Audrain’s 1927 Minerva AF 32CV Sports Sedan Takes Best in Class Award at The Amelia

The immaculately presented 1927 Minerva AF 32CV Sport Sedan with coachwork by Lebaron, owned by the Audrain Collection of Newport, RI, took home a Best in Class award in the European Custom Coachwork class at 29th Annual Amelia Concours d’Elegance presented by Hagerty.

***Photo Courtesy of Audrain Automobile Museum (L to R — Lee Castleberry, Chief Mechanic, Audrain Collection and Audrain CEO Donald Osborne with their Best-in-Class Award)***

The Audrain Collection’s 1927 Minerva AF 32 CV Sport Sedan with coachwork by Lebaron is one of just two such examples produced. This sporty yet elegant example of the famous Belgian marque was meticulously restored by Minerva authority Steve Babinsky of Lebanon, NJ.

Finished in a deep green with long swept black fenders, the car features a low top with a high beltline that dramatically minimizes the height of the windows. Also fitted are correct Willocq-Bottin Supralux headlamps and aluminum wheel covers. The spacious rear compartment features two occasional jump seats. Jaeger gauges are mounted with a deep-set polished aluminum dash, and individual windscreen panels tilt open for ventilation.

The car’s accolades include a class award at the 2000 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and a Senior Grand National Award with the AACA. It is also rumored that this vehicle may have been the car that was pictured on display at the New York Auto Salon at the Hotel Commodore in 1926. The car was acquired in 2018 by the Audrain Collection and in 2019 it repeated a class award at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

“The fascination of this machine is its deeply V-shaped windshield and blind rear quarter paired its unique sleeve-valve engine designed by Charles Yale Knight,” said Audrain CEO Donald Osborne. “This car has always turned heads including an appearance in the 1937 film A Damsel in Distress, starring Fred Astaire. We are very honored to be recognized among so many great vehicles.”