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| ClassicInside – The Classic Driver Newsletter | |
Edition
04/2004
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January
30th 2004
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This edition is sent to 26.631 subscribers
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| Editorial
An ‘eclectic mixture’ best describes Classic Inside
this week. Reports come from events as far removed in both distance
and style as the 2004 Barrett-Jackson Sale at Scottsdale, Arizona
and the Maybach/Baldessarini snow-polo event in Kitzbühel,
Austria. Contributor Don Rose gives us a great flavour of the amazing
American event that sold over 700 cars - and many at big-ticket
prices. Two (very good) 300SL Gullwings went for over $350,000,
so it’s not just home-grown product, and in particular that
very American phenomenon the ‘muscle car’ or show-class
hot rod, that fetches the dollars in the auction-ring. Those of
us Europeans used to the cut-glass accents of British auctioneers
would no doubt have trouble getting up to speed with the American
house style – but then you’ve got four days to get the
hang of it.
From the New World to Old Europe at Kitzbühel, where Maybach
were once again courting the jet-set with sponsorship of the recent
snow-polo event. As they say, every picture tells a story and I’ll
leave you to read the article. Words do not do justice to these
events and Jan Sierks has wisely let René Staud Studios’
photos speak for themselves. Sadly your editor was not there, it
was clearly a tough assignment.
I mentioned last week that I was off to an unofficial viewing of
the Maserati
Quattroporte. Well, I can report the car looks as good in the
metal as in the first photographs and you will be reading glowing
driving reports on it in the press. Excellent cabin space for four
adults, prodigious performance and arresting looks – who could
want more.
On a Maserati-related matter you may remember a (hypothetical) concept
first voiced here of running Schumacher in a dark maroon F1 car
in 2004 bearing the Trident badge - thus introducing another badly
needed team to Grand Prix racing and jazzing things up a bit. Sad
to relate, this sort of thing is apparently illegal in single-seat
racing’s premier category (Sauber were recently cleared of
re-cycling Michael’s 2003 car), but alive and well in sports
cars where a very ‘Enzo-looking’ coupé will carry
the hopes of the Viale Ciro Menotti in 2004. Ferrari had of course
made a similar arrangement in the 1950s when it absorbed Lancia’s
recently-withdrawn team of excellent D50s.
So farewell then BMW M3 CSL; R.I.P. in the UK. What had always seemed
a somewhat pointless exercise involving controversy over changing
numbers being imported, speculators, and cancelled orders for a
car that was good – but not so much better than the its donor,
and very expensive – is over. Will it be missed? I doubt it,
for some people the cachet of its exclusivity was a plus but in
BMW’s press material announcing its demise I see they also
mention that they still have some cars to sell. Exclusivity of ownership
certainly – but probably not quite what the company intended.
Z8 anyone?
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THIS
WEEK IN CLASSIC DRIVER |
Christie's
at Rétromobile, Paris 14 Feb 2004 - Preview
Just
thirty five years separate the two star lots at Christie’s Paris
Rétromobile Sale, but both cars are examples of the pinnacle
of sports car engineering. Porsche’s 917, an ex-Martin Racing
Team example of which is under the hammer at €1,500,000 - 1,800,000,
was the veritable sledgehammer compared to Bugatti’s rapier-like
Type 55 – estimated at €1,600,000 - 2,200,000...
read the complete article |
 |
2004
Barrett-Jackson at Scottsdale, Arizona - A First-Timer’s View
First
of all, the metrics: 727 cars sold over 4 days, 98% sale rate (most
lots offered at No Reserve), totaling over $37M; nearly 200,000 admissions,
and thousands of registered bidders, spanning across dozens of acres
of Arizona desert, with countless thousands of hot dogs sold...
read the complete article |
 |
Barons
Sale 3rd February 2004 Sandown Park, Esher
Barons’
first sale of the year includes such regular favourites as Bentley
Turbo saloons from £7,000 and a variety of W107 Mercedes SLs.
