A priori, a 1909 Brush D24, a 1912 Renault CB Coupé de Ville and a racing Maserati have very little in common. But they all have a common -and tragic- denominator: the ‘Titanic’.
Only one of them was traveling on the most famous and short-lived of the great ocean liners, the Renault. And obviously went down with it. The Brush expected to be embarked in New York for the return voyage, which never happened. And the Maserati, for its part, could be bought to run in the United States due to the sinking of the Titanic.
They are three very different stories, which we recovered as a result of the recent implosion of the Titan submersible, which was intended to offer some wealthy adventurers a vision of the great sunken ship.
The luxurious Renault CB Coupé de Ville was an exceptional car for its time, with the driving area separated from the passenger cabin, protected by a canvas roof instead of a rigid one like the passenger compartment. Its engine, a 2.6 4-cylinder, developed 25 CV and could reach 56 km/h –an estimable speed then-.
The car cost the equivalent of about 125,000 euros, although it should be noted that, five years ago, a Renault of the same model was awarded at an RM Sotheby’s auction for twice as much. A price that was not unreasonable for those who could afford a first class ticket on the Titanic. In fact, the Renault was the only car that traveled on the ship.
Its owner was 36-year-old William Carter of Bryn Mawr, who had inherited a fortune in the coal and metal deals. This millionaire decided to delay his trip back to New York for a week so he could get back on board the Titanic.
He was traveling with his wife -Lucille-, their two daughters, two servants and the driver. By going first class the Bryn Mawr Carters survived the disaster, along with a servant – the other servant and the chauffeur disappeared with the ship – because they had priority in the lifeboats.
The story goes that William Carter demanded that the shipping company or his insurer reimburse the value of the car. It was new. Carter had bought it for the long family tour of Europe, and August Aldworth, the hired chauffeur, was the only one to drive it.
Some point out that the Renault was not the only car in the Titanic’s holds, but it is the only one of which there is a certain reference. It is also known that it traveled conveniently packed in a wooden box.
The 1909 Brush Runabout D24 was waiting in port for the Titanic to go from New York to Europe. The sinking of the ship caused her owner to finally embark it on the Olimpic. To many of our readers, the brand is surely unknown to them, but its designers were the same as those who made Cadillacs at that time. It was very light – it weighed less than 380 kg – and had a 10 CV single-cylinder engine, capable of reaching 39 km/h.
It was the work of the Brush brothers, one of whom worked at a company that developed engines for Oldsmobile and helped design the first Cadillac, the A. It was considerably cheaper than the Model T, despite having springs and shock absorbers for the suspension. instead of the then normal crossbows.
This car has its history because in 1923 it made a trip through Australia. And in the past decade it ended up in Spain -in a lamentable state of conservation-. Purchased by the Titanic Foundation, chaired by Jesús Ferreiro, it was rigorously restored in the workshop of the Mena brothers. Disassembled and reassembled. The chassis, wheels and many other parts were made of acacia or olive wood. Once recovered, the Foundation presented it and the pilot Andrés Vilariño started it up and drove it.
The history of the Maserati is very different and it took place 15 years after the sinking of the ocean liner. But it has its origin in the fortune left behind by John Jacob Astor IV, who froze to death in the sinking of the Titanic.
His widow later married a former boxer and aspiring actor, Enzo Fiermonte, who wanted to run for the Vanderbilt Cup. Madeleine Force Astor did not hesitate and she ordered a Maserati V8 RI. But the organization vetoed Fiermonte due to his lack of experience.
The Italian decided to entrust the car to Wilbur Shaw, one of the best drivers of the time. He was so impressed that he said that with such a car the Indianapolis 500 could be won. In 1939, Shaw already had a Maserati 8CFT, the successor to the V8 RI, and won the 500 Miles that year and the following; he would have even done it in 1941 if he hadn’t had a loose wheel.
