Duesenberg
Model J Convertible Sedan by Franay (J-446, Queen Maria of Yugoslavia)

Why it matters

This one-off Franay convertible sedan on Model J chassis 2465 was shown at the 1931 Paris Salon and is associated with Queen Maria of Yugoslavia. It is described as a unique Duesenberg that she used extensively.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

The chassis (2465, engine J-446) was ordered by the Queen at the Paris show at a cost of nearly $9,000 and bodied by Franay for about $9,000 more, according to conceptcarz. It was shown by Franay at the Parc des Princes on 19 June 1931 and at the Bois de Boulogne concours before the Paris Salon. Sources disagree whether the Queen was owner or only a frequent user; she put well over 50,000 miles on it. It then went via the Peruvian sugar baron Antonio Chopitea to the United States, was restored in 1996 and sold by Christie's in 2002.

It took second in class at Villa d'Este in 2005, did not sell at Bonhams Scottsdale 2024 and was offered at Gooding & Company Amelia Island in 2025, where Ultimatecarpage records $2,342,500.

Technical specifications

Engine

Transmission & drivetrain

Chassis, body & dimensions

Performance

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

The car was first presented in Pearl Gray with a Rose Beige interior and chrome accents, and carries a Lalique mascot. Its original fenders were replaced at some point by torpedo-style pontoon fenders and separate running boards; the installation date is debated.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

1. 1
   Queen Maria of Yugoslavia Duesenberg Model J … – Gooding Christie's press release Level B

   • 1 the one-off Franay-bodied car, chassis 2465 / engine J-446

   Accessed 2026-11-12
2. 2
   1931 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Sedan (Amelia Island 2025) Level C Gooding & Company · 2025-01-01

   • 420 CID DOHC Inline 8-Cylinder Engine
   • Live-Axle Suspension with Semi-Elliptical Leaf Springs
   • 4-Wheel Hydraulic Drum Brakes

   Accessed 2026-11-12