LOT 217

1902 Beaufort 8hp Two-Seater Phaeton Registration no. KXS 504 Chassis no. n/a Engine no. 414

Estimate: £50,000 - £70,000

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Lot 217

1902 Beaufort 8hp Two-Seater Phaeton

The Golden Age of Motoring Sale|30 October 2026, 17:00 GMT|London, New Bond Street

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1902 Beaufort 8hp Two-Seater Phaeton
Registration no. KXS 504
Chassis no. n/a
Engine no. 414

•A rare German/British marque
•Dated by the VCC in 1948
•Restored in the 1990s
•A regular London to Brighton entrant until 2007

"The very English sounding Beaufort was largely a German car, some being made by the Argus company in Baden. The company was capitalised and registered in England, the cars being sold from premises near Baker Street in London. Some may have been assembled or bodied there." - The Beaulieu Encyclopedia Of The Automobile.

It is beguiling to imagine the world's greatest fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, pausing to admire Beaufort's products in their nearby showroom on his way to and from 221b Baker Street.

Introduced in 1901, Beaufort's first effort was a belt-driven design powered by a single-cylinder Bergmann engine. Shaft drive had been standardised by November 1902 when six further models of varying power outputs were listed: two singles, two twins and a brace of fours, all built in the Baden factory. A 28/32hp four, a 30hp six and various commercial vehicles were introduced later. Beaufort was last active in 1906.

There is little known of the early history of this rare Beaufort, other than it was once owned by a Mrs R Lightfoot and was dated by the VCC in June 1948 when registered 'CR 3' (certificate on file). It is powered by a single-cylinder Bergmann engine of 110x110mm bore/stroke, displacing 1,045cc. The car was restored in the mid 1990s and has since entered and completed many London-to-Brighton Runs in the early 2000s, the most recent being the 2006 event. Described by our vendor as in very good condition throughout, the car is offered with a V5C Registration Certificate, several old MoTs and the aforementioned VCC Dating Certificate.

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