February 2016 - UK auction highlights
21 March, 2016
Silverstone Auctions’ three-day Race Retro sale featured a varied inventory of competition, classic and supercars among the 100 lots on offer. Top sale, and the auction’s star car, was a 2004 Porsche Carrera GT, which sold for £427,500 (estimate £400,000 – 450,000).
Other supercar success included; a 1981 Lamborghini Countach LP400 S making £213,750 (estimate £200,000 – 250,000) and a 4,239-km 1994 Jaguar XJ220 selling for £275,625 (estimate £255,000 – 295,000).
Biggest surprise of the sale was the whopping £292,500 paid for a 2,772-km 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II, blitzing its pre-sale estimate of £140,000 – 160,000, enough to secure the honours of the second highest sale at the auction. Other low mileage cars posting strong results included; a 936-mile 1987 Ford Capri 280 Brooklands taking £54,000 (estimate £35,000 – 45,000); a 1992 Lancia Delta Integrale Martini 5 that has covered just 50 kilometres from new made £106,875 (estimate £90,000 – 110,000); and a 5,300-mile 1995 Ford Escort RS Cosworth achieved £52,875 (estimate £50,000 – 60,000).
A 1974 Datsun 260Z, one of just two original Super Samuri 260Zs built by Spike Anderson's Samuri Conversions, sold for £55,125 (estimate £35,000 – 45,000). The car was raced in the late 70s and early 80s before being laid up for 25 years. Re-discovered in 2010, it was fully restored from a bare shell by Z-Farm at a cost of over £27,000. Elsewhere notable sales included a 202,000-km 1989 BMW M3 Cecotto selling for £42,750 (estimate £30,000 – 35,000), a 1958 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk III realised £208,125 (estimate £160,000 – 180,000), and a 1991 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3, with 60,000 miles on the clock, changed hands for £61,875 (estimate £40,000 – 50,000).
Among the competition cars going under the hammer; a 1979 Ford Capri Grp 1 with period race history fetched £65,250 (estimate £60,000 – 70,000); a 1993 Lancia Delta Integrale Evoluzione Grp A Jolly Club Replica sailed past its estimate to make £59,630 (estimate £40,000 – 50,000); and a 1964 Ford Falcon sold for £67,500 (estimate £75,000 – 95,000).
Top lot at Charterhouse’s 14 February sale was a 1958 Austin-Healey 100/6 which made £32,000 (estimate £36,000 – 38,000). Other sales included a 1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II which took £23,000 against a pre-sale estimate of £28,000 – 32,000, and a recently restored 1973 Jensen Interceptor found a new home at £20,000 (estimate £18,000 – 22,000).
Low mileage '80s Fords have been cropping up regularly at recent sales and Barons’ 23 February auction was no exception. On offer was a 1988 XR3i which has covered only 9,000 miles from new, backed up with a complete history. The two-owner car sold for £13,420, against its pre-sale estimate of £9,000 – 11,000.
A pair of Triumphs topped the results at H&H’s Donington Park sale on 24 February. A 1959 TR3A that was subject to a 'chassis up' conversion to home market specification in 2007 made £22,400 (estimate £18,000 – 20,000) and a 1965 TR4A sold for £20,720 (estimate £18,000 – 20,000)
Highlights among the cars crossing the block at Classics Central’s 28 February sale included a UK-supplied 1971 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia, with just 54,500 miles on the clock, which made £11,000 (estimate £12,000 – 14,000), whilst the top sale of the day was a 1968 Ford Escort, selling for £12,000 (estimate £14,000 – 18,000).