Slovenia's former President Borut Pahor has auctioned off his 1991 Renault 4 for €60,000. He will donate the proceeds to help support children battling with cancer.

"The Fratar family from Dravograd, Koroška, was willing to pay 60,000 euros so I can donate them to two associations that take care of children battling with cancer," Pahor said in a video message posted to his Instagram profile on 15 February.

The Fratars are a well-known family that runs a business in Dravograd in the north of the country.

"I bought the Quatrelle from a lady 20 years ago for 500 euros. Today, we raised 120 times as much. It's a lot of money for a good cause," said Pahor.

He thanked everyone involved in the project and pledged to resume his charitable efforts. "It's not over yet, we are going to continue with our work, but the Quatrelle episode has turned out great."

Pahor, who ended his second term as Slovenia's president in December after ten years in office, collected bids for his vintage car for two weeks with the auction closing on International Childhood Cancer Day.

All the proceeds will go to the Gold Ribbon Institute and its founders Floor 3 Heroes. The institute organises various events to raise awareness about childhood cancer and problems faced by children fighting cancer, and looks for ways to overcome those problems.

A year ago Pahor presented Floor 3 Heroes with the Apple of Inspiration, an award he introduced himself. Floor 3 Heroes are children who have been treated at the cancer ward on the third floor of the Ljubljana Paediatric Clinic.

The Renault 4, popularly known as katra or katrca in Slovenia, was produced between 1961 and 1994 in 17 countries worldwide, including Slovenia. The last Quatrelle assembled in Slovenia is kept at the Bistra Technology Museum.