In 1968, it was driven to Paris on a honeymoon trip – this 1953 DKW F89 Cabriolet.
Two cylinders with pistons chattering away in two-stroke rhythm, 23 horsepower – what an adventure!
Then it ended up in a laundry room in Ronneby, where it remained hidden for over 40 years, until it was pulled out in 2022.
Now it has been exquisitely restored and is expected to gain international attention – only four are believed to still exist worldwide.
The Audi Museum in Ingolstadt has confirmed its exclusivity. But when the car was winched out of the laundry room three years ago, Per Hansson of Sörby Autocenter in Ronneby had no idea it was such a rarity.
He and his colleagues at the workshop were simply looking for an interesting classic to restore – and this particular car he had known about for some time, as the owner was a customer.
The car was originally sold in Sweden in 1953, delivered by train to Stockholm – on rims only, without tires! It was the four-seater model, built by Karmann in Osnabrück, and it is precisely those four seats that make the car so unusual.
Over the course of ten intensive months, Hansson and his colleagues restored the rare DKW, documenting the entire process in no fewer than 22 episodes on YouTube. This attracted attention in DKW circles abroad, and parts and support came in from both Germany and Australia.
The goal was an absolutely original finish, reusing existing parts as much as possible. The convertible top’s horsehair insulation from 1953 was preserved, as well as the seats’ original stuffing.
The original gray paint color was recreated based on a small untouched patch that had never been repainted.
The car was completed just in time for the 2023 Nostalgia Festival, where it was awarded for its outstanding restoration.
Now Bilweb Auctions invites you to place your bids on this unique car. The auction ends on October 2, with an estimated value of between SEK 350,000 and 400,000.
To the auction: https://bilwebauctions.se/en/oktoberauktion-1-2025/dkw-f89-meist-cabriolet-54424
