Monthly Archives: November 2013

Veyron Bleu Nuit

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2011 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Bleu Nuit

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

2011 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Bleu Nuit

The Bugatti Veyron is the current king of special edition models. There are seemingly more one-off versions produced by Bugatti for various reasons than there are normal from-the-factory models. So here we have the Bleu Nuit. And it’s the only one like it.

We’ll start with the fact that it is a Veyron 16.4: one of the most intensely engineered vehicles ever built. The engine is an 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W-16 making 987 horsepower. And of course, everyone knows the original Veyron hit 253 mph. The Grand Sport (which is the roadster version) was introduced in 2009. It has a reinforced chassis to make up for the missing roof.

There was a factory one-off in 2010 called the Sang Bleu and the owner to-be of the car offered here liked that car, but wanted some changes. So Volkswagen – err… Bugatti built him a one-off as well, called Bleu Nuit (“Blue Night”). It has dark blue carbon fiber and polished aluminium. It has covered less than 350 miles since delivery.

Only 150 Grand Sport Veyrons were to be built (I think they may still be making them, but are capping it at 150). This is one of many one-of-a-kind Veyrons, but it’s the only one like this and it has a special from-the-factory designation. It could be yours for between $2,000,000-$2,800,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM.

Update: Sold, $2,310,000.

The Only A6G Spyder by Zagato

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1955 Maserati A6G/2000 Spyder by Zagato

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

1955 Maserati A6G2000 Spyder by Zagato

This might be one of my favorite Maseratis. First of all, the color. Who would’ve thought that a race-bred Italian sports car would look so good in this brilliant shade of blueish-green? The next best thing (besides that sporty light uptick in the body right behind the door) is that grille. It looks deep and has that ridiculous Escalade-sized trident in the middle. Absolutely gorgeous.

The A6 was a series of six-cylinder cars from Maserati in the 1950s. The A6G/2000 was built between 1954 and 1957 and used a 2.0-liter straight-six making 150 horsepower. Only 60 were made and this was the only Spyder bodied by Zagato.

The famed design house displayed the car at the 1955 Geneva Auto Salon. The well-known South American dictator Juan Peron tried to buy the car and had some modifications made to it (which they still sport to this day). He never took delivery and instead the car was sold to an American serviceman in France who brought it home with him. His divorce saw the car sold in 1969. After 20 years in storage, it was restored between 1999-2003 and shown at the 2003 Pebble Beach Concours.

It’s being sold from a collection in the U.K. and it is a downright sexy car. It should bring between $3,500,000-$4,500,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in the Big Apple.

Update: Sold $4,455,000.

Update: Not sold, RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2022.

Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle II

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1964 Chevrolet CERV II

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

1964 Chevrolet CERV II

The Chevrolet CERV (Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle) program was a series of five cars that were test beds for upcoming models (generally Corvette-related). The original CERV-I of the late-50s was more of an open-wheel race car than a road-going prototype.

The CERV-II was completed in 1964 and it was built under the supervision of Zora Arkus-Duntov, the father of the Corvette. Remember how every time a new generation of the Corvette is on the horizon, rumors abound that it will be mid-engined? Well you can thank this car for that. It is indeed mid-engined and came about the same time as the GT40. Duntov wanted to build five or six of them and compete at Sebring and Le Mans. The racing plans were quashed by GM, but one car was built anyway.

The first engine was a 6.2-liter V-8 making 500 horsepower. Dependent on gearing, it could do 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds or top out at 212 mph. Both are extremely impressive today. Also: it was four-wheel drive, which was unheard of in a sports racing car like this back in the day.

Later on, Duntov found a 7.0-liter (427) ZL1 V-8 engine and stuffed it behind the driver’s seat. It is conservatively estimated to make 550 horsepower (probably more like 700 in reality). It also weighs 1,848 pounds! Duntov thought it could’ve broken Mark Donohue’s 221+ mph closed-course speed record. It was never attempted.

The car was later donated to the Briggs Cunningham Museum in California and remained there until it closed in 1986 and was sold. The current owner bought it in 2001 and made sure every piece was period-correct. Just about everything on this car is original, including the paint, which is part of the reason this is probably the coolest car in this sale (and this sale is packed tight with unbelievable cars). Just the fact that it is so outrageous and has survived this long is a testament to how important these Corvette technology test cars are.

If you’re a serious Corvette collector, this is a car you must have. It should sell for between $1,400,000-$1,800,000. You can check out more here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $1,100,000.

