Subastarán en Inglaterra el Cadillac de Perón
Un Cadillac Limousine de 1951 será subastado en Inglaterra el 4 de septiembre. Podía ser un evento más de cualquier casa de subastas, pero se trata del que fuera el vehículo oficial de Juan Domingo Perón y su esposa Eva Duarte.
El auto pertenece al coleccionista Martín Barrone, quien lo presentó en exhibición durante un año en el Museo Evita de Buenos Aires. Pero Barrone decidió venderlo en Gran Bretaña.
La subasta correrá por cuenta del especialista Silverstone Auctions y se realizará en el Salón Privé, una exposición exclusivísima de autos en Inglaterra.
El auto es el mismo que utilizaban diariamente Perón y Evita. Tiene un motor V8 de 5.4 litros, con caja automática de cuatro marchas. Mide seis metros de largo y pesa 2300 kilos. Según los especialistas en remates, el precio oscila entre 340 mil y 440 mil dólares.
Una joya perdida
Las autoridades de la subasta deben inspeccionar minuciosamente el Cadillac antes de ser presentado. Durante las tareas apareció una joya perdida. Se cree que pertenecía a un vestido de Evita. Silverstone Auctions le solicitó a un museo argentino que intente establecer la autenticidad del hallazgo.
Esta limousine no era el único Cadillac en la flota de Perón. Presidencia de la Nación aún conserva un modelo descapotable (ver fotos). Se solía utilizar para las ceremonias de asunción de mando, hasta que el matrimonio Kirchner prefirió optar por modelos de Volkswagen y Audi.
Tras la caída de Perón, en 1955, el Cadillac Limousine de la subasta fue guardado en un depósito. Doce años después, fue a remate y lo compró un comerciante entrerriano, que lo mantuvo en Gualeguaychú y apenas lo puso en marcha en casi 34 años. En 2001, fue adquirido por el coleccionista Martín Barrone, quien restauró la pintura y la mecánica.
Comunicado de prensa de Silverstone Auctions
1951 Cadillac Limousine ExArgentine President Juan Domingo & Eva Peron
Registration: Non-EU
Chassis Number: 517557236
Engine Number: 517557236
Number of cylinders: 8
CC: 5424cc
Year of Manufacture: 1951
Estimate (£): 200,000 - 260,000
Offered by its privateer owner having been on long-term loan to the Eva Peron Museum (Museo Evita) in Buenos Aires, Argentina we are delighted to offer for sale this most significant of State Limousines, that of Argentine President Juan Domingo and Eva Perón.
A great icon of popular culture as well as history, María Eva Duarte de Perón, will always be affectionately remembered as Evita. Her life story was most famously told in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Evita, as well as the 1996 film of the same name starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas.
Eva's rise from aspiring actress to political supremo and Spiritual Leader of Argentina began in 1944, in Buenos Aires, where she met Colonel Juan Perón. The couple were married in 1945 and Juan Perón was elected President of Argentina in 1946.
During the couple's time in office, Eva became a champion of the working class as well as women in Argentina, founding the nation's first large-scale female political party, the Female Peronist Party and supporting low income families. Over the next few years she built up swathes of support, leading for calls for her to become Vice-President. Her declining health meant that she could never truly make a challenge for the Vice-Presidency and she sadly died of cancer at the age of 33 in July 1952. More than three million people lined the streets of Buenos Aires at her funeral, proving her significance and popularity.
This fabulous 1951 Cadillac served faithfully as the official state limousine of the Peron presidency and has been proudly displayed at the Museo Evita for a number of years. There are many images of the President with the car and he and Eva in the rear seats en route to a state function. The owner has decided the time has come to part with this important treasure and the concours lawn of Salon Privé where the car will be shown and accompanying Silverstone Auctions sale is the chosen outlet.
The car has recently arrived on UK shores and discovered within was a glorious jewel from one of Eva's dresses which accompanies the sale of this car. The helpful staff of Museo Evita are very kindly trying to establish which item of clothing this jewel has come from.
The opportunity to own such a unique motorcar from a very poignant period in South American history is a very special proposition and one which cannot be overlooked. We anticipate significant global interest when this Cadillac is offered under the hammer.
Interested parties should note that import duty at the prevailing rate is applicable to the purchase price of this vehicle if it remains in the EEC.
