A true icon amongst car enthusiasts, the Cheetah is one of the rarest and most sought after racing cars. With such an iconic car taking the centre stage of Guernsey’s Auction House event in May, the event is a must visit for any petrolhead.

Envious of Ford’s successful foray into racing with the Carroll Shelby’s Cobra, General Motors manufactured The Cheetah, their first foray into the production of competitive automobiles. Production ran from 1963 to 1966, with only 23 manufactured worldwide (some believe numbers are even less).

With so few made, and even less surviving, Guernsey’s upcoming auction is one of the only times such a piece of racing history has been up for auction under the public eye. Guernsey’s auctions have been known for its range of exclusive and precious items set for auction.

Beyond the rarity of the car due to the low numbers that were manufactured, the Cheetah’s name is also known as a record-breaker. In 1964, the race car broke the top speed record at the Daytona Challenge Cup at an astounding 215 miles-per-hour.

This particular Cheetah has had one owner since 1965 and was described as “a fine example of racing history and a beautiful original car” by Ruth Engineering & Racing, a company whospecialize in the restoration of vintage racing cars. According to the company, this Cheetah model is “the most original and unmolested example of a Bill Thomas Motors’ Cheetah” with all repairs made using “period correct, exacting components”.

Guernsey’s will display The Cheetah at Lime Rock between May 4th and 5th before it is delivered to 93rd Street and Park Avenue in New York where it will be on view from May 10th until 6pm when the auction begins.

For more details on the auction, visit guernseys.com