Pink Panther car up for auction! (again!)

[Clouseau]

www.channel4.com/news/articles/business_money/pink+panther+car+set+for+auction/574547

Pink Panther Car Set for Auction

Last Modified: 24 Jun 2007
Source: ITN

Memorabilia collectors from across the world are gearing up to make a bid for the original Pink Panther car.

The custom-made limousine was the first car of its kind to be produced and will be up for auction on July 14.

It was built in 1969 by legendary Californian custom car maker Jay Ohberg and it is thought it could fetch up to £80,000 pounds.

Auctioneer Chris Routledge said: We're expecting the car to fetch somewhere in the region of £75,000 to £80,000. There has been interest on the car from all over the world. We've had collectors in America, Europe and Japan.

He added: "The car is so iconic everybody remembers the Pink Panther car and an awful lot of people want to own it."

Admiring crowds were able to catch a pre-auction glimpse at the car which has been on display at the West End Live 2007 event in London's Leicester square.

[Dreyfus]

It was a great car. It will probably get for than £80,000. A fantastic collectors item.

[Clouseau]

more on the auction:

Pink Panther car up for auction

A car made famous by the cartoon series The Pink Panther is expected to fetch up to £100,000 at auction.

The sleek pink car appeared in the titles and credits of the television series featuring the legendary pink cat and Inspector Clouseau.

The 23ft (7m) car is a lengthened 1969 Oldsmobile Toronado, complete with pink plush interior.

It will be auctioned at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, on Saturday and is expected to fetch £75,000 to £90,000.

But Christian Penwill, from auctioneers Coys, said the famous vehicle may fetch a lot more.


The Pink Panther Car
is expected to fetch
up to £90,000

Fully working

"At the auction of the Batmobile in February, the price rocketed. It sold for £119,000 in the end," he said.

Although the Pink Panther car has been stored in a museum for years, it is in full working order and has recently been used for charity and promotional work.

It was the only Pink Panther car ever produced. It was built in 1969 by Californian car customiser Jay Ohrberg, who also created the open-top Batmobile for the 1992 film Batman Returns.

The car will go under the hammer at the Fine Motor Cars and the Jaguar Legend Auction on 14 July.

[Clouseau]

well it's sold for a little less than some predicted, but it's sold, nonetheless!
www.oxfordmail.net/news/headlines/display.var.1546766.0.pink_panther_car_fetches_71k.php

Pink Panther car fetches £71k

A car that achieved worldwide fame in Pink Panther TV cartoons was sold in Oxfordshire at the weekend.

It was top of the bill at the third annual auction run by COYS, dealers in historic and expensive cars and memorabilia, at Blenheim Palace on Saturday.

The bright pink vehicle, with its sleek bodylines, fetched £71,000 and was sold to an American collector.

Auctioneer Chris Routledge said: "The Rinky Dink Panther is one of the most recognised of cartoon characters. It is unique and has caused a frenzy of interest from collectors around the world."

Edward Bridger-Stille, spokesman for COYS, said: "We were pleased with the price. It is difficult to value items such as this and the market always decides the value.

"We have a reputation for selling cars made famous in films or on TV, and we have previously auctioned vehicles including Inspector Morse's car, James Bond's Aston Martin, Del Trotter's three-wheeled van and the Batmobile."
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About 100 cars and hundreds of collectors' items were also sold at the event, including a 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom 2, previously owned by an Indian maharajah.

Visitors or bidders had to pay £25 for a catalogue which also included admission for two people.