Vehicle Description
Despite difficulties in the 1920s, Auburn made a significant impact
in 1932 by introducing a new V12 engine. E.L. Cord played a huge
part in successfully reorganizing the Auburn Automobile Company out
of financial troubles. Cord eventually took ownership of Auburn and
by that point, he owned three of the most prominent American
automobile companies at the time, Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg.
Cord wanted an automobile capable of competing with the likes of
Packard and Cadillac, and it was the perfect opportunity to build a
car that would neatly fit the value-leading Auburn philosophy.The
12-160, their most powerful model to date, boasted 160 horsepower
from a 391.2 cubic inch engine. Designed and built by Lycoming, a
subsidiary of the Cord Corporation, this V12 featured an intriguing
design with a narrow 45-degree V-angle and a nearly horizontal
valve train that resembled an overhead cam design despite the cam
being in the middle of the block. To manage the increased power the
12-160 chassis was equipped with hydraulic internally expanding
drum brakes, variable-ratio steering gear, 17-inch wheels, and an
optional dual-ratio rear axle on top-line models. Auburn priced
their new V12 competitively, costing less than a contemporary
eight-cylinder Dodge. Due to its reasonable price, many units were
exported from the United States, particularly to Europe.Given the
influence of Cord and Duesenberg on Auburn, it's no surprise the
cars were capable of special modification. Duesenberg had already
established its engineering capabilities with Indy 500 wins and the
Mormon Meteor land speed record car. Auburn had been building their
famed Speedster for a few years now as well. Auburn undoubtedly
used engineering aspects of Duesenberg in the development of the
Twelve. While famous for their road cars, Auburn did build a
handful of racecars, including a reported entry for the 1932 Indy
500 that ultimately crashed and did not race. Additionally, a few
eight-cylinder cars were also constructed as racecars proving
Auburn's versatility like their sister company, Duesenberg.This
remarkable vehicle was constructed in the late 1940s by Georges
Bigata, who grew up working in his family's compressed natural gas
business in Bordeaux, France. Bigata discovered an Auburn 12-160
chassis in the French countryside and recognized that converting it
into a powerful automobile powered by his family's product would
attract business. With the help of his son Marc, Bigata lowered the
Auburn's chassis, bringing it closer to the ground, while retaining
the original 12-cylinder engine.The unique, monoposto-inspired body
of the Auburn is entirely hand-formed aluminum, featuring concealed
headlights behind a shapely Delahaye-like grille and a fully
instrumented dashboard. The body was designed and built by Marcel
Dassault, who was a close friend of the Bigata family and a
renowned figure in the French aircraft industry. Beginning in the
First World War, Dassault was essential to the French war effort,
helping to arm their Air Force. Despite facing persecution during
the war, Dassault continued his work post-war and formed Dassault
Aviation, continuing to develop aircraft for the French well into
the 1960s. To this day Dassault Aviation is still a well-respected
aircraft manufacturer producing defense and private aircraft,
including Falcon business jets.Initially, the engine ran on
compressed natural gas from two large tanks which necessitated the
curved full-figured shape of the bodywork. Power is delivered
through a three-speed manual transmission with overdrive,
reportedly allowing the Bigata Douze to reach a top speed of nearly
200 km/h. Georges completed the car in 1949, a remarkably quick
turnaround. According to correspondence with a relative of Bigata,
he entered his creation in the 1949 Bordeaux Grand Prix and won the
race.The car was later discovered by enthusiast Andre Varenne who
returned it to functional order and showcased it at various
historic events. Legendary motorsport figures, such as Juan Manuel
Fangio, have test-driven the car with photographs of Fangio behind
the wheel featured in several magazine articles within the history
file. Mr. Varenne parted with the car in 2008 and shortly after it
was converted to run on conventional gasoline for ease of operation
under the care of a collection in the Netherlands.Recently the
Bigata was reappropriated to the United States where it has
received mechanical recommissioning. In its current condition, the
Dassault aluminum body shines in the sun, the patina has been left
untouched to not disturb the story this car has amassed. The large
wire wheels are imposing, adding to the scale of the car and
monoposto-style look, and have been fitted with new Firestone tires
as part of the recommissioning. The deep rumble of the
twelve-cylinder is very apparent thanks to the straight piped
exhaust fitted by Bigata as well. The cockpit utilizes a red
leather bench seat and shifter modified by Bigata. The
aircraft-inspired dash carries full instrumentation easily allowing
the driver to monitor the operation of the vehicle. Lastly, "G.
Bigata Special Douze" badging adorns different parts of the
motorcar, truly displaying its uniqueness.Storied with a past of
racing and innovation, this Auburn Twelve Special truly is a
distinct piece of Franco-American engineering. From
aircraft-inspired looks to its race history in the French wine
country, the Auburn remains essentially as it was found with a
marvelous patina and brimming with character. It is a fascinating
expression of French aviation and American engineering and would
make an eye-catching centerpiece to any collection. Offers welcome
and Trades Considered For additional details please view this
listing directly on our website
