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| 1955 Alfa Romeo 1900 C SS Berlinetta by Zagato: £280,000 - 340,000 |
The world's favourite secret agent and his very special Aston DB5 dominated last year’s RM ‘Automobiles of London’ sale. For your eyes only, we present a preview of this year’s 100+ car catalogue...
... which is, in a word, simply stunning. Okay, that’s two, but when you consider the quality of entry list topped by the 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza and 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB Tour de France, you have to take your hat off to RM’s European team - now in only its fifth year this side of the Atlantic - which has yet again consigned some stellar entries.
Alphabetically, the catalogue starts with a 1969 AC 428 Frua Drophead Coupé (£120,000 - 155,000) and finishes with the last of three ‘No Reserve’ Triumph TRs, the 1967 TR 5 estimated at £25,000 - 30,000. Just after the AC comes a selection of Alfa Romeos, highlighted by a 1972 33-3 TT (£525,000 - 575,000) and also including two 1900Cs.
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| 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL 'Gullwing': £475,000 - 575,000 | 1956 Bentley S1 Continental Fastback: £220,000 - 280,000 |
Just a couple of years might separate them in age, but adding the magic words ‘bodywork by Zagato’ and ‘double-bubble roof’ to the 1955 model justifies its £280,000 - 340,000 price tag, compared with £70,000 - 90,000 for the still attractive, 1957 version simply titled ‘Super Sprint Coupé’.
The big (3-litre), four-cylinder Ferrari sports car comes complete with a Ferrari Classiche certificate and some priceless early history from the time when its first owner, Californian William Doheny, entrusted it to Ernie McAfee - who won many West Coast meetings in it during 1955. Since those days, it has been a star at countless exhibitions and concours worldwide, but deserves to be back where it was first intended: the race track.
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| 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza: £1,550,000 - 1,800,000 |
Carrying an estimate of £1,550,000 - 1,800,000, in this writer’s opinion the budding entrant to the Goodwood Revival (‘by invitation’, let’s not forget), the Le Mans Classic or the Mille Miglia retrospective would do well to consider this car. I’d be tempted to restore it to its original ‘Dodge Lancer Royal Blue’ colour scheme, carrying race number ‘76’ in honour of Doheny’s connection with Union Oil. But I’m like that.
Other Ferraris include the already mentioned 1958 250 GT LWB Tour de France (£2,000,000 - 2,400,000, closed headlamps and also with the all-important Classiche documents), a 1964 250 GT Lusso (£400,000 - 480,000, LHD and finished in original-spec Grigio Metallizzato) and an alloy-bodied, matching numbers 1966 275 GTB carrying a competitive estimate of £640,000 - 700,000.
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| 1970 Maserati Ghibli 4.9 SS Spyder: £140,000 - 170,000 | 1966 Lamborghini 350GT: £160,000 - 200,000 |
Fellow Modena region manufacturer Maserati is represented by four cars: a modish 1970 Ghibli 4.9 SS Spyder for £140,000 - 170,000, an apparently good ‘working condition’ 1972 Mexico at an affordable £35,000 - 45,000, a DB6-busting 1967 Mistral 4000 Coupé at possibly half its British competitor’s price (£60,000 - 80,000), and an example of one of the Trident’s most recent ‘Gentleman Racers’, the 2005 Trofeo Light, wonderfully prepared for £120,000 - 160,000. Phew.
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| 1961 Aston Martin DB4GT: £780,000 - 880,000 |
Talking Astons, RM has been making quite a name for itself recently, achieving strong prices for the great British manufacturer's GTs. Twelve Astons will be offered on 26 October, led by a 1961 DB4GT (£780,000 - 880,000) and also including two DB5s (a LHD 1965 example for £300,000 - 360,000 and a 1964 car uprated to Vantage specification for £220,000 - 260,000).
There’s also a pre-War, 1938 Aston 15/98 at £125,000 - 150,000 and other cars from this era include four Bugattis, highlighted by a 1930 Type 46 T46 'Petit Royale' (£450,000 - 550,000) and additionally numbering a 1937 Type 57 Stelvio Cabriolet by Gangloff for £300,000 - 375,000.
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| 1937 Bugatti Type 57 Stelvio Cabriolet by Gangloff: £300,000 - 375,000 | 1935 Avions Voisin C25 Clairiére Cimier: £270,000 - 320,000 |
RM hit the London auction scene in 2007 with the ‘Ecclestone sale’ that featured so many pre-War Mercedes. For the 2011 event , the great Stuttgart manufacturer is catalogued 11 times but only two entries are from the 1930s: a 1934 130 W23 2-Door Saloon, £45,000 - 55,000, and a 1934 Mercedes-Benz Typ 200 W21 Sonnenscheinlimousine at £45,000 - 55,000.
The rest of the Mercedes are from the 50s, 60s and 70s, the decades when a Mercedes really was a Mercedes with impeccable build quality and rock-solid construction. There are three 300SLs (a 1955 ‘Gullwing for £475,000 - 575,000, a 1958 Roadster at £400,000 - 450,000 and a £360,000 - 400,000, 1957 Roadster) and two 600 Pullmans. One of these is a ‘barn find’ from 1969 requiring total restoration.
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| 1938 Jaguar SS 100 3.5-Litre: £310,000 - 380,000 | 1969 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Limousine: £20,000 - 30,000 |
It’s estimated at £20,000 - 30,000. Remember what happened in 2009? The 600 Pullman Landaulet (Est. £40,000 – 60,000) finally sold for a staggering £308,000. Might happen again...
Other entries to take the eye of the typical ‘Classic Driver’ would be the 1964 Facel Vega Facel II (£190,000 - 240,000), the matching-numbers 1953 Jaguar XK120 SE Roadster (£75,000 - 95,000) and the 1958 Porsche 356 A Carrera GS Coupé for £225,000 - 275,000.
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| 1958 Porsche 356 A Carrera GS Coupé: £225,000 - 275,000 | 1973 MV Agusta 750S: £40,000 - 48,000. |
And the sale commences with 25 motorbikes, including a fabulous 1973 MV Agusta 750S estimated at £40,000 - 48,000.
All in all, a terrific catalogue – see you on the night.
The best thing you can do right now, though, is to visit RM’s excellent website, or browse the cars online in the Classic Driver Marketplace.
Please click HERE to see a full lotlist.
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| 1972 Lamborghini Miura SV: £750,000 - 900,000 |
To see all the entries to the 26 October 'Automobiles of London' auction in the Classic Driver Marketplace please CLICK HERE.
Timetable:
SALE:
26 October 2011
3:00 PM GMT
(Auction will run approx. 6-7 hours )
PREVIEW:
25 October 2011
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM GMT
26 October 2011
10:00 AM - 3:00 PM GMT
ADMISSION:
Admission to this event requires the purchase of an official auction catalogue available for £50. The catalogue admits two and must be presented at the entrance to the sale to be granted entry.
AUCTION LOCATION
Battersea Evolution
Chelsea Bridge Entrance
Battersea Park
London, SW11 4NJ UK
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RM Auctions
46a Carnaby Street London W1F 9PS UK UK Telephone: +44 (0)20 7851 7070 Fax: +44 (0)20 7851 7079 North America Telephone: +1 519 352 45 75 Website: www.rmauctions.com Email: [email protected]. |
Text: Steve Wakefield
Photos: RM Auctions
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