Laurin & Klement

Type S2 Sportswagen

The price is not specified, you need to call to find out

Call For Price

To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys' Miami event, 27 - 28 February 2025. rn$100,000 - $150,000 USD rnrnAn extremely early pioneer of what is today known as active aerodynamicsrnDocumented with delivery paperwork to original owner and racer, Baron Leo HaanrnFascinating engineering, including a twin-cylinder engine and adjustable rear wing!rnAcquired by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum from its second owner in 1964rnPreserved in largely original and unrestored conditionrnSimply marvelous to behold in every regardrn rnrnAn utterly fascinating piece of design and engineering, this striking Edwardian racing car was constructed by Laurin & Klement, which produced automobiles in Prague, Bohemia, between 1906 and 1928, and would eventually evolve into the modern manufacturer, Skoda. It features an interesting horizontally opposed twin-cylinder, four-stroke engine, with the radiator actually mounted behind the engine and wrapped around the cowl, a configuration that permitted the chisel-like front-end styling reminiscent of Renaults and other cars of the period. While no firm documentation exists, later owner Gunther Heger indicated that three examples of this design were produced and that the other two were subsequently destroyed by the factory.rnrnWhile the car was long exhibited in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum as a 1906 model, a document on file from Lauren & Klement, dated 1912, indicates that it was actually completed in 1911 and delivered to Baron Leo Haan of Graz, Austria. A popular racer of the period, the Baron experimented with the car, installing full wheel covers and, most prominently, a canvas-covered wooden rudder behind the tail, linked by a rod to the steering gear. Turning the steering wheel changed the angle of the rudder, producing side force and diminishing the car's tendency to skid through turns. In many ways this can be considered the predecessor of the active aerodynamics used on today's Formula One machines, albeit in a much less sophisticated form. Baron Leo Haan competed with the car in a hillclimb event at Troppau on 25 June 1911, finishing 2nd overall.rnrnOn 26 May 1912, the car was featured in the Austrian Automobil-Zeitung, in an article headlined A race car feature that reminds one of aviation. An invention of Baron Leo Haan-The side steering for making turns, in which the car's design, including the side steering as the Baron described it, was lavishly described and pictured.rnrnFurther documentation on file indicates that the Baron eventually sold his car to Gunther Heger of Vienna, who in offering the car to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in 1964 noted that it had been in storage for 40 years and that the first owner, from whom I bought the vehicle, is still alive today and successfully competed in numerous races in this car. It was soon acquired and has since been exhibited off and on in the Museum's halls for the last 60 years. A remarkable survivor, it was repainted decades ago but is otherwise totally original and absolutely unchanged from its original competition use, including upholstery and the finishes of the engine compartment and undercarriage. To find a period competition automobile that is intact is an incredibly rare opportunity; to find one with known heritage, even more so; and to find one that has essentially survived in one piece, never apart or restored, is unheard of. Recently sorted mechanically, it could benefit from rebuilding the original wooden wheels if the new owner desires to run it at its full potential.rnrnRunning extremely well following a recent service, the Baron's Laurin & Klement is a fascinating piece of engineering, ahead of its time in every important regard, and at the forefront of attention for any collector who favors the state-of-the-art and unusual.rnrnPlease note that this lot is titled as a 1908. rnrnTo view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM Sotheby's website.

