Auctions Commentary from CCFS Market Analyst Richard Hudson-Evans
The 1961 Paris Motor Show exhibited 1961 Ferrari 250GT SWB Berlinetta, acquired at Montlehery in 1969 and therefore in present ownership for nearly half a century, headlines at the 9 July Artcurial sale during Le Mans Classic weekend.
Latest classic car auction commentary: 08/04/2016
With all the vital numbers claimed still to be matching, 2917GT has been carefully preserved, say the Paris auction house, having spent its entire life in France, out of the public eye. Although apparently the vendor has frequently exercised the car on the back roads, instructing Pozzi to despatch a truck and technicians to Brittany to carry out regular services.
The last Ferrari 250GT SWB auctioned by Equipe Artcurial was at Retromobile in February, when the catalogue cover featured and similarly fresh to market 1963 4065GT, the very last one built that had been pre-sale estimated at 9-1m euros, was acquired by a European collector after the sale for 8.1m euros (£6.24m).
The French auctioneers currently claim two places in the global top ten chart for the most expensive cars ever to sell at auction with the ex-Bardinon 1957 Ferrari 335S Scaglietti making an EU record 32.1m euros (£24.72m) at Retromobile in February and the 1961 250GT SWB California Spider from the Baillon Collection fetching 16.3m (£12.55m) during the same Paris sale in 2015.
In the Presidential Primary-obsessed US of A meanwhile, Auctions America shifted some 298 or 70% of the 428 cars and bikes crossing their 1-3 April Fort Lauderdale block. Bidders from 41 states and 18 other countries from as far away as Australia, Brazil and Japan, 40% of them new to the RM owned company’s database, spent around $20m (£14.2m), an average of $67,114 (£47,651) per vehicle bought.
Leader-board prices were headed by a US delivered and restored 1971 Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona sold for $649,000 (£460,790), while a 1930 Bentley ‘Blue Train’ Re-creation cruised to a $522,500 sale (£370,975). A limited-production 1952 Mercedes-Benz 300S realised a respectable $506,000 (£359,260), a 430hp 1969 Chevvy Camaro ZL1 Sport Coupe, one of 69 built, $404,250 (£287,018) and a 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda, one of just 16 originally equipped with 4-speed manual shift, an above-estimate $330,000 (£234,300).
The going rate in Florida in April for a 2005 Ford GT was $319,000 (£226,490). $314,600 (£223,366) was forthcoming for a muscular 1965 Shelby GT 350 and $275,000 (£195,250) for a now-classic 2006 Mercedes SLR. A 1971 280SE 3.5 Tourer, estimated at $175,000-225,000, made $269,500 (£191,345) and 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz also exceeded its guide to sell for $264,000 (£187,440).
A 1966 Bentley S3 Continental Drophead by Park Ward was multi-contested by players in the room and on the phone until sold for $220,000 (£156,200), $60,000 more than the high estimate figure – and a model record was claimed by AA for the $211,750 (£150,343) sale of a 1999 Ferrari F355 Spider Fiorano.
This weekend sees Coys auctioning 130 cars worth a pre-sale estimated 15m euros (£12.15m) Saturday 9 April in the Gruga Hall of Techno Classica at Essen. Headlining at this German sale will be a ‘Refer Department’ 1952 Grosser Werkmeister racer with all the right papers for retro-eventing. A 1968 Ferrari 330 GT/C has been guided at 600,000-700,000 euros (£486,000-567,000) and a 1978 BMW M1 works car, also the first M1 to be road registered, 550,000-650,000 euros (£445,500-526,500). 350,000-400,000 euros (£283,500-324,000) is sought for a 1986 Lancia Delta S4 Stradale Group B in rally-spec and 90,000-110,000 euros (£72,900-89,100) for an equally still fashionable 1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600 SS.
A 1987 Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole is predicted to fetch 375,000-425,000 (£303,750-344,250), a 1996 Porsche 911 Type 993 RS Coupe 240,000-280,000 euros (£194,400-226,800) and a 1929 Lancia Lambda 8th Series Torpedo Type 223 Evocation bodied by Casaro 180,000-200,000 euros (£145,800-162,000). While Brit classics in search of new German toy cupboards include a 1958 Jaguar XK150 3.4S Roadster for which 130,000-140,000 euros (£105,300-113,400) has been suggested and a 1961 MGA MK1 Coupe, one of 600 made, with 20,000-25,000 euros (£16,200-20,250) expectations.
A 1980 Citroen Mehari has been advance-priced at 15,000-20,000 euros (£12,150-16,200) and a selection of cars from the Stasys Brundza Collection will be auctioned at No Reserve. Among them, a clutch of Cadillacs, including a 1939 Series 39-75 Imperial Sedan with 30,000-40,000 euros (£24,300-32,400) forecast, a 1953 62 Coupe de Ville 18,000-25,000 euros (£14,580-20,250) and a 1949 Series 75 Fleetwood 15,000-18,000 euros (£12,150-14,580). Viewing 9am-7pm Friday and from 9am sale day when the auction starts 12am.
Simultaneously, in King’s Lynn, a new UK auction record 300+ classics for all budgets will also be driven past the Anglia Car Auction rostrum from 12 noon Saturday 9 April. For the very latest consignments, check out the ACA website, while the complete list of cars for sale can be purchased on entering the auction centre, where cars may be viewed pm this Friday 8 April. Doors open 10 am sale day and what promises to be a marathon drive-through commences at noon.
As I have not yet perfected the art of being in two places at once, the so far trusty editorial CRV (or Honda Tardis) will, of course, be on autopilot for the long haul to far eastern Norfolk so that a current state of the market report can appear on this e-channel early next week. And whichever currency you are trading or thinking in, may the bid be with you.