Pre-1905 Rolls-Royce sets two new records

The beautiful ancient piece of work was built in 1904, car 20154. The small 10 horsepower open-topped two-seater was the fourth vehicle produced by the landmark cooperation between Charles Rolls and Henry Royce and the oldest one still running. As the world's oldest surviving Rolls-Royce, the car managed to sets two new records on Monday when a private British collector paid 3.5 million pounds ($7.22 million) for it at auction. This marks the oldie but goodie car as the most anyone has paid for a car dating back to pre-1905 and also the most anyone has paid for a Rolls-Royce.

"They opened the bidding at one million and it soared from there. In the end it came down to a battle between two telephone bidders," a spokeswoman for auction house Bonhams said. The previous records for a veteran car included the 1.76 million pounds paid for an 1884 De Dion Bouton and a Rolls-Royce for 1.48 million pounds paid for a 1912 Silver Ghost Double Pullman Limousine.