CLASSIC MINI COOPER S WAVES THE FLAG AT BARONS’ BRITISH HERITAGE, CLASSIC & SPORTS CARS SALE JUNE 4, SANDOWN PARK

CLASSIC MINI COOPER S WAVES THE FLAG AT BARONS’ BRITISH HERITAGE, CLASSIC & SPORTS CARS SALE 

 JUNE 4, SANDOWN PARK

After consolidating its strong start to 2019 by selling 63% of the lots on offer in its April sale, Barons is now looking forward to its British Heritage, Classic & Sports Cars sale next Tuesday, June 4 at Sandown Park.

Appropriately, in the 60th anniversary year of one of the most famous British cars of all time, one of the featured lots is a charismatic 1966 1275cc Austin Mini Cooper S. This lovely little car has recently been re-commissioned, has a Heritage Certificate confirming its originality and has a guide price of £38,000-£45,000. The sale also includes a 1970 Morris Mini Cooper S complete with Union Jack roof. Comprehensively restored ten years ago and fitted with a Richard Longman fast road 1380cc engine with Omega pistons, built into a chemically cleaned and crack tested A+ block, the car has only covered around 6,000 miles since restoration and has been used mainly in the dry. It has a guide price of £18,000-£24,000.

One particularly notable British machine is the 1975 MG BGT V8. Powered by the 3,528 cc Rover V8 engine, this extremely rare factory MG BGT V8 has just been recommissioned and is in its original colour of Tundra Green. The last registered owner in the log book owned the car from 1982 and covered a genuine 79,000 miles in 44 years. Guide price: £16,000-£20,000.

The 2006 TVR Tuscan Mk 3 in the sale is the last Mk 3 to come out of the TVR gates before the factory closed its doors forever. Only 26 Mk3s were built. This very desirable British sports car has a guide price of £28,000-£34,000.

Other British entries include a 1967 Sunbeam Alpine Series V GT with a meticulously maintained history file documenting the car’s car by a small series of long-term owners (£9,000-£12,000) and, for those looking for a potential future classic, a 414bhp 2007 Vauxhall VXR8 (£11,000-£14,000).

Non-British cars going under the hammer on June 4 include a handsome and rare 1931 Nash Eight-90 series limousine in superb condition. It has resided in the UK since the 1940s and been owned by the same family ever since it was imported. It carries a guide price of £28,000-£34,000. Another rarity is the 1982 Bitter SC (£12,000-£15,000), one of only 29 made for the UK market, and the dealer demonstrator car for the then importer/distributor Woodhouse. Designed with the help of legendary designer Giovanni Michelotti and produced in Turin Italy, just 461 examples were built between 1979 and 1984.

The sale also features a stunning American ‘muscle car’. The rare 1973 454 (7.4 ltr) big block manual Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Targa is from the last year of factory chrome bumper models and has a guide price of £25,000-£29,000.

For more information, please visit www.barons-auctions.com.

Barons’ April 30 sale continues strong 2019 trend

British cars also fared well in Barons’ April Spring Classic sale, with a 1972 Jaguar E-type V12 convertible achieving the highest price of the day, exceeding estimate to sell for £46,200, and Land Rover, Aston Martin and MG all featuring in the top ten results.

Another notable Jaguar result was the 1973 XJ Series 2 pre-production coupé, chassis number 2, used by Jaguar’s then Chief Engineer Jim Randle as his company car and subsequently owned by Thoroughbred and Classic Cars magazine, where it featured many times. In need of full restoration and offered at no reserve, this ‘garden find’ sold for £5,830.

Other interesting lots sold in April included a remarkably original 1967 MG 1100 which has clocked up just 27,500 warranted miles and sold for £8,250 and a 1992 Rover Maestro whose owner has transformed it back to its original state; it was a police vehicle with the Lancashire Constabulary! This ‘arresting’ machine was taken into custody by its new owner when it sold for £3,850.

Barons’ Auction Manager Tim Gascoigne commented “We’ve been really pleased with our first two sales of the year, with good amounts of buyers attracted by a diverse selection of lots with broad appeal. We’re now looking forward to June 4 for our annual British Heritage, Classic & Sports Cars sale.”

