Christie’s sold motor cars to the value of $2.4 million, with the top lot of the day being the 'barn find' Bugatti 57C which more than doubled its estimate (of $300,000-400,000) at $852,500, selling to a US private buyer.

Another rare motor car from Molsheim, the 1931 Bugatti Type 49 Two-Door Sports Coupe, Ex-Bugatti Stand Berlin Motor Show (below), sold well for $396,000, again to a non-trade purchaser in North America.



Other significant prices included $99,000 for a 1957 Chevrolet Corvette Fuel Injected Roadster, $73,700 for a 1960 Jaguar XK150 3.8 Litre Drop Head Coupé, and a substantial $71,500 paid by another US private bidder for a 1965 Porsche 911, against its estimate of $25,000-35,000.

Christopher Sanger, Head of Car Sales, Christie’s Americas said “A very satisfying return to Greenwich for Christie’s International Motor Cars. After a weekend of clear sunshine and a busy view, we were delighted to provide some great auction theatre on the last lot of the sale, the barn find Bugatti 57C.

“A determined saleroom bidder battled it out with a bidder on the phone in front of an excited sale crowd that broke out into applause after the room bidder finally gave way and the hammer was bought down for a excellent $852,500 – more than double our highest pre-sale expectations.



“We were also particularly pleased with the reception for many of our top cars today, including the eye-catching 1955 Chevy Pickup and the 1965 Porsche 911. We now look forward to our flagship sale in Monterey in August, which will include the Steve McQueen 1963 Ferrari 250GT Lusso.”

Philip Kantor [email protected] 33 Boulevard de Waterloo 1000 Brussels Belgium Tel: +32 2289 1330/33 Rupert Banner [email protected] Christie's London Tel: +44(0)20 7389 2133 For all enquiries: [email protected]