Other

1 of 1 Motor Sports

Aston Martin Houston

Aston Martin Lotus Orlando

Audi Wesley Chapel

August Luxury Motorcars

Automobiles Etcetera

Auto Sport Classics, Exotic and Highline

Backdraft Racing

Barrett-Jackson Collection Showroom

Bentley Bugatti Lamborghini Maserati and Rolls-Royce of Chicago

Bentley Denver

Bentley Salt Lake City

Blue Chip

Boardwalk Ferrari

BRABUS

Brabus USA

Braman Motorcars Palm Beach

Broad Arrow Auctions

Broad Arrow Private Sales

BROOKLYN AUTO SALES

Canepa

Carrio Motor Cars

Cauley Ferrari of Detroit

Cavallino Rosso St. Louis

Celebrity Cars Las Vegas

Certified Motors Group

Chicago Motor Cars

CLB Sportscars

Cleveland Motorsports

Combat Motors

Copley Motorcars

Desert European Motorcars

Dimmitt Automotive Group

Dimmitt Cadillac Clearwater

Driver Source

Driving Emotions

duPont REGISTRY Exchange

duPont REGISTRY Private Client Service

Earth MotorCars

EarthRoamer

El Centro Motors

EUROCAR

European Exotic Center

Euro Prestige Imports

Exclusive Automotive Group

Exotic Motorcars of Michigan

Exotics Hunter

FariCars

Ferrari Beverly Hills

Ferrari Lake Forest

Ferrari Los Angeles

Ferrari of Alberta

Ferrari of Atlanta

Ferrari of Austin

Ferrari of Central Florida

Ferrari of Central New Jersey

Ferrari of Denver

Ferrari of Fort Lauderdale

Ferrari of Houston

Ferrari of Long Island

Ferrari of Miami

Ferrari of Newport Beach

Ferrari of Ontario

Ferrari of Rancho Mirage

Ferrari of Salt Lake City

Ferrari of San Antonio

Ferrari of San Diego

Ferrari of San Francisco

Ferrari of Seattle

Ferrari of Tampa Bay

Ferrari of Vancouver

Ferrari Quebec

Ferrari Silicon Valley

Ferrari South Bay

Ferrari Westlake

Five Star Ford Dallas

Foreign Cars Charlotte

Formula Imports

Fort Lauderdale Collection

Fort Lauderdale Collection South

Fusion Luxury Motors

Galpin Aston Martin

Galpin Lotus Beverly Hills

Garage Kept Motors

GH Vehicles

Gold Coast Maserati - Alfa Romeo

Graham Rahal Performance

Grand Prix Motors

Grand Touring Automobiles

Grand Touring Automobiles Uptown Toronto

Grand Touring Calgary

Gullwing Motor Cars

Hendrick BMW Charlotte

Hendrick BMW Northlake

Heritage Cars

Holman Motorcars Fort Lauderdale

Holman Motorcars St. Louis

HyperCars

Isringhausen Imports

Jackson Hole Ford

Acura

Alfa Romeo

Allard

American Tradition

Apocalypse

Apollo

Arnolt-Bristol

Aston Martin

Atlas

Auburn

Audi

Austin

Austin-Healey

Autobianchi

Benetton

Bentley

Bugatti

Buick

Cadillac

Campagna

Checker

Chevrolet

Chrysler

Citroen

Clenet

Combat

Cord

Custom

Custom Motorcycle

Dallara

Datsun

Delahaye

DeLorean

DeTomaso

Devin

Dodge

Dual-Ghia

Ducati

Duesenberg

Excalibur

Factory Five Racing

Ferrari

FIAT

Ford

Genesis

Harley-Davidson

Hennessey

Hispano-Suiza

Honda

Hudson

Hummer

Hyundai

Indian

INEOS

Infiniti

International

Isdera

Itala

Jaguar

Jeep

Jensen

Kaiser

Karma

Koenigsegg

Lamborghini

Lancia

Land Rover

LaSalle

Lexus

Lincoln

Lister

Lotus

Maserati

Maybach

Mazda

McLaren

Mercedes-Benz

Mercury

MINI

Moke

Morgan

MV Agusta

Nash

Nash-Healey

Nissan

Offenhauser

Oldsmobile

Packard

Pagani

PARDO

Sedan

Sedan long

Hatchback

Convertible

Speedster

duPont REGISTRY

New and Pre-owned Laurin & Klement Type S2 Sportswagen for Sale

Sorted by Nearest to Me

1911 Laurin & Klement Type S2 Sportswagen

Call for Price

Call for miles

RM Sothebys

Find Laurin & Klement Cars for Sale by Model

New and Used Laurin & Klement Cars for Sale

Subscribe