Results, Barons April 30 2019

YEAR	MAKE	MODEL	Sold Inc
1972	Jaguar	E-Type V12 Convertible	£46,200
1997	Ferrari	348TS	£42,900
1963	Mercedes	230SL	£39,600
2009	Land Rover	Defender 90 SVX Soft Top	£33,550
2007	Aston Martin	DB9 Volante	£30,800
1970	MG	C GT	£22,000
2000	Aston Martin	DB7 Vantage	£20,900
1950	Ford	Pilot V8	£19,580
2001	Range Rover	Sport HSE Autobiography	£17,600
2005	Porsche	911 996 C4 S Tiptronic	£13,530
2007	Vauxhall	VXR8	£13,420
1961	Austin	Seven Mini	£9,350
1996	Mercedes	W124 E220 Convertible	£9,240
1967	MG	1100	£8,250
2015	Land Rover	Discovery TD5 ES	£8,250
1995	Renault	Clio Williams 2	£7,700
1990	Renault	5GT Turbo	£7,700
1975	MG	BGT	£6,930
1988	Mercedes	W124 E200 T Estate	£6,160
2005	Rover	75 4.6 V8 Connoisseur SE	£6,050
2001	Bentley	Brooklands	£5,830
1974	Jaguar	XJ Series 2 Coupe	£5,830
1992	Daimler	Double Six Series 3 V12 5.3	£5,720
1981	Reliant	Scimitar GTC	£5,500
1995	Jeep	Wrangler	£5,500
1997	Mercedes	280SL	£5,225
2001	Mercedes	CLK 320 Avantgarde Convertible	£4,620
1996	Jaguar	XK8	£3,850
1992	Rover	Maestro Police Car	£3,850
1991	Mercedes	W124 230E Saloon	£3,630
2000	Mercedes	E240 2.6 Elegance Estate	£3,575
2003	BMW	E46 318 2.0 M-Sport	£3,520
1954	Austin	A30 Seven	£3,410
2003	BMW	E39 520SE Estate Touring	£3,300
1987	Vauxhall	Cavalier Cabriolet	£3,080
1995	BMW	520i	£3,080
1998	Daimler	V8	£2,970
1999	BMW	Z3 Convertible	£2,860
1989	Nissan	Bluebird 2.0 GL Estate	£2,750
1989	Nissan	Sunny 1.4LS	£2,750
1972	MG	Midget	£2,420
2002	Peugeot	406 Coupe	£2,310
2000	Mercedes	SLK230	£2,310
1990	Mitsubishi	GTO Twin Turbo	£2,200
2004	Land Rover	Freelander TD4 S/W A	£2,200
2001	Volkswagen	Golf 2.0 Avantgarde Convertible	£1,760
1966	Triumph	Herald 12/50	£1,705
1991	Mitsubishi	GTO Twin Turbo	£1,650
1983	Volkswagen	Golf Avantgarde GE Cabriolet	£1,450
1996	Jaguar	Sovereign LWB	£1,000
2006	MG	TF	£950
	Jaguar	Brochures	£92
	Jaguar	Brochures	£86

GROUP B METRO 6R4 WITH JUST 7 MILES HEADS TO AUCTION

GROUP B METRO 6R4 WITH JUST 7 MILES HEADS TO AUCTION

A remarkable Group B Metro 6R4 with just 7 miles on the odometer is heading to Silverstone Auctions sale on the 26th to 28th July at the Silverstone Classic.

The legend that is Group B rallying, which sadly came to a premature end on the 31stDecember 1986 due to a number of fatalities, the most notable being Henri Toivonen, generated some truly remarkable rally cars. One of which was the Metro 6R4, (6 cylinder Rally 4 wheel-drive).

This particular car is the closest you will probably get to owning a virtually new and unregistered car, being #189 of only 200 made.

Originally bought by an enthusiast, who we believe wasn’t a competitor, direct from the Austin Rover Group Ltd on the 5th December 1986, the car was transported to his home in Oxfordshire where rather than compete with it he kept it tucked away for many years in its delivery state, coated in factory wax.

In 1996 the original owner contacted Kevin Wheatcroft at the Donington Museum where the car was offered on a long-term basis to be exhibited. The 6R4 then spent the next seven years at the museum before it was sold in 2002 to the current vendor when the mileage was just five miles.

The current vendor has cared for the car over the last 17 years and the additional two miles have come about from running the car and drivetrain on stands. He is now offering the car for sale, still presented in its original state with the bolt on panels, such as the wings, still remaining in their original unpainted GRP state. Included in the sale is the Assembly Manual, all the purchase correspondence, photographs and letters from the original owner to the Donington Museum.

