Errett Lobban Cord signed on as struggling Auburn’s general manager in 1923. Cord had all unsold cars repainted in attractive bright colors and cleared out the inventory in short order. He also bought some eight-cylinder engines from Lycoming Manufacturing Company, and for 1925 introduced the Auburn 8-63 and 8-88 with prices starting at $1,895, quite a bargain for an eight-cylinder car. A boattail Speedster version introduced in 1928 was a big hit. Sales doubled, to over 23,000, for 1929. Moreover, the Speedster’s performance rivaled the $5,000 Stutz, and yet the Auburn cost just $2,195.

It was this enormous value that kept Auburn riding the crest of the wave as the onset of the Great Depression overcame most automakers. Although Auburn sales ebbed in 1930, they more than doubled for 1931 and profits again reached 1929s record levels.

The 1931 Auburn line was redesigned by Alan Leamy, a young designer Cord had hired away from Marmon in 1928. Leamy’s first job was the Cord L-29, the new front-drive car then under development. For the Auburn, Leamy used some of the cues from the low-slung Cord, but applied them to dramatic effect on the taller Auburn chassis. A new speedster was added to the line in the autumn, with raked windshield and boattail, one of the handsomest Auburns of all time.

This Auburn 8-98A Speedster is an older restoration. It bears Classic Car Club of America First Place medallion 0922, but its current condition exhibits significant cracking and numerous chips to the paint. The brightwork is generally very good, although the bumpers are a bit dull. The interior is done in brown leather, also with some blemishes. None of the foregoing, however, dampens the stunning overall effect of cream-over-brown with orange pinstriping that one gets from a few feet away. Dual sidemount spares have canvas covers with top-mounted mirrors, adding to the panache.

The engine compartment is well-detailed, including correct hardware, and the undercarriage similarly so. Auburn’s dual-ratio rear axle gives long legs for highway touring, and Bijur central lubrication keeps the chassis well-oiled.

Auburn Speedsters are beautiful from any angle. This one is bound to please.