Twenty Grand (Duesenberg)
The "Twenty Grand" is the name given to the one-off custom 1933 Rollston Arlington Torpedo-bodied Duesenberg SJ ultra-luxury sedan. The design's initial price tag of $20,000 was the most expensive Duesenberg ever constructed and it is widely considered to be the most beautiful Duesenberg ever built. It is currently one of the most valuable cars in the world, worth over $40 million today. The Twenty Grand is undefeated in Concours d'Elegance competition and is a key display at the Nethercutt Collection in Sylmar, California. History. Luxury brands Duesenberg and Rollston contracted  automobile designer Gordon Buehrig for a ultra-luxury one-off design to be the leading automotive "Dream Car" display representing the progress of the United States automotive industry at the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. Once completed in Indianapolis, the finished automobile's set price was an astronomical $20,000 during the middle of the Great Depression where cars typically costed around $600–800, infamously giving it the nickname of "The Twenty Grand," over $400,000 adjusted for inflation in 2021. Ultimately because of its unprecedented price tag, it was proven too expensive for the American wealthy and foreign dignitaries . Due to the further deterioration of the economy from the Great Depression, the Twenty Grand was untouched several years until it was sold to Shreve Archer, but would go on to have several other owners where it was modernized. In the late 1970s, cosmetics entrepreneur J.B. Nethercutt purchased the Twenty Grand and gave it a full original restoration, changing the exterior color from black to a metallic silver and refining the interior. Once the restoration was completed, Nethercutt entered it into the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in 1980, where it ultimately won Best of Show. The Twenty Grand was  selected to be exhibited in Essen, Germany as one of “The Ten Most Beautiful Cars in the World.” It won Best of Show at the 2011 Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. Replica. In 2012 a replica was constructed as tribute to The Twenty Grand that included a supercharged Ford V8 engine. The replica was auctioned off in Scottsdale, Arizona for over $100,000. Specifications. Engine Type: Supercharged DOHC Cylinders: 8 Horsepower: 320 Manufacturer: Duesenberg, (Indianapolis, Indiana) Coachbuilder: Rollston, (New York City) Price When New: $20,000