Figoni & Falaschi Teardrop Cabriolet

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1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS Teardrop Cabriolet by Figoni et Falaschi

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS Teardrop Cabriolet by Figoni et Falaschi

Talbot-Lago is one of those French marques that is widely associated with swoopy Art Deco coachwork from some of the most renown French coachbuilders of the pre-war era. The T-150C was introduced by Talbot-Lago in 1937. It had a competition chassis and the “SS” refers to it having a short wheelbase.

The engine is a 4.0-liter straight-six putting out 140 horsepower. Many of the cars were bodied by Figoni & Falaschi and the Teardrop bodystyle is their signature look. This Teardrop also happens to be a cabriolet. This is said to be the only short-wheelbase example with its original chassis, engine, and body.

Only 11 T-150C SS models were built and only two received Figoni Teardrop Cabriolet bodies (they did a third cabriolet on the longer wheelbase). This, the first one one has an interesting history: it was acquired by a merchant in Lille in 1941. He later moved to Paris and became a double agent under the Germans and had to flee to Brazil toward the end of the War.

It was confiscated and sold and by the mid-1950s, it found its way to Chicago. The current owner acquired it in 2008 and commissioned a stunning restoration that will easily win the car awards. These are truly amazing cars with flowing lines and a downright beautiful design. This is what RM is talking about when they call a sale “The Art of the Automobile.” It is art in motion. It will bring millions (between $8,000,000-$10,000,000). Click here for more info and here for more from RM.

Update: Sold $7,150,000.

Burlington Arrow

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1987 Burlington Arrow

Offered by Bonhams | Harrogate, U.K. | November 13, 2013

1987 Burlington Arrow

The Burlington Motor Company was founded in 1980 by Haydn Davis and they started by building a replica of the Morgan. Over the years they’ve offered almost exclusively kit cars. It’s weird that I’d feature a kit car on this site, but these are more interesting than any Cobra replica (because 1. so many Cobra replicas exist and 2. Burlington cars have names that don’t include “replica”).

The Arrow was new for the early-80s and it is patterned after the MG TC, though there are significant differences. Many of the chassis came from Triumphs, this particular car uses a Triumph Herald donor chassis and a 1.6-liter straight-four engine from a Ford Cortina. This car was not offered as a traditional kit, but rather as paper plans only. The purchaser had to create or buy everything separately.

About 6,000 sets of plans were sold and about 500 Arrows were constructed to completion. This one took two years (from 1985-1987) and because the cars use readily available parts, fixes are cheap and easy. This would be a fun little car for a tiny little price: it is expected to sell for between $6,500-$9,700. Click here for more info and here for the rest of this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Ferrari 250 GT Speciale

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1959 Ferrari 250 GT SWB “Competition” Berlinetta Speciale by Bertone

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

1959 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competition Berlinetta Speciale by Bertone

So many custom-bodied cars in this sale! This one is a Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competition that looks like no other 250 GT SWB Competition. In 1959, Ferrari introduced the model and built 176 examples. It was a GT race car for use in sports car racing all over the world. After racing it, you could then drive the car home on the road. Racing was more interesting when your daily driver could be competitive on track, don’t ya think?

Only six of the 176 received non-Ferrari coachwork. This is one of two by Bertone and the only one with a design that looks like it came from 10+ years from the future. Imagine taking a race car today, sending it to a coachbuilder, and taking home a very friendly-looking road car with race car mechanicals. The engine is a 3.0-liter V-12 making in the neighborhood of 276 horsepower.

This car was shown at the 1960 Geneva Auto Salon and at the Turin Motor Show later that same year. It has been restored twice in its life and has won awards at Pebble Beach twice (that’s how long this thing has been on the circuit). It’s absolutely stellar. It should sell for between $6,500,000-$8,500,000. Check out more here and click here for more from RM in New York City.

Update: Sold $7,040,000.

A French Ford

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1954 Ford Comète Monte Carlo

Offered by Osenat | Lyon, France | November 10, 2013

1954 Ford Comete

Ford of Europe was founded in 1967 after the merger of Ford of Britain (founded 1909 in the U.K.) and Ford-Werke (founded 1925 in Germany). The company currently calls Germany home. There was another European Ford company active in the first half of the 20th Century that didn’t make it into the fold: Ford SAF.

The head of Ford of Britain founded the French subsidiary in 1916 and it was completely absorbed by Simca in the mid-1950s. The Comete (or Comet) was introduced in 1951 and it is beautiful. It has to be one of the best-looking Fords ever built. It is a four-seat sports car that uses a 4.0-liter V-8 (from a Ford truck) making 105 horsepower. The Monte Carlo trim line was available in 1953 and 1954 only (you could buy a Simca-branded Comete in 1954 as well).

