Rita Hayworth's 1941 Lincoln Continental will be auctioned off.

A 1941 Lincoln Continental Coupe owned by legendary Hollywood actress Rita Hayworth will be offered at a Worldwide Auctioneers auction scheduled for April 23.

Hayworth was one of Hollywood's biggest stars before the war, appearing in films such as "The Lady from Shanghai" and "My Gal Sal." According to the auction listing, the Continental was a gift from Orson Welles for his 24th birthday, and he delivered the car to Hayworth on a Georgia movie set; the two were married shortly thereafter.

The Continental must have been an impressive gift. The first Lincoln to bear its name, it was launched in 1940 and was described by architect Frank Lloyd Wright as "the most beautiful car in the world." It was a pet project of Edsel Ford, Henry Ford's son, who sought to incorporate European influences into American luxury cars.

This 1941 model was powered by a 292 cubic-inch flathead V-12 engine producing 120 hp and driving the rear wheels via a three-speed manual transmission. It has solid front axles, floating rear axles, front and rear semi-elliptical leaf springs, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. While not the most sophisticated setup, one must remember that this is a 1941 model.

Hayworth owned the Continental for about 30 years, but donated the original bumper to a World War II scrap operation. Hayworth, an actress, eventually gave the car to her secretary, Frita Wolfe, who later sold it to Aspen Pittman for $2,000. The car was then sold to the Art Astor Collection, where it was fully restored.

The original Continental spawned multiple generations, with the last generation ending after 2020. With Lincoln's current focus on SUVs, it is unlikely that the Continental name will be revived anytime soon.