Two years too late for 2001, motoring film buffs will have a chance
to buy the 1985 Mercedes-Benz 500 SEL that once belonged to famous
director Stanley Kubrick for £3,000 – 5,000. There is
also a one-family owned Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow I LWB for £13,000
– 20,000...
read the complete article |
 |
The
end of an era - the BMW M3 CSL
BMW
Great Britain has confirmed the planned end of production of the BMW
M3 CSL. Produced between June and December 2003, a total of 422 right
hand drive cars were produced for the UK market...
read the complete article |
 |
Rolls-Royce
celebrates 500th Phantom
Employees
at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars were in celebratory mood today as they marked
the completion of the 500th Phantom to be built at their home in Goodwood...
read the complete article |
 |
Maybach,
Baldessarini and Polo in Kitzbühel
Polo,
parties and paparazzi could have been the headline when the Baldessarini
Snow Polo World Cup hit Kitzbühel Stelldichein in Austria. The
panorama ring of dramatic mountains around the ‘Poloplatz’
ensured few could escape – who would want to given a personal
invitation from Werner Baldessarini and his wife Cathrin...
read the complete article |
 |
Advertisement
PREMIUM OFFERS |
Mercedes-Benz
300 SL Gullwing
restored
Silver with Black leather interior, approximately 8,000 miles/5
years since complete, thorough and proper restoration. Serial #
5500197, this Gullwing has factory original Rudge wheels, it has
been fully maintained over the years and is in excellent condition
throughout showing relatively no wear since restoration. This Gullwing
has had a factory sport cam installed since its restoration, has
complete belly pans and comes with owner’s manual, factory
jack and tool roll. It has received this year’s servicing-maintenance
and is ready for this coming Spring, currently needing nothing.
colour
Silver
interior colour Black
drive LHD
year 1955
mileage 12.875 km / 8.000 m
price $295,000
Dealership:
Autosport Designs Inc.
203 West Hills Road, Huntington Station,
New York, 11746, USA
Phone +1 (631) 425-1555
see
all details
see
complete stock from this dealer |
|
Pagani
Zonda C12S
6
speed, all options, leather, navigation system, Xenon lights, sports
suspension
colour Black
interior colour Camel Exclusive Nappa Leather
drive RHD
year 9/2002
mileage 600 km / 373 m
price 320.000 GBP
Dealership:
Euro
Sportscars
Stoke Poges, Berks, United Kingdom
Phone +44 (0) 1753 648064
see all
details
see complete
stock from this dealer
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Ford
GT350 Shelby (FIA PAPERS)
FIA
Papers
Complete car , stripped and just repainted in original Shelby Colours.
Ready to be rebuilt to owners spec for Circuit use and International
Historic Rallys. Eligible for many prestigious events including
Tour Auto , Spa 6hrs and Tour Espana 2004. Car comes supplied with
full FIA papers. Price on request and subject to spec. ( Circa £65k
sterling) (This car can be built by our own Team and run for you
in Historic Events.)
colour White/Blue
drive LHD
year 1965
price 65.000
GBP
Dealership:
Legends
Racing
Sycamore Barn, Bourton on the Water Ind Park, Bourton
on the Water, Gloucs GL54 2HQ, United Kingdom
Phone +44 (0) 1451 821611
see
all details
see
complete stock from this dealer
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| EVENTGUIDE |
Barons
Classic, Collectors, Thoroughbred and Sports Car Auction, Esher
UK
2-3rd February 2004
Christie’s Sale at Retromobile, Paris, France
14th February 2004
Retromobile, Paris, France
13-22nd February 2004
International Historic Motorsport Show 2004, Stoneleigh
Park, Coventry, UK
20-22nd February 2004
H&H Classic Auctions, Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, UK
21st February 2004
Bonhams & Goodman Auction, Sydney, Australia
29th February 2004
Bonhams Auction, RAF Museum, Hendon, UK
1st March 2004
see further event details |
Copyright:
All articles in ClassicInside and in the Classic Driver Magazine subject to Classic Driver copyrights.
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e-mail: contact@classicdriver.com
Responsible content: Steve Wakefield (Director). |
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