For Sale at Auction: 1936 Auburn 12-160A Phaeton in Auburn, Indiana

Few automobiles capture the imagination quite like the Auburn Boattail Speedster. Introduced in the mid-1930s, the Speedster was a rolling expression of the Art Deco era, streamlined, elegant, and futuristic in its design. With its long hood, sweeping fenders, and the distinctive boattail rear taper, it stood as one of the most dramatic styling statements ever to emerge from an American manufacturer. Even today, the Auburn Boattail Speedster is regarded as a true design icon, embodying the glamour and optimism of the prewar years. Because the original Speedsters were produced in very limited numbers, enthusiasts and craftsmen have long sought to recapture that spirit. Beginning in the postwar decades, talented builders began constructing recreations, carefully shaping fiberglass or steel bodies that echoed Gordon Buehrig's celebrated design. These recreations allowed drivers to experience the beauty and presence of the Auburn without the million-dollar price tag of an original. This 1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster Tribute blends the timeless artistry of the 1930s with comforts and engineering advances of modern motoring. Underneath its classic and elegant lines, this example features a 350-cubic-inch Oldsmobile V-8 engine that's dressed to impress by matching the exterior; it is paired with an automatic transmission, providing both reliability and ease of use. Equipped with power steering, modern brakes, and improved suspension, it adds to the car's ability to be used on today's roads, while still delivering the open-air thrill that made the originals so legendary. The modern-day touch flows into the cabin, and features amenities such as Vintage Air air-conditioning and heat, which is discreetly concealed in the glove box compartment, heated front seats for brisk morning drives, an automatic transmission shifter made to look like a manual shift, upgraded stereo and speakers, seat belts, and comfortable bench seating, all of which are seamlessly integrated without compromising the vintage look. Formerly owned by enthusiast Robert Cohen of Cohen's Classic Cars in the early 2000s, he commissioned James Remich, of Remich Custom Paint to apply the current eye-catching two-tone color scheme it wears today, which blends perfectly with the faux supercharged pipes, wire wheels, and classic whitewall tires. This Speedster was then acquired by Dane Miller at the 2006 Auburn Auction & Show. Dane Miller had his eyes on this Speedster from the very start of the auction, paying an impressive $162,000 in 2006, showcasing just how much he, and others, admired this example. Since then, it has been maintained and housed in his climate-controlled, two-story car collection facility. More than just recreations, these tributes keep the Auburn Boattail Speedster alive for a new generation. They offer an opportunity to celebrate one of America's greatest automotive designs, capturing the same head-turning presence and spirit of adventure, now paired with the practicality to be driven and enjoyed regularly. * Classic speedster styling paired with modern drivability and comfort
* Acquired by The Dane Miller Estate Collection 20 years ago
* Equipped with a 350-cubic-inch V-8 engine and Vintage Air air-conditioning
* Finished in eye-catching colors with stylish wire wheels

Few automobiles capture the imagination quite like the Auburn Boattail Speedster. Introduced in the mid-1930s, the Speedster was a rolling expression of the Art Deco era, streamlined, elegant, and futuristic in its design. With its long hood, sweeping fenders, and the distinctive boattail rear taper, it stood as one of the most dramatic styling statements ever to emerge from an American manufacturer. Even today, the Auburn Boattail Speedster is regarded as a true design icon, embodying the glamour and optimism of the prewar years.

Because the original Speedsters were produced in very limited numbers, enthusiasts and craftsmen have long sought to recapture that spirit. Beginning in the postwar decades, talented builders began constructing recreations, carefully shaping fiberglass or steel bodies that echoed Gordon Buehrig's celebrated design. These recreations allowed drivers to experience the beauty and presence of the Auburn without the million-dollar price tag of an original.

This 1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster Tribute blends the timeless artistry of the 1930s with comforts and engineering advances of modern motoring. Underneath its classic and elegant lines, this example features a 350-cubic-inch Oldsmobile V-8 engine that's dressed to impress by matching the exterior; it is paired with an automatic transmission, providing both reliability and ease of use. Equipped with power steering, modern brakes, and improved suspension, it adds to the car's ability to be used on today's roads, while still delivering the open-air thrill that made the originals so legendary.

The modern-day touch flows into the cabin, and features amenities such as Vintage Air air-conditioning and heat, which is discreetly concealed in the glove box compartment, heated front seats for brisk morning drives, an automatic transmission shifter made to look like a manual shift, upgraded stereo and speakers, seat belts, and comfortable bench seating, all of which are seamlessly integrated without compromising the vintage look.

Formerly owned by enthusiast Robert Cohen of Cohen's Classic Cars in the early 2000s, he commissioned James Remich, of Remich Custom Paint to apply the current eye-catching two-tone color scheme it wears today, which blends perfectly with the faux supercharged pipes, wire wheels, and classic whitewall tires. This Speedster was then acquired by Dane Miller at the 2006 Auburn Auction & Show. Dane Miller had his eyes on this Speedster from the very start of the auction, paying an impressive $162,000 in 2006, showcasing just how much he, and others, admired this example. Since then, it has been maintained and housed in his climate-controlled, two-story car collection facility.

More than just recreations, these tributes keep the Auburn Boattail Speedster alive for a new generation. They offer an opportunity to celebrate one of America's greatest automotive designs, capturing the same head-turning presence and spirit of adventure, now paired with the practicality to be driven and enjoyed regularly.