Offered here is a 1932 Pierce Arrow Twelve Cylinder Sport Tourer. This is the only example of a Twelve Cylinder Sport Tourer in existence today and this is the very first time it is being offered for sale to anyone in 50 years.
Packard, Peerless and Pierce Arrow, "The three P's" as they were known, were the exclusive triumvirate of the luxury segment of the automotive industry always featured powerful engines, beautiful and exotic coachwork and quality that was above the rest. From the early days of the motorcar, Pierce Arrow was always at the top. In 1932, Pierce Arrow joined the cylinder race and introduced its twelve cylinder engine to compete with Cadillac's V-16, Packard's Twelve cylinder, Marmon's V-16 and Stutz's DV32.
To help promote its new engine, Pierce-Arrow hired race car driver Ab Jenkins to drive a specially prepared twelve cylinder roadster with the windshield and fenders removed on the salt flats at Bonneville. Jenkins drove for 24 hours at an average speed of 112.91 MPH. These speed tests were repeated for publicity over the next few years and Jenkins breaking his own record, eventually achieving a new world record of 127 MPH over a 24 hour period in 1934. The Pierce Twelve is one of the greatest American classics of all time.
This particular car is a 1932 Twelve Cylinder Sport Tourer, the only known surviving example today. Pierce only produced 2692 cars for 1932 and of those very few were twelves and even fewer were open twelve cylinders such as this. This particular car was previously owned by the well known collector Louis Biondi and remained in his ownership for over 50 years. Wearing a beautiful restoration executed over 30 years ago, it looks as though it was done yesterday. Finished in light blue with dark blue fenders and dark blue leather interior, this Pierce is absolutely stunning. The body is a semi custom, designed by LeBaron and built by Pierce Arrow, a completely open sport tourer with side curtains, but the front cockpit has unique sloping full glass roll up windows.
The engine turned dash, metal side mount covers, and artillery wood wheels, the most expensive wheel option Pierce offered, only add to the elegance this car has. Besides being a twelve cylinder and an open Twelve cylinder at that, this car is also equipped with the very rare New York headlights rather than the Traditional Pierce Arrow lights in the fenders as New York law did not allow the usual Pierce headlights in the fenders. Mechanically it has been recently serviced and it runs and drives wonderfully. Very powerful and smooth. If you are looking for a very special Pierce Arrow, it doesn't get much better than this.
