This Duesenberg car is special because it was once a show car for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair and people called it the “Twenty Grand” Duesenberg back then. Jay Leno pointed out that while this car cost $20,000 back then, the average American car in 1933 only cost less than $1,000 and an average house was even cheaper at only $2,000!
The Duesenberg Twenty Grand was an expensive car, but not as costly as the 1934 Duesenberg Walker Coupe which cost $25,000 when new. Unfortunately, nobody bought it at first. Later, someone painted it black and sold to a wealthy buyer in Chicago. Nowadays, this beautiful car is part of the Nethercutt Collection in California alongside other classic cars like Bugatti and Hispano-Suiza.
The Duesenberg Twenty Grand has an engine like they use in race cars. It is a straight-8 engine and it takes up 421 cubic inches. Plus, it has a supercharger which means its power reaches 320 horsepowers, making it a remarkable car for the 1930s because of its price tag together with its powerful engine.
Duesenbergs cars were special because they had race-bred engines and went really fast. But they weren’t just any cars – they could also be driven by a chauffeur. And to make it even cooler, the car was designed with panels and gauges in the back seat so that passengers can monitor what the driver is doing! So while you might have heard of “back-seat drivers”, this car actually lets them do it!
Back in 1979, this car was fixed up and it’s been shown at events many times since then. Because of its price though, it doesn’t get taken on the road very much these days. In this video you won’t find long drives, just some taxi rides around an airport. Seeing this special Duesenberg moving though, even if only a bit, is still a rare sight!