Professor Stephen Hawking was a man of many talents. Born into a family of physicians, he received a BA in physics at the University College in Oxford. Not long after that, he graduated from Trinity Hall in Cambridge, where he PhD'd in applied mathematics and theoretical physics.
Hawking’s life took a turn for the worse in 1963, while studying at Trinity Hall. The brilliant theoretical physicist was diagnosed with a form of motor neurone disease, which gradually took its toll on Hawking’s body. That didn’t stop him from his work on relativity and black holes, and against all imaginable odds, this gentleman went on to become a best-selling author.
Used at his 1995 wedding, the 1988 Volkswagen Caravelle GL 112 offered by Silverstone Auctions will certainly spark a bidding war. The people carrier may seem a little unremarkable to uninitiated eyes, but still, it’s a well-equipped minibus with a water-cooled engine that puts out 112 bhp.
The 2.1-liter boxer is connected to a torque-converter automatic. Used as Hawking’s personal transportation for a decade, this Caravelle has covered a little more than 90,000 MOT-verified miles. The minibus also flaunts a thorough servicing history that includes Cambridge-based servicing records, a current MOT until May 2023, and the original VW literature.
Purchased by Hawking in June 1988 with zero miles on the clock, the Caravelle was passed on to the Professor’s relatives by 1999. Hawking’s condition had deteriorated, and the subsequent wheelchair meant that he couldn’t use the German passenger van anymore. The Caravelle is offered by Hawking’s nephew through Silverstone Auctions. He inherited it in 2003.
Before that, Hawking’s brother looked after and stored the Caravelle in an underground carpark. Repainted a few years ago, this vehicle can be considered a significant element of Stephen Hawking’s later life.
“It has been a real dilemma as to what to do with my uncle's Volkswagen Caravelle, as it's not being used and is taking up room in a much-needed garage,” stated his nephew. “The family would like a science or Professor Hawking enthusiast to be the next custodian of it, rightly appreciating it for its special connection to such an enigmatic and important British figure."
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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