Leave it to the eccentric uncle. Dr. Harold Carr’s nephews and nieces inherited his dusty, old garage in northern England after his death in 2007 and expected to find very little housed inside. But when they opened its doors, they found not only a vintage Aston Martin and Jaguar parked there, but also a rare 1937 Bugatti that’s expected to fetch millions at auction.
The Bugatti, a 1937 Type 57S Atalante, is one of only 17 the company built. Auction house Bonhams, which will sell the Bugatti at its Retromobile Auction in Paris Feb. 7, estimates it will fetch at least $4 million.
Carr, the Bugatti’s third owner, purchased the powerful sports car in the late 1950s and parked it for good in the early 1960s, leaving the odometer at 26,284 miles, according to Bonhams. Experts say what makes the find so exciting is that cars so valuable and in original condition are rarely available for sale.
“I have known about this Bugatti for a number of years and, like a select group of others, hadn’t dared divulge its whereabouts to anyone,” said James Knight, international head of Bonhams’ motoring department. “It is absolutely one of the last great barn discoveries.”
Knight said the car would be a “truly rewarding project” for whoever restores it.
“The Atalante is incredibly original and, although she requires restoration, it is ‘restoration’ in the true sense of the word,” he said. “From my perspective, save for some of the interior, all original parts can be restored or conserved in order to maintain originality.”
Dr. Carr’s nephew, who wished not to be named, told the Times UK Edition that although finding the valuable car was shocking, it was just like his "eccentric" uncle to leave behind a surprise.
“He was always such a generous man. It would have been boring and so unlike him to have just left normal things,” the nephew said. “He was very much a hoarder.”
Click HERE to see photos of the car.
