In an abandoned underground bunker, two YouTubers found historic automobiles valued over £1 million, including one that belonged to the Malaysian Prime Minister.
Video captures the moment Ben and Eran, who run the Lost Adventures YouTube channel, entered a Surrey building they had been eyeing for years and “stumbled” upon a collection of vintage cars.
A variety of British classics, including a Formula 1 racer, Bentleys, and Bristol Cars, were included in the “fascinating collection” of vintage vehicles. They also found retro taxis, several prototypes and multiple wooden replicas.
As owners prepared the collection for auction, the explorers discovered the vehicles were in the bunker.
The two claimed to have never seen vehicles like these on the road and described the underground parking garage as a “incredible place.”
In May 2020, while workers were preparing the cars for auction, Ben and Eran explored the parking lot.
It looked so intriguing that I had my eye on it for a few years, Eran admitted.
‘We set out to explore the abandoned building with no idea what it was. The cars under this place are worth millions of pounds, and when we jumped down, we discovered that.
They discovered the collection of antique vehicles, some of which were so archaic that Eran claimed he “didn’t even know half of what I’m looking at,” along with various parts and inscriptions.
The Proton Perdana that had once belonged to Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, the former Malaysian prime minister, was the most notable discovery. He allegedly sent the vehicle to the UK to aid in the study of hybrid fuels.
Even if someone bought these cars, you would never see them on the road. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see these cars, the explorer said.
“Those vehicles are under that stuff.” This is insane.
The amount of money those cars are worth is really insane. It’s just insane.
The collection’s entire value is estimated by David Fletcher, the auctioneer in charge of selling it off, to be somewhere close to £1 million.
He told The Sun that the “fascinating collection” was also “extremely sad” because it marked Bristol Cars’ demise as an independent automaker.
Mr. Fletcher stated that the bunker Ben and Eran discovered had been utilised as a warehouse for the business’ unused inventory.
The majority of the vehicles in the garage, according to him, were hauled in from the business’ Kensington showroom.
As he presided over the sale, he commented, “I’m sitting over the dissolution of the last independently-owned British vehicle manufacturer, which is a very emotional, historical occasion.”
Since neither Fletcher nor his company, Wyles Hardy & Co, quickly responded to Mail Online’s request for comment, it is unclear when the automobile sale will take place.
The Bristol-based business was established as a division of Bristol Aeroplane Company following World War II, and it became independent in 1960.
As the low-volume firm did not mass produce, each of their automobiles was individually handcrafted.
Before it closed in 2011, Bristol Cars, which was favoured by wealthy car enthusiasts, developed a “cult following.”
The firm came back to life in 2015 and unveiled The Bristol Bullet, a new car, however it was never put on the market for purchase.
In 2020, Bristol Cars went bankrupt once more, and the majority of company assets were auctioned. However, the business is still doing business as Bristol Cars 8.0.
In advance of the company’s 80th anniversary in 2025, it has revealed a proposal to relaunch the brand as a “British Electric Vehicle company.”