When relatives of Dr Harold Carr were left a garage in his will, they were stunned to find what could become the world's most expensive car parked there.
Inside the run-of-the-mill garage, they found a 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalante, one of only 17 made in the world.
The family were shocked by the discovery, and were left open-mouthed when they were told it could be worth up to £6million at auction.
Superblast from the past: The 1937 Bugatti - one of only 17 made in the world - stunned Dr Carr's family when they opened his garageEccentric owner Dr Carr died aged 89 last year, without ever marrying or having children.
He left his garage to his nieces and nephews, who also found a classic Aston Martin and a Jaguar E Type inside.
The classic car has now been unveiled as the highlight of Bonham's Retromobile car show and sale in Paris.
The Bugatti had been left to gather dust for 47 years since its last tax disc expired in December 1960.
If the Bugatti raises its reserve price tag of £3million in February, it will have increased 117-fold in value from the £895 Dr Carr paid Jack Barclays for it in 1955 - making his relatives overnight millionaires.
Other previous owners include Le Mans 24 hour race winner Earl Howe and Northumberland gentry, Lord Ridley.
His nephew, an engineer from Gosforth, Newcastle, said: 'We just cannot believe it was there.
'No-one had any idea what kind of cars he had parked in there. We knew he had some cars, but we had no idea what they were.
'It was a bit of local folklore that he had a Bugatti, but no-one knew for sure, and certainly no-one knew how much it was worth.
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