August 2016 - Monterey previews
3 August, 2016
August in the US means Monterey Classic Car Week; ‘Blue-Chip’ auctions, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and historic racing at the fabulous Laguna Seca circuit. Sharing the headlines at RM Sotheby’s 19-20 August sales will be a 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider and a 1955 Jaguar D-Type, each carrying pre-sale estimates of $20,000,000 – 25,000,000.
The Alfa Romeo is one of approximately 12 Touring Spiders known to exist, and has formed part of the Sam and Emily Mann Collection for over 20 years. At the beginning of their stewardship the car underwent a Pebble Beach Concours award-winning restoration by 2.9 specialist Tony Merrick, and has since travelled over 12,000 miles.
Meanwhile, the Jaguar could break the record for a British automobile sold at auction when it goes across the block in Friday’s sale. Chassis XKD 501 was sold new to the legendary Ecurie Ecosse team, and was driven to overall victory at the 1956 Le Mans 24 Hours race in the hands of Ninian Sanderson and Ron Flockhart.
Significant Ferraris on offer include a 1962 268 SP – the third of six SP examples built – which competed in the 1962 Le Mans 24 Hours race; a 1955 750 Monza, raced in period by Phil Hill and Carroll Shelby, and owned by Jim Hall since 1956 (estimate $4,000,000 – 5,500,000); a 1958 250 GT LWB California Spider (estimate $12,000,000 – 14,000,000); and a 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione ‘Tour de France’, a veteran of the 1956 Mille Miglia and the 1959 Tour de France (estimate $7,000,000 – 9,000,000).
Other notable highlights include a 1962 Shelby 260 Cobra – chassis CSX 2000 – the very first car produced; a four-owner 1957 BMW 507, in single ownership for 51 years (estimate $2,400,000 – 2,700,000); and a 1972 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV (estimate $1,900,000 – 2,200,000).
Leading the entries at Gooding and Company’s sale on 20-21 August is a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione, estimated at $18,000,000 – 20,000,000. Chassis 1603 GT is one of only nine alloy-bodied LWB California Spiders produced, and was placed 5th overall at the 1960 12 Hours of Sebring.
Other big-ticket Ferraris include a 1960 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione which finished 7th overall at the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans (estimate $15,000,000 – 18,000,000); a 250 GT SWB (estimate $10,000,000 – 12,000,000); and a 166 MM Berlinetta with Mille Miglia history (estimate $6,000,000 – 8,000,000).
Other highlights include a 1947 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith Convertible, with Custom Coachwork by J.S. Inskip (estimate $1,250,000 – 2,000,000); a 1979 Porsche 935 which finished 2nd overall in the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans in the hands of Paul Newman, Dick Barbour and Rolf Stommelen (estimate $4,500,000 – 5,500,000); and a Porsche 550A Spyder with a successful period race career, including a class win at the 1958 Nurburgring 1000km (estimate $5,000,000 – 6,000,000).
Bonhams hold their sale on 19 August at Quail Lodge, Carmel, where the star of the show is a 1931 Bugatti Type 51. The ex-Earl Howe car was raced in period with a career that included a 4th place finish in the 1932 Monaco GP, a 2nd place at Brooklands in 1933 for Piero Taruffi and a practice drive at the same event in the hands of Tazio Nuvolari.
Supercars on offer include a 230-mile 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari with a pre-sale estimate of $3,600,000 – 4,200,00; a 2014 McLaren P1, with less than 1,200 miles (estimate $1,900,000 – 2,100,000); a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT (estimate $600,000 – 750,000); and a 2008 Lamborghini Reventón, one of just 20 cars produced (estimate $1,200,000 – 1,600,000).
Other notable entries include a 1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet A, restored over a period of seven years by Kienle (estimate $2,200,000 – 2,600,000); a 1904 Mercedes-Simplex 28-32HP (estimate $2,500,000 – 3,000,000); a 1964 Cheetah GT (estimate $300,000 – 500,000); and a 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America (estimate $1,200,000 – 1,500,000).