link
Have many dollars? Like the hard shoulder? Don't like
buying petrol? Unlucky - you've just missed out on this
colossally antiquated steam-powered De Dion Bouton,
which has just sold for $4.6m (£2.9m) at auction in the
USA. That's in America.
In fact, the 1884-built steam-powered contraption, or
Et Trepardoux Dos-A-Dos Steam Runabout in full, is the
world's oldest working car. No surprise that it's selling
price set a new world record for an early motorcar sold
at auction.
Its new owner is one of only five collectors to own the
car, which is known as "La Marquise" (named after the
original owner's mother).
The Bouton was originally commissioned by French
entrepreneur Count de Dion and features a front-mounted
boiler and engine powering the rear wheels. Steering
comes via a sort of tiller thing and it tops out at 37mph.
