June 2016 - UK auction highlights
25 July, 2016
Bonhams had the honour of hosting the first major auction following the UK’s EU exit vote, with their Goodwood Festival of Speed sale on 24 June. Star lot was a 1949 Aston Martin DB Team Car, with period Le Mans and Spa race history, which sold for £679,100 (estimate £600,000 – 900,000). ‘UMC 65’ was presented in an un-restored state having been stored for many years in the garden of its long-term owner Christopher Angell.
Among the BMWs, notable entries included a 1981 M1 which had covered just 3,049 miles from new, selling for £303,900 (estimate £280,000 – 320,000); a 1972 3.0 CSL, restored in 1987, made £102,300 (estimate £100,000 – 150,000); and a one-owner 9,480-mile 2003 Alpina V8 Roadster achieved a mid-estimate £247,900.
Elsewhere, a 1938 Jaguar SS100 3½-Litre Roadster, with single-ownership since 1959, smashed its £180,000 – 260,000 estimate to record a sale at £337,600.
Both Ferrari Dinos exceeded their estimates; a recently restored 36,825-mile 1972 246 GT, presented in its original combination of Bianco Polo/Black leather fetched £281,500 (estimate £180,000 – 220,000); and a left-hand drive 1970 246 GT took £191,900 (estimate £180,000 – 240,000).
Other success included the pop art 2016 Bentley Continental GT V8 S Convertible, designed by Sir Peter Blake, which realised £250,000 for charity; a 1987 Jaguar XJS V12 HE Lynx Eventer, styled by Paolo Gucci found a new home at £84,380 (estimate £70,000 – 90,000); a 23,667-mile 1996 Porsche 911 RS Clubsport sold for £281,500 (estimate £270,000 – 320,000); and a 2002 Ferrari 550 Barchetta brought a low-estimate £270,300.
Top lot at DVCA’s 2 June sale was a 1959 Triumph TR3A, restored in 2006, which just pipped its high estimate, fetching £24,750; whilst a 1970 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow I, with a Harvey Bailey handling kit, went for £12,760 (estimate £9,500 – 11,500).
Two days later Barons held their British Heritage, Classics and Sports Cars sale. Highlights included a recently restored left-hand drive 1964 Jaguar E-Type Series I 3.8 FHC that changed hands for £63,800, nearly double its low-estimate; and a 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250 SL, in original condition but recently recommissioned after more than 30 years in storage, sold for £47,300 (estimate £35,000 – 40,000).
Historics at Brooklands’ 11 June auction saw the ex-Ronnie Peterson 1972 Lotus Elan Plus 2S 130/5 blitz its £28,000 – 35,000 pre-sale estimate, selling for £72,800. Other notable highlights included a 1973 Aston Martin V8 which found a new home at £58,240 (estimate £38,000 – 48,000); a 1975 Alfa Romeo Montreal sold for £35,840 (estimate £16,000 – 20,000); a 1952 Austin A90 Atlantic made over double its low-estimate, taking £41,440; and a 1962 Porsche 356 B 1600S T6 Convertible achieved £118,720 (estimate £86,000 – 96,000).
A 1912 McLaughlin Buick Model 35 25HP Tourer topped the results at Richard Edmonds’ 18 June sale. Believed to be one of only 2 examples remaining, the car easily exceeded its pre-sale estimate, selling for £25,000 (estimate £15,000 – 18,000).
A barn-find 1963 Jaguar E-Type Series I 3.8 FHC was the star performer at Classic Car Auctions’ (CCA) mammoth 160-lot auction on 18 June. Stored for the past 20 years, the car was well sold for £66,000 – more than double its high estimate. Elsewhere, a left-hand drive 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL made £40,150 (estimate £35,000 – 40,000); a 60,468-mile 1987 Ford Capri 280 Brooklands sold for £29,810 (estimate £16,000 – 20,000); a 1978 Lancia Montecarlo, showing 27,900 miles brought £17,820 (estimate £12,000 – 15,000); and a three-owner 1972 Volvo 1800 ES was sold, together with the registration plate ‘1800 ES’, for £24,420 (estimate £12,000 – 15,000).
Anglia Car Auctions eclipsed even CCA’s inventory, with an impressive 299 lots going under the hammer on 18 June. Notable highlights included; their top sale of the day, a two-owner 49,700-mile 1965 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL, restored over a period of four years in the late ‘90s, which sold for a mid-estimate £73,500; a left-hand drive 2002 Ferrari 575M, showing 70,300km, at £68,250 (estimate £67,000 – 74,000); and a two-owner 83,000-mile 1987 Porsche 911 Turbo at £57,750 (estimate £58,000 – 64,000).
A 40,000-mile 1986 Rover SD1 Vitesse smashed its pre-sale estimate of £3,700 – 3,900, selling for £13,500 at Charterhouse’s 19 June sale. The car requires recommissioning having been taken off the road and stored since 2005.
Star of the show at Barons’ Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club sale on 25 June proved to be a 1965 Bentley S3 Continental Flying Spur. Restored in 2005/6, the car fetched a mid-estimate £124,300.
Brightwells’ inaugural Modern Classics sale on 23 June saw a 1993 Ferrari 348 Spider claim the top lot honours, taking £35,000 – bang on its low estimate. Other highlights included a one-owner 1993 Lancia Delta Integrale Evo 1, showing 103,000km, selling for £30,000 (estimate £32,000 – 35,000); and a 53,100-km 1989 BMW Z1 made £25,000 (estimate £27,500 – 32,500).