March 2017 - Amelia Island previews
1 March, 2017
Bragging rights for the top price at this year’s Amelia Island Auctions rests with Gooding and Company’s 1957 Jaguar XKSS, with a pre-sale estimate of $16,000,000 – 18,000,000. One of only 16 examples converted by the factory from unsold D-Types, chassis XKSS 716 enjoyed a successful competition career in Canadian Sports Car events between 1957 and 1961 and was restored by Pearsons Engineering some ten years ago.
Supercars on offer include a 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari with less than 130 miles from new (estimate $3,800,000 – 4,500,000); a 1,100-mile 2015 McLaren P1 with sale proceeds to benefit the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (estimate $2,000,000 – 2,300,000); and a 7,900-km 1998 Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion, one of just 20 produced, with an estimate on request.
Competition cars include a 1989 Mazda 767B which competed at Le Mans in 1989 and 1990 (estimate $1,800,000 – 2,400,000); the 1979 Nürburgring 1000 km class-winning Porsche 934/5 (estimate $1,400,000 – 1,600,000); and the ex-Al Holbert 1981 Porsche 924 GTR – a two-time veteran of the Daytona 24 Hours (estimate $250,000 – 300,000).
Other highlights include a 5,200-mile 1972 Lamborghini Jarama 400 GT (estimate $200,000 – 250,000); a two-owner 2,250-km 1993 Porsche 911 Turbo S Leichtbau (estimate $1,300,000 – 1,600,000); and a 1955 Pegaso Z-102 B with coachwork by Saoutchik (estimate $600,000 – 800,000).
Star attraction at Bonhams on 9 March is a 1955 Ferrari 250 Europa GT Alloy, estimated at $2,300,000 – 2,600,000. Chassis 0389 GT was built for the 1955 Mille Miglia – although it wasn’t completed in time – and is one of only two examples produced with factory competition features.
Pre-war entries include an elegant 1938 Talbot-Lago T150 C ‘Lago Speciale’ Cabriolet, one of just 51 T150 Cs built and the subject of a recent four year restoration (estimate $1,200,000 – 1,500,000); a 1927 Bentley 4½-Litre Tourer with coachwork by Vanden Plas (estimate $750,000 – 900,000); and a 1917 Stutz Bearcat, estimated at $185,000 – 250,000.
Other highlights include the ex-Jerry Titus 1968 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am in which he finished 3rd overall at the 1969 24 Hours of Daytona (estimate $300,000 – 400,000); a 1987 BMW M6 with less than 7,000 miles from new (estimate $100,000 – 120,000); a 9,500-mile 1990 Lotus Esprit Turbo SE (estimate $30,000 – 40,000); and a 1973 BMW 2002 Turbo estimated at $75,000 – 95,000.
RM Sotheby’s two-day sale features no fewer than 28 cars with million dollar estimates. Sharing the top billing is a 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Cabriolet, one of just four examples built by Vanvooren (estimate $8,500,000 – 10,000,000); a multi-award winning 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB (estimate $9,000,000 – 10,000,000); and a 1950 Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta – owned and raced by Eugenio Castellotti in the 1951 Mille Miglia (estimate $8,000,000 – 10,000,000).
Other big-ticket entries include a 1928 Bentley 4½-Litre Le Mans nicknamed “The Bobtail” – a two-time factory entrant at Le Mans (estimate $6,500,000 – 7,500,000); a 5,694-mile 1995 Ferrari F50 delivered new to boxer Mike Tyson (estimate $2,200,000 – 2,400,000); a 1956 Maserati A6G/54 Coupe, exhibited at that year’s Turin Auto Show (estimate $1,600,000 – 2,000,000); and a 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB estimated at $1,800,000 – 2,000,000.
Highlights among the 63-car Orin Smith Collection include a 1936 Lancia Astura Cabriolet Series III “Tipo Bocca” which was displayed on the Pinin Farina stand at the 1936 Milan Motor Show (estimate $2,000,000 – 2,600,000); a 1966 Aston Martin Short-Chassis Volante, one of 37 examples built (estimate $1,600,000 – 2,000,000); and a 1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic, originally owned by the American powerboat racer Lou Fageol (estimate $1,600,000 – 1,900,000).
Classic car auction price estimates for: Jaguar | Ferrari | McLaren | Porsche | Mazda | Lamborghini | Pegaso | Talbot-Lago | Bentley | Stutz | Pontiac | BMW | Lotus | Bugatti | Maserati | Lancia | Aston Martin | Fiat
From leading auction houses: Gooding & Company | Bonhams | RM Sotheby’s
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