DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The first vehicle to surpass 100 miles per hour on American soil is set to be at an auction in Amelia Island at the end of the month, Bonhams Cars stated in a release Wednesday.
The 1904 Napier Samson L48 made record-breaking history at an annual auto race at Ormond and Daytona Beaches on Jan. 25, 1905. The races attracted auto pioneers from across the world who "pushed the boundaries of speed and engineering," the release states.
The race caught the attention of the British firm Napier, who shipped their six-cylinder race engine to the Sunshine State to compete. The vehicle was driven by Arthur Macdonald, a British mechanician, who got up to the speed of 104.651 mph, shattering previous records.
The Napier had four owners during its 120 years in commission, with its current owner having possession of the record-breaking vehicle for 40 years. Now, it'll be up for auction in Amelia Island.
The vehicle is set to make a grand reveal at Ormond-Daytona Beach, the place the 100 mph record was broken, during the Historic North Turn Beach Parade on Feb. 10. Then, the Napier will head to its debut at the Bonhams|Cars Amelia Island Auction on Feb. 29.
In 1906, a man known as "England's Leading Gentleman Driver" took the wheel of the Napier during the same annual races in Ormond and Daytona Beaches.
Walter Thomas Clifford clinched the win by 50 seconds, setting a new record during the 100-mile race. During the race, one of the Napier's tires exploded, forcing Clifford to drive on the rim of the vehicle for part of the race's distance.
The following year, Dorothy Levitt set the Women's World Land Speed Record in the car, a record that remained untouched for decades until it was surpassed in 1963.
The iconic vehicle is expected to fetch between $900,000 to $1,100,000 at auction.
