With its ties to Bentley, this 1934 Cadillac V-16 Fleetwood Town Sedan caught my eye as it has a very interesting history, being one of only 43 known survivors. Currently valued at $1,250,000, it is being offered for sale by M.S. Rau as one of the most important and distinguished automobiles ever built.
Back in 1934, as Rolls-Royce, now in possession of W.O. Bentley, recognised that its own engines lagged behind the powerful multi-cylinder models that were being produced in America. As a result, the company acquired this very car, ID number 5100024 and shipped it over to England so it could be studied more closely.
It was driven by Bentley himself for more than 10,000 miles across Europe and declared it to be one of the most exceptional cars he had ever driven. His experience had a big impact on the next generation of Rolls-Royce engines, whose designs incorporated numerous innovations that were derived from the reverse-engineering of this Cadillac.
The 1934 model year saw the introduction of a new era of elegance, with Fleetwood’s body no. 200 featuring streamlined fenders, a waterfall grille and biplane bumpers. It was finished in a deep blue with a beautifully tailored tan mohair interior.
At the car’s heart is one of the most refined engines of the 1930s. The powerful 7.4-litre 452 cubic inch V-16 produces 185 horsepower with near-silent precision and is incredibly smooth to drive.
Today, the car’s original build order that was issued to Rolls-Royce, still survives, with records suggesting that the car later served within the U.S. Embassy fleet in London, and was more than likely assigned to the then Ambassador Joseph P. Kennedy.
After the end of the Second World War the Cadillac returned to America and eventually ended up in the hands of an Oklahoma collector who began a complete restoration that was later completed under current owner Steve Nannini, who carefully sourced and professionally engineered every missing component.
The result of that restoration has just been completed, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars with Nannini, saying:
“I’ve recently completed the restoration of an extraordinary 1934 Cadillac Series 452 V-16 Club Sedan – an automobile with a truly fascinating history. On March 13, 1934, Rolls-Royce purchased this very car, documented by W.O. Bentley himself, to study its engineering. The team at Rolls-Royce went on to use this V-16 engine as the foundation for their own 1936 multi-cylinder model. After 10,000 miles of testing, Bentley praised its astonishing refinement.
“Restoring this car has been a nine-year endeavor, carried out with the utmost attention to authenticity and detail to achieve 100-point condition. Now complete, it’s ready for its next steward – someone who shares a passion for preserving one of the most remarkable stories in classic car history.”
Andrew Fields, President M.S. Rau, who are auctioning the car, added:
“This is the first time M.S. Rau has ever offered a classic automobile, and we couldn’t be more excited about this remarkable example. At M.S. Rau, we look for treasures that are truly one of a kind – treasures with exceptional provenance that reflect the very best of craftsmanship and artistry. This car embodies all of that and more. We know our clients will feel the same sense of excitement we did and that its next caretaker will take great pride in owning such an extraordinary piece of history.”
This remarkable Cadillac V-16 Fleetwood Town Sedan made its public debut on a recent episode of Jay Leno’s Garage show on 17th November 2025, which you can watch below. For more information on the car itself, please visit: www.rauantiques.com.
Author Bio:
Simon Burrell is a UK-based motoring and travel journalist and editor, a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers and former saloon car racing driver.
Photographs courtesy of M.S. Rau
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