Not Sold (Est: £448.3k - £560.3k)
1952 Cunningham C-3 Coupe
Gooding Christie's • US • 15 Aug 2026
Market Position:
Rare Sale
Track live values and receive listing alerts
Track live values and receive listing alerts
Not Sold (Est: £448,266 - £560,333)
1952 Cunningham C-3 Coupe
US • 15 Aug 2026 • Lot 160
Vehicle Details
AI Listing Summary
This is a rare 1953 Cunningham C-3 Vignale Coupe, one of the most significant American grand touring automobiles of the postwar era. Originally commissioned for William A.M. Burden Jr. and retaining its original engine, it has passed through a notable list of collectors and has been restored to its original colors.
Condition
8
The description states the car has been carefully preserved and routinely exercised, and was restored back to its original colors. It has had a succession of noted collectors as owners. It's not pristine but shows excellent care.
/ 10
Automatic
LHD
United States
5211
1952
Auction
Not Sold (Est: £448.3k - £560.3k)
1952 Cunningham C-3 Coupe
Gooding Christie's • US • 15 Aug 2026
Market Position:
Rare Sale
Track live values and receive listing alerts
Description
One of the most significant American grand touring automobiles of the postwar era, the C-3 embodies Briggs Cunningham’s ambitious vision of creating an American-built car capable of competing with Europe’s finest sporting machines.
Combining competition-derived Chrysler Hemi power with exquisite coachwork by Vignale of Torino, the C-3 remains among the rarest, most charismatic, and most exclusive automobiles of the 1950s.
As documented in Richard Harman’s book Cunningham: The Passion, The Cars, The Legacy, this Vignale C-3 Coupe, chassis 5211, was commissioned on October 19, 1951, with Works Order 19, and delivered new fitted with engine IND 20-1008, which it retains to this day.
Its original owner was American automobile enthusiast William A.M.
Burden Jr.
The son of William Armistead Moale Burden and Florence Vanderbilt, William Burden Jr. was a philanthropist, collector of the finest art, and one-time ambassador to Belgium.
The wealth management firm he founded, William A.M.
B...
Price Analysis vs Other C-3s
£73,557
Lowest Price (Since 2020)
£490,091
Median Price (Since 2020)
£906,624
Highest Price (Since 2020)
World Record
If this vehicle sells at the mid-point of its estimate it will set a new world record for the [enter model]
Top X%
The mid-point of the vehicle's estimate places it in the top [X]% of sold prices we've seen for the [enter model]
Lowest Price
If this vehicle sells at the mid-point of its estimate it will be the lowest price we've seen for the [enter model]
Average Price
The mid-point of the vehicle's estimate places it near the average price we see for the [enter model]
Rare Sale
This vehicle comes to market rarely. In auction records we've only seen 8 sold before
Icon
This vehicle is an icon of the game. Any collection would benefit from having one
Previous C-3 Sales
MOT Information
Loading...
Loading...
Latest MOT mileage:
Loading
MOT History
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
MOT Mileage Trend
Gallery
People Also Viewed - Historic
Auction House Headquarters
Gooding Christie's
1517 20th Street, Santa Monica, California, 90404, United States
Operating from Santa Monica, California, Gooding Christie's is a physical auction house dealing in classic and collector motor cars. They hold live auctions and provide vehicle consignment and valuation services.
Insurance
