The Auburn Twelve was produced for only two seasons, 1932 and 1933, with unsold cars retitled and sold into the 1934 model year. In that brief moment – barely a blink in automotive history – it cemented itself as one of the great multi-cylinder cars of the Classic Era, offering outstanding engineering, performance, and style. The latter was never more abundant than in the “boattail” speedster model, styled by the young and skilled Alan Leamy with a flowing two-passenger body that gracefully tapered to the rear, accentuated by subtle two-tone moldings. Few automobiles so much embodied the speed of which they were capable: the Twelve speedster looked fast, and it most definitely was, as anyone who has ever spent time behind the wheel can happily attest. With its long hood and graceful lines, the Auburn Twelve speedster became a performance icon of its era, beloved by true enthusiasts – most notably, the Collier brothers, who famously raced their “Beelzebub” in Automobile Racing Club of America events, forerunners of today’s SCCA.
