The RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Veteran Car Run next month is reserved exclusively for pre-1905 vehicles, yet each year it welcomes remarkable ‘new’ discoveries from the very dawn of motoring.
Such is the event’s enduring appeal that early motor cars continue to emerge, are painstakingly restored, and then showcased in the world’s longest-running motoring celebration.
One such extraordinary newcomer is a very rare c1904 Opel Darracq, which will make its debut on next month’s illustrious trip from capital to coast. Unearthed in the basement of a German university, the car has undergone years of meticulous restoration and is now ready to join hundreds of other veterans on the historic road to Brighton on Sunday, 2 November.
As with all new entrants, the car has been reviewed by the Dating Advisory Committee of the Veteran Car Company Ltd., which verifies the authenticity of major mechanical components – chassis, engine, transmission, axles, radiator and steering – before issuing a Certificate alluding to its age.
Each year, the VCC approves around 10 to 15 pre-1905 vehicles from around the globe. Some have been known for decades, while others, like this newly discovered Opel Darracq, are welcome fresh additions to the ever-enthusiastic veteran car movement.
Adam Opel originally founded his company in Rüsselsheim am Main in 1862 to produce sewing machines before expanding into bicycles and, eventually, automobiles.
To boost production, in 1901 Opel signed a licensing agreement with the French marque Darracq to produce a range of cars featuring bespoke Opel bodies mounted on proven Darracq chassis and running gear. The first models were powered by a two-cylinder engine, with more powerful four-cylinder versions following soon after. The latest addition to the Veteran Car Run is one of these ultra-rare 20/24hp examples.
The car’s survival story is remarkable. Its remains were discovered in 1960 by the father of current owner Marc Heinemann, hidden in the basement of Hannover Technical University – safeguarding it from the wartime fate of many veteran cars that were melted down. Though initially in poor condition, the Opel Darracq was renovated and went on to take part in local rallies and appear in Opel showrooms over the following decades. In 2010, stewardship passed to the next generation of the Heinemann family.
In 2022, a full restoration was commissioned to return the car to its original specification, complete with a rare Landaulet-style body featuring an open driver’s seat and enclosed passenger cabin.
“The London to Brighton is the most fitting event for such cars and the perfect opportunity for us to complete the story of this very special Opel Darracq now that it has been returned to its original condition,” explained Heinemann.
“Our goal this year is simply to complete the Run successfully with this piece of motoring history. We will also be displaying the Opel Darracq on Pall Mall on Saturday in the St James’s Concours, allowing enthusiasts and collectors to view the car in detail.”
The inimitable RM Sotheby’s London to Brighton Run comes at the end of the Royal Automobile Club’s flagship London Motor Week bringing seven days of motoring high profile events and celebrations to a wonderful conclusion.
This year’s highlights include the Art of Motoring exhibition held at the Iconic Images Gallery in Piccadilly (29 October – 1 November), the free-to-attend St James’s Motoring Spectacle (Saturday 1 November) staged on Pall Mall which is closed to through traffic and a series of high profile lectures in the Club’s London clubhouse on Pall Mall as well as notable industry and awards dinners. RM Sotheby’s London Sale also returns to The Peninsula London on Saturday 1 November with some notable collector’s cars coming under the hammer.