Less than 700 Monte Carlo-trimmed Cometes were built. The body was designed by Pininfarina and built by Facel (later of Facel-Vega). I think it is exceptionally attractive. It should bring between $62,000-$76,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Osenat’s lineup.

Update: Sold $74,250.

Supersonic Aston Martin

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1956 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk II Supersonic by Ghia

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

1956 Aston Martin DB24 Mk II Supersonic by Ghia

 The Aston Martin DB2/4 was the follow-up model to the Aston DB2 (on which this car was based). It was introduced in 1953 and the Mk II model came in 1955. Coachbuilt Astons from any coachbuilder are very rare. Ghia built a run of 15 “supersonic” cars in the 1950s and this was the last one built. It is also the only Supersonic attached to an Aston Martin chassis.

The engine in this car is likely the 2.9-liter straight six making either 140 or 165 horsepower, depending on compression (the catalog is vague on technical details. This auctions is being held in conjunction with Sotheby’s and is called “The Art of the Automobile,” so maybe it’s more about styling than driving, which is a shame). This car was acquired new by racing driver Harry Schell who sold it the following year to an American in New York. In 1974, the car was discovered outside a Detroit gas station by a young man who was able to track it down again in 2003 when he purchased it and began restoring it.

The restoration is exquisite and has proven successful, as this car wins awards just about every time it is shown. The DB2/4 is rare enough, with only 764 built. But this car has one-of-a-kind 1950s Space Age coachwork from one of the most famed coachbuilders of all time. It will likely bring between $1,800,000-$2,400,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $2,310,000.

Ferrari 250 LM

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1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

1964 Ferrari 250 LM by Scaglietti

The Ferrari 250 LM was the last Ferrari to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It was the car that Ford came along and knocked off the pedestal. The 250 LM, while built in the same era as the 250 GT road car, was unrelated and was more of a prototype race car than a variant of any road car.

This 250 LM is #24 of 32 built. It has been in a state of preservation for almost 40 years, following a “sympathetic” restoration in the mid-1970s. The car was sold new in California and used as a road car. The original owner sold it to the grandson of E.L. Cord in Beverly Hills. In 1968, it was purchased by some Ecuadorian racers who finally put this thing on the track. It’s competition history includes the following:

  • 1968 24 Hours of Daytona – 8th & 1st in class (with John Gunn, Guillermo Ortega, & Fausto Merello)
  • 1968 12 Hours of Sebring – c.59th, DNF (with Gunn, Ortega, & Merello)
  • 1969 24 Hours of Daytona – c.68th, DNF (with Merello, Edward Alvarez, & Umberto Maglioli)

After Daytona in 1968, the car went home with its owner to Ecuador where it competed in sports car races until 1974. The car was then sold and it went to England where it was lightly freshened after years on the circuit. In 1983, it moved to a collection in Japan. It is considered to be the most original 250 LM in existence.

The engine (which is behind the driver) is a 3.3-liter V-12 making 320 horsepower. This is a car worth millions of dollars (estimate $12,000,000-$15,000,000) and it’s one of the finest examples of its kind. Click here for more info and here for more from RM’s monster New York sale.

Update: Sold $14,300,000.

One-Off Lincoln Concept Car

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1955 Lincoln Indianapolis by Boano

Offered by RM Auctions | New York, New York | November 21, 2013

1955 Lincoln Indianapolis Executive Study by Boano

This outlandish-looking Lincoln was designed and built in Italy by Gian Carlo Boano. There are some aircraft-inspired design elements that really take you back to the golden age of concept cars: the 1950s. I love the exhaust (even though the aren’t even functional and don’t match the number of cylinders under the hood).

What is underhood is a 200 horsepower 5.6-liter V-8. The car debuted at the 1955 Turin Auto Show and Ford purchased it from Boano right after. Ghia had a successful run with Chrysler in the 1950s and Boano wanted the same thing with Ford. Ford offered Boano a 10-year contract after this car was built, but Boano decided to partner with Fiat instead. So much for that.

The car has had a few owners since it left Ford’s ownership and was owned by one man for over three decades. The restoration was completed a little over 10 years ago and the car was shown at Pebble Beach in 2001. This has to be one of the most stylish Lincolns ever built. It will command a pricey sum. The pre-sale estimate is $2,000,000-$2,500,000. For more info click here and for more from this awesome sale, click here.

Update: Not sold (high bid of $1,550,000)

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s, Andrews Collection 2015, $1,210,000.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Monterey 2019, $1,105,000.