1936 Alta Grand Prix No. ‘52S’

Pre-WWII Grand Prix racers were all about winning when there were no such things as seat belts, roll cages, or any type of legitimate crash safety. It was just open-top, balls-out speed and praying for your life. British engineer, Geoffrey Taylor, built the race-only Alta Grand Prix cars, and this one is special. Chassis No. ’52S’ is all black with white numerals and some beautiful wire-wheels. There are leather hood straps, a big ovular grille, and a long single exhaust pipe with a protective shield as it passes right next to the driver. Its single leather seat is set deep in the open cockpit that has but an afterthought of a windscreen and a squat fire extinguisher for when things get really bad. This very car set a lap record at Brooklands, and it ran in illustrious races like the Monaco Prince Ranier Cup. Not only does the car show how far technology and safety have come in the world of car racing, it also displays the kind of beautiful design we’ll never see again. It’s now up for sale on RM Sotheby’s private sales for a bit over a quarter million.