This Metro 6R4 is effectively an “out-of-the-box”, brand new car and could possibly be prepared for rallies or rallycross, but with this incredible story and such minimal miles, this could be the only one in the world in this condition and therefore who knows where its future value may lie.

The Silverstone Classic Auction takes place on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th July 2019 offering an exclusive selection of classic cars, sports cars and supercars, including automobilia and luxury watches. The lots can be previewed on the 25th July 2019 from 13.30 to 18.30 and on the 26th July from 09.00 to 18.00.

Silverstone Auctions are accepting cars for their Silverstone Classic auction and can be contacted on 01926 691141 or email enquiries@silverstoneauctions.com and would be happy to talk with you and help you through the process of consigning your car.

1950s SPORTS RACING LEGENDS TOP RESULTS AS RM SOTHEBY’S VILLA ERBA SALE GROSSES €19.8 MILLION

1950s SPORTS RACING LEGENDS TOP RESULTS AS
RM SOTHEBY’S VILLA ERBA SALE GROSSES €19.8 MILLION

1954 FERRARI 500 MONDIAL SPIDER AND 1957 PORSCHE 550A SPYDER STEAL THE LIMELIGHT BRINGING €3,717,500 AND €3,380,000 RESPECTIVELY

RM Sotheby’s, the official auction house of the esteemed Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, concluded its fifth, successful Villa Erba sale on the shores of Lake Como, Italy, grossing an impressive €19,798,085 and with five cars achieving figures in excess of €1,000,000. Bidders at the exclusive event represented no less than 30 countries, with more than 25 per cent being the first-time RM Sotheby’s clientele.

Pre-sale, it was two incredible sports racing machines from the 1950s which had garnered significant attention, and on the night it was the same two cars which stole the show. The top seller was the original, matching-numbers 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider, chassis no. 0448 MD, the 12th of just 13 Pinin Farina Spiders built. The car boasts the extensive period racing history and is an exceptionally eligible car for historic racing and concours events. Fully restored and Ferrari Classiche certified, the car was deservedly bought for€3,717,500.

No car exemplifies the appeal of a 1950s sports racing car more than a 1957 Porsche 550A Spyder, providing exceptional usability and ultimate eligibility for historic events. The car sold at Villa Erba is one of only 40 cars made and benefits from a well-known and highly documented history. Chassis no. 550A-0121 was first delivered to Denmark in 1957 and enjoyed competition history there as well as in Africa where it went on to be sold. The car has undergone a complete, body-off restoration by leading Porsche specialists and has only covered 100km on the road since returning from the workshop. This wonderful piece of Porsche history achieved €3,380,000.

1960s Aston Martins are always desirable and none more so than the rare 1965 Aston Martin Short-Chassis Volante, which is one of the final examples of a mere 37 built. Offered after a period of long-term ownership and beautifully restored in Switzerland by renowned experts, the car is matching numbers and features a rare and desirable hardtop. It fully deserved to be the night’s third highest seller, achieving an impressive €1,805,000. The sale was notable for featuring an incredible collection of rare Zagato-bodied cars in celebration of the coachbuilder’s 100^th anniversary, and leading the group was a stunning 1955 Fiat 8V Coupé by Zagato, a car highly coveted by collectors. The car sold, chassis no. 000076, is one of 26 coupes built and brought a worthy €1,771,250

.Augustin Sabatié-Garat, Car Specialist and the Villa Erba Auction Manager, RM Sotheby’s, says: “To achieve nearly €20 million in gross sales is a great result, and it’s testament to the high-quality cars that were on offer at Villa Erba. We have once again demonstrated that the best 1950s sports racing cars with strong provenance remain the most highly prized collector cars in this hobby-driven market, while cars such as the Aston Martin Volante and Fiat 8V Coupe demonstrate how the appeal of timeless design and low production numbers are key factors in driving demand among enthusiasts and collectors.”

It was the absolutely stunning 1931 Bugatti Type 50 Roadster that rounded out the top five sellers on the night. This incredible supercharged, eight-cylinder engined touring car, is one of two remaining examples with original Jean Bugatti-designed factory coachwork and was offered in beautiful restored condition. With factory records including the original bill of sale, this pre-war great achieved €1,411,250.

