Buffett's car fetches $73,200

NEW YORK: Warren Buffett, the billionaire who controls Berkshire Hathaway, sold his Lincoln Town Car for $73,200 in an online charity auction that ended on Friday evening after the bidding price jumped 85%. The car drew 63 bids during the 12-day EBay auction, according to the auction’s web page. Mr Buffett agreed to pick up the winner at the Omaha, Nebraska, airport when he or she comes to get the car.

The winning offer was submitted by a bidder with the user name ‘billzanker.’ No other information was given on the bidder. Mr Buffett, chairman and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway, donated the car to Girls, a New York-based advocacy and education group for young women.

The Lincoln, with fewer than 14,000 miles on the odometer, has a beige leather interior. It comes with Buffett’s personalised ‘Thrifty’ license plate. Five-year-old, low-mileage Town Cars in top condition are valued at about $12,000 by the Kelley Blue Book.

Girls helps 6- to 18-year-olds, offering programmes in math and science, financial literacy, self-defence and more. Most are from single-parent households with incomes under $25,000 a year. In June, Mr Buffett pledged the bulk of his $44bn fortune to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Microsoft Corp founder's charity.