There are cars, there are artworks - and then there are cars that are artworks. Glennster S-12 is one such car - built by hand with mechanics from the 1920s and 30s. It is now for sale at Bilweb Auctions.
Glenn Billqvist and his father Kalle belong to the elite of Swedish car builders. Their "Il Drago Ruggente" - The Roaring Dragon - with a 27-liter V12 Isotta Fraschini aircraft engine was a sensation when it debuted in 2013.
The same year, the project to build a car inspired by the Mercedes race car W35 from 1934 and 1935, one of the famous Silver Arrows, was initiated. The build, completed in 2019, became another proof of their technical brilliance and historical finesse. The car was named Glennster S-12, with S for Supercharger and 12 for the number of cylinders.
It was important for Glenn Billqvist to use technical components from the era the car was meant to represent. Therefore, he chose a Lincoln flathead V-12 from the late 30s, which gets an extra boost from a Marshall 200K compressor.
The frame is from a 1928 Buick, the rear axle from a 1939 Ford, and the front brakes from a 1924 French Delage, which were converted from mechanical to hydraulic.
And then there's the beautiful body: shaped by hand in aluminum in a very stylish manner and with an unfailing sense of detail. You can look at it for a long time. It looks best with dual rear wheels mounted, creating a very special look - enjoy the photos on Bilweb Auctions' auction page.
But Glennster S-12 is not a showpiece, it has been driven in numerous competitions and exhibitions in Europe; in Germany, Switzerland, France, Denmark, and several in Sweden.
The competition forms have been regularity, hill climb, and high-speed straight-line racing, for example, the standing kilometer in St Moritz, Kilomètre Lancé. There, the car reached over 170 km/h. The sound from the V12's straight pipes requires special permits on Swedish tracks when this piece is to be showcased.
A buyer will naturally receive thorough training on the car from Glenn Billqvist, and there are many opportunities for a new owner: exhibition, track, hill climb - or why not all of it?
Glennster S-12 can - and should - be driven.
It is valued at between 700,000 and 900,000 SEK. The auction ends on May 30.