Aside from the Fiat 8V, the other Zagato bodied cars sold extremely well in the sale; a fitting tribute in the legendary designer’s 100^thanniversary year. The 2019 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake, the 12^th of only 99 built, made €511,250; the glorious and well-restored 1966 Lancia Flaminia Super Sport 3C 2.8 made €252,500; the 1987 Aston Martin V8 Vantage, one of only 14 examples with manual transmission, made €331,250; the 1990 Ferrari 348 TB Zagato Elaborazione, the prototype example and the 1991 Geneva show car, made €218,500; and the diminutive and highly sought-after 1959 Fiat-Abarth 750 GT 'Double Bubble' by Zagato, made €103,500.

RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba Top 10 sales

1. Lot 148 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Spider €3,717,500
2. Lot 140 1957 Porsche 550A Spyder €3,380,000
3. Lot 135 1965 Aston Martin Short-Chassis Volante €1,805,000
4. Lot 125 1955 Fiat 8V Coupé €1,771,250
5. Lot 137 1931 Bugatti Type 50 Roadster €1,411,250
6. Lot 155 2016 Ferrari F12tdf €792,500
7. Lot 132 1961 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder €663,125
8. Lot 161 1966 Ferrari 330 GTC €556,250
9. Lot 120 2019 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Shooting Brake €511,250
10. Lot 140 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Touring €477,500

The RM Sotheby’s Group continues its 2019 auction calendar in Auburn, Indiana, USA, 29 May-1 June, where more than 300 collector cars and hundreds of lots of memorabilia are on offer. Further information on upcoming events, along with complete results from RM Sotheby’s 2019 Villa Erba sale, can be found at rmsothebys.com.

*Results are listed in EURO and inclusive are inclusive of buyer’s premium. Buyer’s premium is 15 percent on all motor car lots with a final hammer price of €200,000 or less. In the event of a final Hammer Price above €200,000 on motor car lots, a Buyer’s Premium of 15 percent applies to the first €200,000, and a Buyer’s Premium of 12.5 percent applies to the Hammer Price above €200,000. Buyer’s premium is 20 percent for all memorabilia/non-motor car lots.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME: RM SOTHEBY’S PRESENTS THE OLDEST CAR TO WEAR THE PORSCHE BADGE

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME:
RM SOTHEBY’S PRESENTS THE OLDEST CAR TO WEAR THE PORSCHE BADGE

1939 PORSCHE TYPE 64 BERLIN-ROME SET TO STAR AT MONTEREY AUCTION

THE PERSONAL CAR OF FERDINAND AND FERRY PORSCHE

• RM Sotheby’s to offer the oldest Porsche-badged motor car at record-setting Monterey sale, 15-17 August
• The only surviving example and the personal car of Ferdinand and Ferry Porsche, Type 64 is the direct ancestor of the Porsche 356
• RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale extends to three nights for 2019, kicking off with Evening of Aston Martin on 15 August
• Event information and updated list of entries for Monterey available at rmsothebys.com

 RM Sotheby’s is honoured to announce it has secured the oldest car to wear the Porsche badge for its record-setting Monterey sale—the only surviving 1939 Porsche Type 64 Berlin-Rome, No. 3.

RM Sotheby’s has sold some of the world’s most important Porsches at auction in recent years, including significant models across the marque’s seven decades of production history at the Porsche 70^th Anniversary Auction held at Porsche Cars North America headquarters in 2018. Type 64 predates the first production Porsche—what would become known as the 356.

A strive for technological advancement in motor car performance drove the motorsport industry in the 1920s and 1930s, resulting in some of the most iconic race cars of the period, which served as great sources of national pride. The advent of World War II saw Professor Ferdinand Porsche forced to shift focus to a car for the masses—the KdF-Wagen—however, he retained a vision to produce a lighter, faster version of the model that would showcase the nation’s technology and realize his sports car dreams.

It was a road race that never took place that would give birth to the Type 64. The 1,500-kilometer Berlin-Rome race was set for September 1939 and would be used to promote Germany’s autobahn system as well as celebrate the launch of the KdF-Wagen production car. In preparation for the race, the government-owned Volkswagen commissioned three special long-distance racing versions of the KdF-Wagen, known internally to Porsche and his engineers as the Type 64. Designed by the same engineers who would go on to create the 356, the cars were built at Reutter Works across the street from Zuffenhausen over 1939-1940, with lightweight aluminium bodies and the wheels fully covered in removable alloy panels. While the Type 64 shares the same drivetrain and suspension as the Type 1 Volkswagen, it is otherwise very different. The chassis and riveted alloy body utilize WWII aircraft technology, while the original air-cooled flat-four engine was tuned to 32 bhp. Just as the first of the three cars was finished, and weeks before the Berlin-Rome race was set to start, the war was officially declared and government interest turned to military vehicles, with the first Type 64 becoming property of the German labour front.

