Carrera GT Prototype

2000 Porsche Carrera GT Prototype

Offered by Gooding & Company | Amelia Island, Florida | March 11, 2016

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

This Carrera GT is special. It’s the only one like it – it’s a true prototype. The production version of the Carrera GT lasted from 2004 through 2007 with 1,270 produced. This car was actually built in 2000 – four years before production started. Yes, it looks pretty similar to the production version, but if you look closely you’ll notice that it’s really not that similar. In fact, it is said that it shares almost zero pieces with the production version.

The engine is a 5.5-liter V-10 making 558 horsepower. That’s 200cc and 47 horsepower less than the road-going version. The engine is borrowed from a Porsche LMP car – as were many other parts. Two prototypes were built but this was the only one that was actually driveable.

This car comes from Jerry Seinfeld’s collection and, strangely, prior to his purchase (directly from Porsche in 2007), Porsche removed the ECU so the car can’t actually be used. In addition, any purchaser of this car has to agree to terms and conditions that allow Porsche the first right of refusal if they ever want to sell it. The new owner is also not allowed to drive it. Kind of strange, but it puts the new owner in more of a caretaker role than anything. The pre-sale estimate is between $1,500,000 and $2,250,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Gooding & Company.

Update: Not sold.

February 2016 Auction Highlights

Continuing with our Rétromobile coverage, we have RM Sotheby’s Paris sale. Our top-selling feature car was the 1896 Raynaud for $149,980 while the top sale overall was this 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB Coupe Aerodinamico by Pininfarina for $3,292,050.

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

All of our other feature cars sold, with the Abarth bringing $131,200, the Créanche $56,240, the Bardon $106,200, and the Vallée $93,700. Click here for more from RM.

The other major sale held in Paris in early February was that of Artcurial. The top sale was the staggering amount of money paid for the Ferrari 335 S: $35,075,200. That puts it #2 (currently) all-time on auction sales. Artcurial claims a record but puts an asterisk on it with something about it being the highest amount paid in Euros. Okay. Other million dollar sales included the Bugatti EB110 Race Car for $1,055,133 and the Ferrari Testarossa Spider for $1,355,870. The Bugatti EB112 failed to sell and a previously-featured Bugatti Brescia brought $400,683.

The five coachbuilt classics we featured all sold, with the Salmson bringing $207,019, the Delahaye $180,307, the Graham-Paige $186,985, the Talbot-Lago $293,834, and the Renault $86,814. Another coachbuilt car is our “most interesting:” this 1952 Delahaye 235 Coupe by Chapron for $333,903.

Photo - Artcurial

Photo – Artcurial

Another coachbuilt feature car, the Georges Irat, sold for $64,109. Rounding it out, the Sizaire-Naudin brought $133,561, the Facel Vega $560,968, and the Citroen half-track $40,068. Click here for full results.

Moving on, Christie’s James Bond sale saw the Aston Martin DB10 bring about $3,500,000. And next up, H&H Classics’ first sale of the year, where this 1959 Triumph TR3A was the top sale at $31,290.

Photo - H&H Classics

Photo – H&H Classics

Our featured Birchall McCoy brought $2,222. Click here for more results. And finally, for this post, we have the first half of Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro sale that saw a bunch of competition cars cross the block. We didn’t get to feature anything from here but this 1964 Ford Falcon FIA race car was the top seller at $93,640. Click here for full results and to see what’s still for sale.

Photo - Silverstone Auctions

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

OSCA S-273

1959 OSCA Tipo S-273

Offered by Gooding & Company | Amelia Island, Florida | March 11, 2016

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

O.S.C.A. was founded by the Maserati brothers after they left the company that bore their name. The company, whose initials stood for Officine Specializzate Costruzione Automobili – Fratelli Maserati S.pA., was set up in Bologna in 1947 and lasted through 1967. They built mostly racing cars although some road cars were available as well.

