RM SOTHEBY’S PRESENTS HIGHLY ORIGINAL ASTON MARTIN DB3S AT MONTEREY AUCTION

RM SOTHEBY’S PRESENTS HIGHLY ORIGINAL
ASTON MARTIN DB3S AT MONTEREY AUCTION

SECOND WORKS CAR, CAMPAIGNED BY MOTORSPORT HERO PETER COLLINS

DB3S WORKS JOINS LIST OF STUNNING MODELS THROUGH THE DECADES SET FOR
“AN EVENING WITH ASTON MARTIN” ON 15 AUGUST

RM Sotheby’s offers highly original and matching numbers 1953 Aston Martin DB3S Works for Monterey sale
One of the finest Works DB3S examples remaining, car is an important part of Aston Martin competition history
Successfully campaigned by Aston Martin at major events, later owned and raced by Peter Collins
Additional information and updated list of entries for Monterey sale available at rmsothebys.com

  RM Sotheby’s, the official auction house of Aston Martin, is delighted to announce the addition of a 1953 Aston Martin DB3S Works, to be presented during ‘An Evening with Aston Martin’ at the company’s three-evening Monterey sale, 15-17 August. One of the finest of its kind, DB3S/2 is the second Works DB3S ever built and was raced in some of the most prestigious motorsport events of the 1950s, with drivers including the famous ex-Aston Martin team driver Peter Collins. The car is offered at Monterey as an important piece of Aston Martin’s competition history, complete with its original chassis, body, and engine as it left the factory.

The DB3S is undoubtedly one of the finest and most competitive cars to emerge from the 1950s, arguably the golden era of sports car racing when the top drivers competed in the fastest cars on often perilous races, such as the Mille Miglia and RAC Tourist Trophy. A true product of its era, the DB3S was conceived as the idea of two great engineers of the time; W.O. Bentley and Professor Robert Eberan von Eberhorst, of Auto Union. Radically developing Eberhorst’s DB3 chassis, fellow designer and engineer Willie Watson turned the DB3S into a far lighter and nimbler car that was more suited to being powered by the high-compression 3.0-liter version of W.O.’s straight-six engine, giving the model the edge over contemporary rivals. Legendary British designer Frank Feeley penned the gorgeous lines of the bodywork, creating one of the best-looking shapes ever to grace a race circuit, and still visible in the design language of Aston Martin models made today. 

 This car was the second DB3S built by the factory, prepped by John Wyer’s competition department for the 1953 installment of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Though the car saw an accident in its first outing with Reg Parnell at the wheel, just a month later the legendary Peter Collins got his hands on DB3S/2, finishing 3^rd in an all-Aston Martin podium at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Parnell made up for his first go soon after, pairing up with Aston Martin stalwart Eric Thompson to win the Goodwood 9 Hours. In the same year, the DB3S entered the last round of the World Sportscar Championship, the RAC Tourist Trophy at Dundrod. The supreme handling of the car suited the flow of the circuit and Parnell and Thompson finished 2^nd behind the sister car (DB3S/1), with Parnell taking 2^nd place in the unofficial Drivers’ title, ahead of Juan Manuel Fangio, Sir Stirling Moss, and Peter Walker. 

 In 1954, the DB3S would contest the 1000 KM of Buenos Aires, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the Mille Miglia. Following extensive competition, much of the Aston Martin Team cars had been reduced to a collection of damaged DB3Ss, so DB3S/1 and DBS3/2 were rebuilt with new chassis and bodies ahead of that year’s RAC Tourist Trophy at Dundrod. Peter Collins’ most memorable performance in DB3S/2 during 1954 would come later that year at Aintree, where a titanic battle with Masten Gregory in a Ferrari 375 MM saw him just lose out on victory. Looking ahead to the next season with newer Works cars having been built, DB3S/2 was sold to Peter Collins.

Collins registered the car as UDV 609, under which it remains today. With this car, Collins competed in the Silverstone International Trophy in 1955, where he suffered a loose differential but still finished a respectable 7th behind the latest Works DB3Ss and a brace of Works and Ecurie Ecosse D-Types. His last outing in the car was the 1955 Daily Herald Trophy Race at Oulton Park, charging Mike Hawthorn down to finish a close 3^rd ahead of a competitive field, in what was by then an out-of-date machine.

Michael Squire, Car Specialist at RM Sotheby’s comments: “This magnificent DB3S represents a significant moment in Aston Martin’s competition history. This Works car performed at the highest level in the golden era of motorsport, and one of Aston Martin’s most successful eras in racing. Very few race cars of the period can claim to have their original chassis, engine and body from when they left the factory – and DB3S/2 is one of those few. We look back fondly on the talents of the late Peter Collins, who owned and raced this very car, making Monterey an extraordinary opportunity for any Aston Martin or motorsport collector to own and drive a part of his story.”

