December 2015 - UK auction previews
16 November, 2015
Bonhams have the prospect of a busy month ahead as they round off the year with three UK sales, starting on 6 December with their London auction entitled ‘The Bond Street Motor Car Sale’. Top lot is a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL ‘Gullwing’, owned by the current vendor, John Young, since 1973. Young, a former racing driver and managing director of Mercedes-Benz dealers Rose & Young Ltd, has used the car sparingly for the occasional continental tour and classic car show, consequently it has covered only some 44,000 miles from new (estimate £1,000,000 – 1,300,000).
Other notable cars include; a 1962 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet , the penultimate Series II car produced, with a pre-sale estimate of £1,000,000 – 1,200,000, a 1938 Frazer Nash BMW 328 (estimate £550,000 – 650,000) and the ex-Rob Walker 1964 Aston Martin DB5 (estimate £400,000 – 450,000).
Two significant Austin-Healeys also go under the hammer; a 1953 100/’100 S’ Coupe and a 1959 ex-Works Rally/Modsports 3000 Coupe (estimate £140,000 – 200,000). The 100 on offer is a prototype and became the personal transport of Donald Healey, during which time it was included in the Special Test Car development program acquiring Dunlop disc brakes, 100S mechanicals and other innovative modifications. The 3000 is an ex-Works Competition car rallied in period by Jack Sears, Pat Moss and John Gott, subsequently being developed by Gott in to a Modsports racer.
Four days later Bonhams host their December Sale in the wonderful surroundings of the RAF Museum Hendon. Star lot is a 1926 Bentley 3 Litre with coachwork by Vanden Plas, one of only 42 Light Tourers produced, with a pre-sale estimate of £190,000 – 220,000. Other notable Bentleys include a rare four-light 1958 Continental S-Series Flying Spur (estimate £90,000 – 100,000), a 1939 4¼ Litre Drophead Coupe (estimate £140,000 – 160,000) and a 1936 4¼ Litre ‘Owen’ Sedanca by J Gurney Nutting (estimate £90,000 – 110,000).
Other 1930’s cars on offer include a 1933 MG Magna L1 rebuilt to Magnette K3 specification (estimate £100,000 – 120,000) and a pair of Lagondas; the ex-Alan Good 1938 V12 Drophead Coupe with unique James Young coachwork (estimate £150,000 – 180,000) and a 1939 LG6 estimated at £55,000 – 65,000.
A 1988 Jaguar XJS V12 HE Lynx Eventer goes under the hammer with a pre-sale estimate of £25,000 – 30,000. In its day the Lynx conversion added £6,950+VAT to the XJS’s £21,000 list price, whilst the current owner is believed to have purchased the car from CKL Developments in December 2014 for £46,000 and has subsequently spent some £5,500 on further mechanical and interior improvements.
As Land Rover production draws towards an end, Bonhams’ final sale of the year comprises just one lot – the two-millionth Series Land Rover built since the model was introduced in 1948.
The car was commissioned by Land Rover to celebrate 67 years of production and features a bespoke design, executed by Land Rover's Special Vehicle Operations team. All proceeds from the sale will benefit two charities; the Born Free Foundation and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. In addition Bonhams has announced that no buyer's premium will be charged on the hammer price. 33 notable figures from Land Rover's past and present joined Land Rover associates on the production line to hand-build the car.
"Creating a bespoke Defender to mark such an important milestone was a great opportunity," said Land Rover's Design Director and Chief Creative Officer Gerry McGovern. "When it came to inspiration there was only one place to look: Red Wharf Bay. It was here on the beach that Maurice Wilks first drew the outline of a Land Rover in the sand. It's the historic birthplace of our Land Rover brand and this vehicle is a fitting tribute."
The car is finished in Indus Silver satin paint with Ebony Windsor leather seats which feature a Red Wharf Bay graphic on cloth inserts. Further unique touches include; a map of Red Wharf Bay on the car's wing, 'No.2,000,000' badges, leather and machined aluminium finishes to the interior and a plaque signed by everyone who helped to assemble the vehicle. The car has been UK registered as S90 HUE: a reference to its home in Solihull, the car's 90-inch wheelbase and the first pre-production Land Rover, registered as HUE 166.
Coys end their year on 1 December with a sale entitled ‘True Greats 2015’. Star attractions include; a 1969 Mercedes-Benz SSK Count Trossi ‘Evocation’, built to the original specifications by OH Classic Cars (estimate £600,000 – 750,000); a 1928 Bentley 4½ Litre Supercharged; and a 1937 Delahaye 135 CS Le Mans with a pre-sale estimate of £350,000 – 450,000.
A left-hand drive 1982 Ferrari 512 BBi, estimated at £210,000 – 250,000, also goes under the hammer, whilst other Italian exotica on offer includes; a 52,000-km 1994 Lamborghini Diablo (estimate £95,000 – 110,000), a 1984 Lamborghini Countach 5000 S (estimate £280,000 – 320,000) and a 1996 Ferrari F512M, showing 25,200km (estimate £170,000 – 220,000).
A 1966 Datsun 1600 Sport SP311 Fairlady has been consigned to Classic Car Auctions’ 5 December sale. The car is an early "short windscreen" model which has opening quarter lights and was previously part of a private collection in a dry US state. It comes complete with a hard top, a new tonneau and a boot mounted luggage rack and is believed to be one of only three such models currently on UK roads (estimate £12,000 – 15,000).
Top lot at H&H’s 9 December sale is a 1936 Bentley 4¼ Litre with Gurney Nutting pillarless coupe coachwork, estimated at £180,000 – 220,000. This Derby Bentley is believed to be one of only eleven such cars with this "Curvilinear" body style. The car comes with an enviable history file dating back to 1937 detailing the majority of the ownership records for chassis B-25-HM. The car has been in the same ownership since 1974 and has been exhibited in the Preservation Class at The Louis Vuitton Classic in Paris, The Hurlingham Club in London, and more recently the 2015 Chantilly Arts and Elegance Concours.
Bentley’s flagship Continental 'R' Mulliner is regarded by many as one of the last 'real' Bentleys and a rare ‘Wide Body’ example is offered at Barons’ 15 December sale. When this car was first registered in 2000 it would have cost its owner in excess of £250,000. Its current custodian has replaced all of the interior wood trim and had various mechanical works carried out with bills in the region of £18,000. The car comes with an extensive Bentley Service History and carries a pre-sale estimate of £37,000 – 40,000.