The S-273 originally came with a 1.1-liter four but this car had an engine swap before delivery to its first owner, Briggs Cunningham. The new engine is a 860cc straight-four making 75 horsepower (down 20 from the original). This was a Cunningham team car and as such competed in the following race:

  • 1960 12 Hours of Sebring – 56th, DNF (with Denise McCluggage and Marianne Windridge)

That was the final race for this car under Cunningham’s flag (it had earlier appearances in regional events). It then went to a privateer who continued to use it. It has been restored to its original Cunningham livery with the 860cc engine. This is a model that saw low production numbers and it should bring between $650,000-$800,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Update: Sold, Gooding & Company, Pebble Beach 2016, $605,000.

Update: Not sold, Gooding & Company, Pebble Beach 2019.

Maserati 8C 3000

1933 Maserati 8C 3000 Biposto

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 10, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Well here is a serious race car. Pre-war Maserati racers were some of the best in their day, competing head-to-head against the likes of Alfa Romeo and Bugatti. The Maserati Tipo 26M gave way to the 8C 2800. When their eight-cylinder engine was upped in capacity, the 8C 3000 was born in 1931. This is the fourth 8C 3000 built and it was built in 1932 for the 1933 season. The 8C 3000 was the final two-seater Grand Prix car Maserati built.

It’s powered by a 2.8-liter straight-eight engine, supercharged to make 220 horsepower. The crankcase for this car was discovered in the 1960s and later an axle was found (along with some other parts). The car is reconstructed of parts but is faithful to the original. There are two existing 8C 3000s that are more complete, but this is still a special car.

It’s one you can use in historic racing – or even on the road. It’s fast, powerful, light and it probably sounds glorious. No pre-sale estimate is being provided so it should be expensive. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,001,000.

Siata 300 BC

1953 Siata 300 BC Barchetta by Bertone

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Giorgio Ambrosini’s Siata somehow survived until 1970, but it was the 1950s where they made their mark. The first cars were modified Fiats and their first homemade model was the 1951 300 BC Barchetta.

The car is very light (as you can see, the tires look like they were stolen off a bicycle) and it’s powered by a 51 horsepower 1.1-liter Fiat straight-four. Earlier cars had Crosley motors. This model was aimed at Americans who needed an agile SCCA weapon.

This is car #38 of 40 that were bodied by Bertone (another handful or two were also built, some with bodies by Motto). It’s been in the U.S. since new and was first road-registered in 1989, having been primarily used for competition up to that point. For most of its life, it was driven twice a year to keep it running. It’s been repainted and the interior redone, but otherwise it’s largely original. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $198,000.

GT40 Mk I

1966 Ford GT40 Mk I

Offered by Gooding & Company | Amelia Island, Florida | March 11, 2016

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

The GT40 is the baddest car Ford ever built. It came into existence because Henry Ford II wanted to beat Ferrari. The cars were built in the U.K. and while the cars were initially designed for track dominance, Ford did build and sell road-going models.

The Mk I GT40 was the original design and they used a 4.7-liter V-8 making 390 horsepower. This particular car was built specifically for road use and was used by Ford as a promo vehicle in the Philadelphia area. The original invoice on this car was $10,000. In 1966. Yikes.

It’s had a number of owners on both sides of the Atlantic and was comprehensively restored in 2009. GT40 production numbers can be a little confusing but about 107 were built in total with about 87 of those being Mk I cars. And off those, only 31 were Mk I road cars. They always draw a crowd and road cars aren’t always easy to come by… this one should bring between $3,200,000-$3,600,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $3,300,000.

Porsche Hunting Car

1958 Porsche 597 Jagdwagen

Offered by Gooding & Company | Amelia Island, Florida | March 11, 2016

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

Jagdwagen is a German word that roughly means “hunting car” and it was a title applied to a handful of basic German machines built by the like of Isetta and Porsche, among others. After WWII, a couple of German companies vied for government contracts for military vehicles. Ultimately, DKW won out and the Porsche 597 was relegated to obscurity.