Paul Spires, President of Aston Martin Works, adds: “The RM Sotheby’s sale is, without question, sure to be a real highlight of the Aston Martin heritage year in 2019. I know we will witness rare and exceptional sports cars, such as this remarkable DB3S, find new homes with buyers around the world – underlining once again the global significance of this great British sports car company.”

The DB3S would eventually land with George Gale, who kept it for over two decades, before selling to Richard Forshaw of Aston Martin Service Dorset, who owned more DB3S examples than anyone else. Forshaw restored DB3S/2 to the ‘Works’ specification as Peter Collins’ bought the car in 1955. The DB3S has since been beautifully maintained and has seen a number of vintage event outings, including the Monterey Historics, Goodwood Revival, and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It is offered at Monterey in extremely original condition, with its matching numbers engine from its factory sale to Collins and a nearly entirely original body. It is accompanied by an extraordinary history file including original Aston Martin internal race debriefing reports by John Wyer, period articles and photographs, race programmes and maintenance reports (Est. $8,750,000 - $10,500,000). 

RM Sotheby’s has assembled an incredible list of more than 30 additional significant Aston Martin models for the 15 August sale session, spanning decades of high watermarks in the brand’s history. Highlights include:

• In addition to the James Bond 1965 Aston Martin DB5, the Monterey sale features the full lineup of DB5 variations, including a 1964 DB5 presented from 40 years of single ownership and offered without reserve (Est. $700,000 - $900,000), a 1963 DB5 Convertible, believed to be the Earls Court Motor Show car and now fully restored by Aston Martin Works (Est. $1,350,000 - $1,500,000), and a 1965 DB5 Shooting Brake by Radford, one of 12 factory shooting brake examples, having had just three private owners since new and complete with its original matching-numbers engine (Est. $1,000,000 - $1,400,000);

• A beautifully restored 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT, one of only 47 right-hand-drive examples, and equipped with an ex-Stirling Moss engine installed in period by Aston Martin (Est. $3,000,000 - $3,400,000);

 

• Purchased new by the Burton family, founders of Burton and Top Shop, a 1966 Aston Martin Short-Chassis Volante, one of just 37 examples built. Presented in concours condition, the short-chassis comes to auction following a thorough restoration, during which the engine was rebuilt to 4.2-liter Cosworth specification and the car was converted to left-hand drive (Est. $1,400,000 - $1,800,000);

 

• A pair of Aston Martin V8 models with coachwork by Zagato, including the last V8 Vantage Zagato built. One of just 15 left-hand-drive coupes, the recently serviced 1987 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Zagato is equipped with a desirable five-speed manual gearbox, showing just 4,173 km since new (Est. $475,000 - $575,000). The second V8, an exceedingly rare LHD 1989 Aston Martin V8 Volante Zagato, is one of only 37 produced, is equipped with an automatic gearbox, and was upgraded to Vantage specification by Aston Martin Works (Est. $375,000 - $475,000); and,

• A 2018 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Coupe showing delivery mileage and equipped with bespoke “Q” options, including a One-77 steering wheel, Italian luggage, color-matched Aston Martin car cover, and a Zagato umbrella (Est. $600,000 - $800,000).

An Evening with Aston Martin highlights RM Sotheby’s 2019 Monterey sale, which 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. This year’s three-day Monterey sale will once again present more than 180 of the world’s most important motor cars in the ultimate collector car destination. For further information on RM Sotheby’s 2019 Monterey auction and to view a frequently updated list of entries, please visit rmsothebys.com. The complete digital catalogue is coming soon.

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.

FOR MORE NEWS FROM THE RM SOTHEBY’S GROUP: #RMSothebys #RMMonterey

RM SOTHEBY’S PRESENTS DIVERSE SÁRAGGA COLLECTION ENTIRELY WITHOUT RESERVE IN PORTUGAL

RM SOTHEBY’S PRESENTS DIVERSE SÁRAGGA COLLECTION
ENTIRELY WITHOUT RESERVE IN PORTUGAL 

CURATED SINGLE-OWNER COLLECTION OF 
130+ EXCEPTIONAL CARS OFFERED IN STUNNING LOCATION

• RM Sotheby’s offers the Sáragga Collection entirely without reserve on 21 September near Comporta, Portugal
• Cars of every decade since 1910 represented, featuring historic pre-war cars through to rare modern supercars
• 55 individual marques represented in the outstanding collection, including many cars with Portuguese provenance
• First-ever RM Sotheby’s auction in Portugal held nearby the stunning beach resort of Comporta, south of Lisbon
• Further event information and select lots now available to view at rmsothebys.com
• 
  

 RM Sotheby’s is honoured to present the incredible Sáragga Collection, entirely without reserve, near Comporta, Portugal on 21 September 2019. Comprising the cars of discerning enthusiast and collector, Mr Sáragga, the collection consists of over 130 cars and features many rare and highly collectable individual automobiles. Making for a true destination event, the Sáragga Collection will be held at the owner’s estate near the stunning beach resort region of Comporta, Portugal.