A young Ferry Porsche did not give up, and he moved forward with the two additional cars, which would serve as experimental test beds for Porsche as they developed their own production sports car, essentially making the Type 64 the missing link between Volkswagen and the Porsche 356. The second car was completed in December 1939 and the third, using the chassis of the first car, which had been damaged following an accident with the Managing Director of Volkswagen at the wheel, by June 1940. This third car will headline RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale, 15-17 August.

The third Type 64 was retained as a personal family car and driven extensively by Ferry and Ferdinand Porsche. When the company was forced to relocate headquarters to Gmünd, Austria from 1944-1948, it was kept alongside No. 2 at the family estate in the picturesque lakeside town of Zell-am-See. No. 3 was the only example to survive the war, and Ferry Porsche himself applied the raised letters spelling out ‘PORSCHE’ on the nose of the car when he had it registered in Austria under the new company name in 1946.

In 1947, restoration work was commissioned by Porsche and completed by a young Pinin Farina in Turin, Italy. Nearly one year later, Porsche demonstrated the Type 356 roadster, no. 1, on public roads in Innsbruck, with the Type 64 by its side. Austrian privateer driver Otto Mathé completed demo laps in Type 64 and fell in love, buying it from Porsche the following year. He enjoyed a successful racing career with the car in the 1950s—the very first to do so in a Porsche product—and kept it for 46 years until his death in 1995.

In 1997, the Type 64 changed hands for just the second time in six decades and appeared at a handful of vintage racing events with its third owner, Dr Thomas Gruber of Vienna, including Goodwood and the Austrian Ennstal Classic. Dr Gruber is the author of the renowned Carrera RS book and one of the most respected Porsche specialists worldwide. Delightfully patinated, the streamlined 1939 Porsche Type 64 is now offered in Monterey from the long-term care of just its fourth owner, who acquired the car more than a decade ago, and is accompanied by many original spare parts, as well as extensive period images and historical documentation. Perhaps the most significant surviving piece of Porsche engineering and design history, the Porsche Type 64 is estimated to bring in excess of $20,000,000 when it crosses RM Sotheby’s auction podium in Monterey.

“Without the Type 64, there would be no Porsche 356, no 550, no 911,” says Marcus Görig, Car Specialist, RM Sotheby’s. “This is Porsche’s origin story, the car that birthed the company’s legend, and it offers collectors what is likely an unrepeatable opportunity to sit in the seat of Ferdinand and Ferry Porsche. With this car, the new owner will not only be invited to the first row of every Porsche event worldwide—they will be the first row!”

Gord Duff, Global Head of Auctions, RM Sotheby’s, continues: “We’ve had the honour of presenting some of the most significant cars in the history of numerous top marques at Monterey, and Type 64 now stands among them. Type 64 helped define what a sports car is today, and it carries many of traits we’ve seen throughout seven decades of Porsche production and still see in some of the marque’s most sought-after contemporary models. We’re grateful to have been entrusted by the owner with this important piece of automotive, engineering, and world history and we look forward to sharing it with the collector car hobby this summer.”

Andy Prill, well-respected marque specialist who has recently inspected the Type 64, adds: “I’ve seen countless special Porsches in my career, but nothing like this. I was very careful in examining the authenticity of Type 64, no. 3 and its chassis. After spending many days with the car, I have found evidence that all key components of the cars are original as built in 1939/1940. This is the most historically significant of all Porsche cars and it is simply incredible to find the very first Porsche in this original condition.”

Held during the world-famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance motoring week, RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale (15-17 August) has been the pinnacle of collector car auctions for more than 30 years, leading the field and raising the bar with its consistent, record-setting results. Led by the Type 64, this year’s Monterey sale will once again present more than 120 of the world’s most important motor cars in the ultimate collector car destination, featuring a special third auction evening on 15 August. ‘An Evening of Aston Martin’ will feature more than 30 of the world’s most sought-after road-going and track-ready Aston Martin sports cars from across the marque’s illustrious history. 

For further information on RM Sotheby’s 2019 Monterey auction and to view a frequently updated list of entries, please visit rmsothebys.com. Interested consignors are invited to call RM Sotheby’s global headquarters at +1 519 352 4575 to speak with a car specialist about entering an important motor car in the Monterey sale. Consignments are invited through early July 2019.

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