Powered by a 1.6-liter flat-four making 50 horsepower, it has four-wheel drive and is amphibious. While the car was intended to be used by the Army, most of the 597s built were for civilian use.

In fact, of the 71 total constructed, 49 were sold to the public, including this one that was bought new in California. The Prototype was built in 1953 and production lasted from 1955 through 1958, with this example being among the latter part of the production run. It is all-original – seat covers, top – everything. Jerry Seinfeld acquired it in 2010 and, thought to be one of 15 remaining, it should bring between $350,000-$425,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $330,000.

Birchall McCoy

1988 Birchall McCoy

Offered by H&H Classics | Donington Park, U.K. | February 24, 2016

Photo - H&H Classics

Photo – H&H Classics

Well, have you seen one of these? The Birchall McCoy was built by Birchall Automotive Ltd. They specialized in both Aston Martin restoration and service as well as kit cars – hand in hand, right? The BMC Mini was a ripe kit car platform – there were hundreds of kit cars based around the original Mini.

This car is actually related to the Clan Crusader as it was styled by the same person. But while the Crusader was based on the rear-engined Hillman Imp, the McCoy was based on the front-engined Mini. That engine is a 1.1-liter straight-four.

Birchall got out of the car business in 1990 and sold the design and company to someone else who renamed it. In all (kit and turn-key form), about 100 McCoy coupes were built. This is a one-owner car with about 32,000 miles on it. If you want something unusual, look no further. And for $2,600-$3,100 why not? Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $2,222.

1911 Packard Limousine

1911 Packard Model 30 Limousine

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Amelia Island, Florida | March 12, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

The Model 30 Packard was new for 1907 and lasted through 1912. It was their stalwart and most popular model. This particular car is listed as a “UEFR” – which likely means it was a 1912 model – but production of the UE series Model 30s actually began in the summer of 1911. Make of that what you will.

It is powered by a 7.1-liter straight-four putting out about 60 horsepower. Eight body styles were offered for 1911 and this open-drive Limousine was among the most expensive, costing its owner approximately $5,450 when new. This car was sold new to a lady in New Orleans where it remained until 1947.

In 1947 the car was in the possession of the chauffeur of the original owner and he traded the machine to a 19-year-old college student for a bottle of whiskey. Yeah. Good luck making that deal today. That 19-year-old, exhibiting a case of “what you don’t know can’t hurt you” drove the car back to Houston from the French Quarter. It’s been in Texas since and has never been restored but has been used gently over the years. It’s an amazing survivor. Only 1,250 “UE” Model 30s were built and the Limousine is rare. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $137,500.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Hershey 2018, $71,500.

Polish Station Wagon

1987 FSO 125P Kombi

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | March 2, 2016

Photo - Brightwells

Photo – Brightwells

There are million dollar Porsches and Ferraris available at upcoming auctions but we’re featuring this car because it is interesting and you never see them. Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych (uh, I think I spelled that right), was a Polish auto manufacturer that existed between 1951 (when they were founded by the Polish government) and 2011. The last 20 years were spent as more of a factory as the FSO brand disappeared with the removal of the Iron Curtain.

In the mid-1950s, the Polish government got the license to build Fiats and did so under the Polski-Fiat brand name. The Polski-Fiat 125p was built from 1967 until 1983. Beginning in ’83, the brand name for that model became FSO and it lasted through 1991. Other FSO models were available as well. This car features a top-of-the-line 1.5-liter straight-four making 75 horsepower. It is in Kombi, or wagon, form. A sedan and pick-up were also offered.

While this may just seem like a used Soviet-era family station wagon, it is actually offered out of a museum and is in very good shape for its age. Cars wearing FSO badges are still out there, but most aren’t this nice. It’s not likely to bring much money but whoever gets it will have a little Cold War time capsule. Click here for more info and here for more from Brightwells.

Update: $1,700.