The 1912 Renault Type CB Coupé de Ville that was onboard the Titanic belonged to William Carter, a first-class passenger, who was taking it back to his home in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
It was a luxury automobile, featuring a closed passenger compartment with a separate open driver’s compartment, a design favored by the rich who sought privacy. The interior sported plush upholstery, fine wood trim, and modern conveniences of the era.
The owner, who survived the sinking along with his family, later filed an insurance claim for $5,000, an astonishing sum.
The Coupé de Ville in the picture was purchased in 2000 in Michigan, and put up for auction after being restored. It was sold for $269,500 USD in 2008 and now up for auction again.