sold at a Pebble Beach, CA, auction for about $3.5 million.

The name of the current buyer has not been released.

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