Saurer M4

1954 Saurer MH4 Mannschaftstranporter

Offered by Oldtimer Galerie | Toffen, Switzerland | March 30, 2019

Photo – Oldtimer Galerie

We haven’t featured a military vehicle in some time, so I thought this slightly Axis-esque troop transporter would be a good fit. It was built by the Swiss company Saurer, a truck and bus manufacturer that existed between 1903 and 1982.

The MH4, as it was known to Saurer, or M4, as it was known to the Swiss army, was a troop transporter used between 1945 and 1985. Quite a long time, but I guess the Swiss really aren’t fighting that many wars, now are they?

Power here is from a 5.8-liter inline-four that should make about 75 horsepower and a lot more torque. They topped out at a little over 40 mph. You aren’t likely to run into another one when you’re out at the hardware store or toting the entire soccer team around. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

1989 Larrousse F1

1989 Lola-Lamborghini LC89

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | April 7, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

Larrousse Formula One was an F1 team founded by Gerard Larrousse and Didier Calmels in 1987. Based in Paris, the team used Lola chassis through 1991 and switched to Venturi-branded chassis for 1992. Their final two seasons, 1993 and 1994, they used cars designed in-house.

This car, LC89 chassis number 03, was a Lola-built car powered by a 3.5-liter Lamborghini V-12 capable of 600 horsepower. The engine was unreliable and 1989 was a disaster for the team, failing to qualify for or finish a majority of the races that year. The race history for this chassis includes:

  • 1989 US Grand Prix – 26th, DNF (with Philippe Alliot)
  • 1989 Canadian Grand Prix – 14th (with Alliot)
  • 1989 French Grand Prix – 11th (with Eric Bernard)
  • 1989 British Grand Prix – 16th (with Bernard)
  • 1989 Hungarian Grand Prix – 23rd, DNF (with Michele Alboreto)
  • 1989 Belgian Grand Prix – 20th, DNF (with Alboreto)
  • 1989 Italian Grand Prix – 23rd, DNF (with Alboreto)
  • 1989 Portuguese Grand Prix – 11th (with Alboreto)
  • 1990 US Grand Prix – 16th, DNF (with Aguri Suzuki)
  • 1990 Brazilian Grand Prix – 21st, DNF (with Suzuki)

In addition to those races, it also failed to qualify for a few races, including the 1989 Mexican, Spanish, Japanese, and Australian Grands Prix. The car has been on museum duty for quite a while and is missing and ECU and some engine internals. Otherwise, it should sell for between $180,000-$220,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Not sold.

Two Microcars

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | March 29-30, 2019


1965 Goggomobil TS300 Cabriolet

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Goggomobil was built by Hans Glas GmbH between 1955 and 1969. There were a number of different models offered, with the TS coupe model available in TS250 or TS300 form.

They are powered by a 15 horsepower, 293cc 2-stroke twin. The cabriolet is very rare, with only seven examples produced. This former museum car carries a pre-sale estimate of $35,000-$45,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $20,350.


1958 Biscuter 200-1 Furgoneta

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Biscuter was a microcar built by Autonacional of Spain. It is a descendant of Gabriel Voisin‘s post-war Biscooter French microcar. Different models were available, including the Pegasin sports car and this Furgoneta commercial van.

Power here is from a 197cc 2-stroke single-cylinder making a whopping nine horsepower. It’s wearing a wrap, which is an interesting thing to do to a classic car. Not many examples remain, and this one sports some pretty awesome wood work. It should bring between $20,000-$30,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $4,675.

Biscuter Furgoneta

1958 Biscuter 200-1 Furgoneta

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | March 29-30, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Biscuter was a microcar built by Autonacional of Spain. It is a descendant of Gabriel Voisin‘s post-war Biscooter French microcar. Different models were available, including the Pegasin sports car and this Furgoneta commercial van.

Power here is from a 197cc 2-stroke single-cylinder making a whopping nine horsepower. It’s wearing a wrap, which is an interesting thing to do to a classic car. Not many examples remain, and this one sports some pretty awesome wood work. It should bring between $20,000-$30,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $4,675.

Trumbull Cyclecar

1915 Trumbull 15B Cyclecar

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | April 7, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

The Trumbull Motor Car Company of Bridgeport, Connecticut, was founded by brothers Alexander and Isaac Trumbull. They bought the rights to a cyclecar designed by Harry J. Stoops and put it into production in Connecticut in 1914.

