Bonhams’ inaugural Abu Dhabi auction in partnership with the Formula 1 Paddock Club will be held on the starting grid at the Yas Marina Circuit, the evening before the final Grand Prix of the season on 25 November. An ex-Mario Andretti Lotus 79 heads the 30-car catalogue with a pre-sale estimate of $6,500,000 – 9,500,000. Andretti took chassis 79/4 to a win on its debut at the 1978 Dutch Grand Prix, before a sixth-place finish with the car at the Italian Grand Prix was enough to secure the championship.
The Lotus is joined on the grid by a 2006 McLaren-Mercedes MP4/21, driven by Kimi Raikkonen at eight races in the 2006 season, with podium finishes in both the Bahrain and Melbourne Grand Prix (estimate $2,500,000 – 3,500,000). Unused following an extensive restoration by McLaren and subsequent sale to the consignor, it comes with equipment required to run the car such as laptop, preheater and engine starter.
Highlights among the Porsches on offer include a time-warp 1993 911 RSR 3.8 – one of only two 'Strassenversion' – that has covered only 10km and is still wearing its factory-applied Cosmoline protective coating (estimate $2,000,000 – 2,500,000); and a 650-km, single-owner 2015 918 Spyder built to Middle Eastern spec (estimate $1,250,000 – 1,500,000).
A 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary that played the starring role as the Hero Car in The Wolf of Wall Street is offered in the same battered condition it ended the film in (estimate $1,500,000 – 2,000,000), while an as-new 2022 Ford GT with just 30km is guided at $900,000 – 1,200,000.
[ Bonhams Abu Dhabi Auction – sale catalogue here ]
Classic car auction price estimates for: Lotus | McLaren | Porsche | Lamborghini | Ford
From: Bonhams
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