Cars

A softer side

Subtle changes, big difference

Enzo Ferrari did us all a favour when he declined Henry Ford II’s bid to buy his eponymous company. So enraged was Ford that, in a subsequent bid to beat Ferrari on the track with the GT40, some of the prettiest racing cars in history emerged from Maranello in retaliation – the 206 Sport Prototipo included.

From the moment Jenson Button arrived on the Grand Avenue at Thursday’s VIP opening, lighting up the rear tyres of the yellow Harrods-liveried McLaren F1 GTR, the scene was set for an enjoyable weekend. It was on the 'Grand Avenue' automotive catwalk, spanning the entire length of the exhibition hall, that the main attractions took place – an interesting twist on the Six Nations Cup in which a selection of cars from each country represented (England, Italy, France, Germany, the United States and Japan) vied for visitors’ favour.

A sign of things to come

The 10 cars we’ve chosen from the 39-lot catalogue are certainly not ultra-rare concours queens, but rather reflect what we consider good value for money. Take the well-presented 1963 Triumph TR4 Roadster, which served as an advertising car for a British vehicle bodyshop for several years, hence its tidy bodywork. Resplendent in its original shade of Royal Blue, and benefiting from a reupholstered tan interior, it’s estimated to fetch a reasonable 15,000-19,500 euros. 

What is your earliest automotive memory?

When I was young we lived not too far from an old garage, and I often hung around there because there were lots of other young people working on their cars. At around nine years old I was given a VW T1 bus with which to tinker, and I stripped out the rear to accommodate all my model cars. It was my first ‘showroom’, if you like, and I proudly displayed my Corgi toys, many of which I still have. It was in the bus that I had my first go behind the wheel.

How did you turn your passion into a career?

1999 Lamborghini Diablo