Power is from an inline-four engine making 14/18 horsepower. Cyclecars gained a bad reputation in the US, so Trumbull found success overseas, selling 3/4 of their cars in Europe and Australia.

Sadly, Isaac Trumbull was aboard the Lusitania when it was torpedoed in 1915 – along with 20 Trumbull cars. After his death, the company was closed. This rare example should bring between $26,000-$33,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Update: Not sold, Bonhams Beaulieu 2019.

1908 Columbia Electric

1908 Columbia Mark LXX Victoria Phaeton

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | April 7, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

There were a few Columbia-branded automobiles in the early days of motoring, including this car made by the Columbia Automobile Company of Hartford, Connecticut. Columbia was actually founded by Albert Pope, who built a number of other cars. They offered electric and gasoline-powered cars from 1903 through 1911, with a smattering of both available from 1897 and gasonline-only cars until 1913.

This 1908 model was wildly outdated by 1908 standards, carrying a body more appropriate for something from 1901. The Mark LXX Victoria Phaeton body was one of at least four body styles offered on Columbia’s electric motor-powered chassis in 1908.

Costing $1,600 when new, this car currently carries a pre-sale estimate of $39,000-$65,000. It’s a pretty rare example – and it sports white tires, which is always a plus. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $76,661.

D’Yrsan Cyclecar

1928 D’Yrsan Three-Wheeler

Offered by Osenat | Fontainebleau, France | March 23, 2019

Photo – Osenat

D’Yrsan was a manufacturer of small cyclecars that was founded in 1923 by Raymond Siran de Cavanac. The company built three and four-wheeled light cars and remained in business through 1930. They even entered a car in the 1929 24 Hours of Le Mans. It did not do well.

A 972cc Ruby inline-four is mounted up front and requires a hand-cranked start to get going. The car has chain drive powering the lone rear wheel. The bodywork is interesting, as the driver sits slightly forward of the passenger, and the rear of the car tapers to a nice point. Do not rear end this car, or you will be speared.

This example was sold new by the company’s British importer and was recently restored. Only 530 three-wheeled cars were built by D’Yrsan (and only 50 four-wheelers). This one actually looks really nice and should bring between $40,000-$50,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $58,610.

Esprit V8

1999 Lotus Esprit V8

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | March 29-30, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

This is the best Lotus. Okay, well it’s at least my favorite Lotus. And it’s in the best color, with the best wheels. The Esprit debuted in 1975 for the ’76 model year, and the above car is a Series 4 example – which was actually the fifth iteration of the model.

The S4 was built between 1993 and 2004, and damn if they aren’t just great-looking sports cars – especially in Yellow Pearl. In 1996, the company decided to stop screwing around with lousy four-cylinder engines and finally stuffed a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 in there. It was good for 350 horsepower. It could do 175 mph.

This 37,000-mile example carries a pre-sale estimate of $60,000-$70,000 – which seems steep – and it is one of 1,237 V8 models built. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $50,600.

1898 Delahaye

1898 Delahaye Type 0

Offered by Osenat | Fontainebleau, France | March 23, 2019

Photo – Osenat

Emile Delahaye founded his car company in 1894 in Tours, France. The car we have here is one of the earliest Delahayes in existence and is believed to be one of the earliest Type 0 examples produced in 1898.

The Type 0 was available from 1898 through 1901, and 250 examples were produced. It is powered by a 1.4-liter single-cylinder engine making somewhere between five and seven horsepower. It was capable of 22 mph.

Only four examples of the Type 0 are known to exist, and this is the only one with this style of bodywork. Remarkably, the original owner is known, as is its history since, which included a long museum stay. That’s exactly what most cars of this era have become: museum pieces. It would be great if the next owner would get it out for vintage road rallies. It should cost between $115,000-$170,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $175,157.

Bristol 406

1961 Bristol 406

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | March 20, 2019

Photo – H&H Classics

The Bristol 404 and 405 were a 2-door coupe or a 4-door sedan/2-door convertible, respectively. In 1958, they gave way to this, the 2-door 406 coupe. Naturally, it would be replaced by the 407 in 1961.

The 406 was the final Bristol to use the, by then, antiquated BMW-based 2.2-liter straight-six. While the engine was larger than in previous models, the power output was unchanged at 105 horsepower, which left the Bristol in the dust of most of its competitors. So the company had to make up for it in luxury and engineering. For instance, it was one of the first cars to receive 4-wheel disc brakes.

The 406 is not all that rare by Bristol standards, with a whopping 174 units produced in its short production run. This nice example is selling at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from H&H Classics.

Update: Sold $44,045.