The Sáragga Collection calls the small, picturesque town of Alcácer do Sal home, just minutes from the seaside region of Comporta, which has quickly become one of the most fashionable and stylish resorts in Europe. The region offers the perfect setting for a warm weekend away in Portugal this autumn, with a number of luxury hotels and restaurants nearby, and just an hour’s drive from Lisbon International Airport. The Sáragga Collection reflects the discerning and eclectic personal tastes of its owner, with many cars combining broad desirability with strong Portuguese provenance and history. As a life-long collector and passionate enthusiast for all things automotive, Mr Sáragga started over 30 years ago with a small grouping of rare Mercedes-Benz models. Now, the collection has grown to over 130 cars to include pre-war greats, a number of exclusive Porsche models, American classics of all eras, and some rare and diminutive microcar gems. Values within the collection range from as little as €10,000 through to €800,000.

Among star lots in the Sáragga Collection is a group of outstanding Porsche 911 RS models, including a highly original, matching numbers, 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 Touring, which has resided in Portugal since new; a lovely 1992 Porsche 911 Carrera RS in sought-after Rubystone Red paintwork; and a 2010 Porsche 911 GT3 RS. No less than 22 examples of Stuttgart’s finest feature in the sale, from a 1959 Porsche 356 B Roadster through numerous derivatives of the fabled 911 model. Other notable European sports and grand touring lots in the collection include a 1931 Bentley 8-Litre Tourer, a true pre-war exotic and one of the greatest touring cars of its era, and a one-off 1966 Mercedes-Benz 600 Sedan by Chapron boasting a unique custom-made glass roof. Two exclusive Aston Martin models will also tempt collectors, with a one-of-69 2008 Aston Martin DB9 LM, offered alongside a 2017 Aston Martin V8 Vantage AMR, one of only 200 built and presented in exceptional ‘as-new’ condition.

One of the unique facets of the Sáragga Collection is its plethora of cars with significant Portuguese provenance, sure to draw local market enthusiasts. In particular, a rare and highly desirable 1939 Delahaye 135M Cabriolet by Chapron will be offered, a car delivered new to Portugal and which features in period photographs taken at Delahaye’s Lisbon showroom. This car is presented in its original colours, has known history from new, and is a former winner of Concours d’Elegance - Le Touquet Paris-Plage. An incredibly rare 1955 WD Denzel 1300 is believed to be one of only 30 in existence and originally belonged to a Portuguese aristocrat (also the Denzel importer), who campaigned it in various national motorsport events in the period. Early production 1961 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 3.8-Litre Fixed Head Coupé within the sale is believed to be the first E-Type delivered to Portugal and another rare car, a 1947 HRG Aerodynamic, also touts Portuguese and international rally history.

Paul Darvill, Car Specialist at RM Sotheby’s, said: “This collection of cars is as awe-inspiring in its scale as it is in its diversity and quality, and it is wonderful that it features something to cater for all tastes and budgets. A significant part of the collection is made up of rare pre-war cars, which are the perfect counter for the numerous, highly sought-after, high-performance models of the more recent era. At the other end of the scale, there are a number of entry-level lots that will appeal to the casual car enthusiast who would like to enjoy the experience of acquiring a car at RM Sotheby’s first-ever auction in Portugal, set in an incredible location. Mr Sáragga should be proud of the impressive collection that he has amassed, as he brings no less than 55 marques and over 130 highly desirable individual models to market.”

As a strong advocate of using and enjoying the cars, every model offered from Mr Sáragga’s collection is maintained in a condition to be driven. Many of the cars in the Sáragga Collection have featured in key events of the collector’s life, including the marriages of his children. During his long collecting career, Mr Sáragga has also gathered a globally recognized collection of fountain pens and indulges his passion for collecting in art, wine and outdoor pursuits as well.

Reflecting on his inspiring car collection that he is now offering for sale, the consignor, Mr. Sáragga said: “Many of these cars have stayed with me for decades and have played a part in some of the most important moments in mine and my family’s lives. Therefore, my decision to reduce the size of my collection and to offer these cars for sale has not been an easy one. However, I take pleasure in using my cars, so I want to concentrate on enjoying a smaller group, and by consigning with RM Sotheby’s, I know that the cars I am passionate about will go to fantastic new homes in Portugal, Europe, and beyond.”

Complete event details and a list of all lots offered in the Sáragga Collection will be available at rmsothebys.com in the coming weeks. To speak with an RM Sotheby’s specialist or to register to bid for this exceptional collection, please call +44 (0) 20 7851 7070.