Monthly Archives: November 2019

Agera R

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2014 Koenigsegg Agera R

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. | November 30, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Agera was Koenigsegg’s second model, a follow up to the long-lived CC line of cars. It was introduced in 2011, and production started the following year on the Agera R, which was an updated version of the brand-new model. It lasted through 2014, although other versions of the Agera remained in production through 2018.

The R is powered by a twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 that was tuned to produce 1,124 horsepower. That power figure is attained on running E85. On regular pump gas, power drops to just 947 horsepower. The car can hit 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and is supposedly capable of 273 mph.

Only 18 examples of the Agera R were built. This particular car is one of two finished in blue carbon fiber. And it’s the first car I’ve seen with an estimate of $2,000,000-$2,500,000 to make note of its Carfax report in the auction catalog. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,356,250.

Ferrari 456 Spider

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1995 Ferrari 456 GT Straman Spider

Offered by Worldwide Auctioneers | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | November 23, 2019

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

The Ferrari 456 was Ferrari’s sensible four-seater that was produced between 1992 and 2003. They have aged well, and I quite like them. What Ferrari did not do was produce a convertible. Yet here we are.

Convertibles, wagons, sedans, and targas were all produced off of the 456 by aftermarket manufacturers. In this case, the R. Straman Company of California produced approximately three drop-top versions of the car. This one is believed to have been owned by Mike Tyson.

It is powered by a 556 horsepower, supercharged 5.5-liter V12. That supercharger is not stock. It’s the perfect car for some rich dude in the Middle East, which is where this is being offered by Worldwide Auctioneers. You can read more about it here and see more from this sale here.

TVR Griffith 500

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1997 TVR Griffith 500

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | November 27, 2019

Photo – Brightwells

The Griffith is a storied name in TVR history, and it was originally launched by Jack Griffith in the U.S. The idea was simple: stuff a V8 in a TVR Grantura and create a monster. The Griffith Series 200, 400, and 600 were built throughout the early and mid-1960s. They were sold as TVRs in the U.K.

In 1991, TVR introduced the Griffith 500. A range of engines were available, and this car has the best one: a Cosworth-developed 5.0-liter V8. It was rated at 340 horsepower and could hit 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. That was really fast in the 1990s. Especially in this price range.

This generation of the Griffith represents some serious, devilish fun. In all, 2,351 examples of the Griffith 500 were built through 2002. This one should bring between $25,000-$27,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Aerocar

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1954 Aerocar

Offered by Barrett-Jackson | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 11-19, 2020

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

We’ve been promised flying cars for a long time. Well, Moulton Taylor and his company, Aerocar International, tried to make that promise come true back in 1949 when they introduced the Aerocar. It’s the first – and so far, only – road and air-legal vehicle ever produced. Six examples were constructed. They all still exist, but they don’t all still fly.

Power is from a 5.2-liter Lycoming flat-four that makes 150 horsepower. The top speed on land was 60 mph, while 110 mph was attainable in the air. As you can see above, the “car” portion of the vehicle was a bean-shaped thing with no fenders. It towed a very conspicuous trailer consisting of the propeller (it’s a pusher), wings, and a tail that you would have to attach in order to take flight (apparently it takes about half an hour to do). No word on how many people it takes to actually get that done in 30 minutes.

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

Aerocars are almost always “for sale” with ridiculous asking prices. It’ll be interesting to see what this actually sells for, as it is crossing the block at no reserve. You can read more about it here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $275,000.

Zonda Aether

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2017 Pagani Zonda Aether

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. | November 30, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Pagani Zonda was first introduced in 1999. It seems like forever ago. And it was. The first chassis has already gone through a restoration. It’s successor, the Huayra, went on sale in 2012. But Horacio Pagani kept producing limited-edition (mostly one-off) Zondas for customers through 2017.

This car, which is the 131st of 140 Zondas built, was special-ordered by a private customer. It’s based on the Zonda Cinque but has some different parts and is one of Pagani’s “760-Series” Zondas, which are all bespoke, one-off creations (and some of them, which are still being constructed, are actually built using earlier Zondas as donor cars).

Power is from a 749 horsepower 7.3-liter V12. It was delivered in 2018 to its first owner, who is now selling it. I guess customizing a supercar can only hold your interest for so long. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $6,812,500.

October 2019 Auction Highlights, Pt. II

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We pick up in October with Artcurial, where a rough sell-through rate had this backdated 1980 Porsche 911 sell for $158,875 – more than anything else in the sale. The Simca cabriolet we featured brought $32,210. Full results can be found here.

Photo – Artcurial

Next up is Mecum’s Chicago sale. A previously-featured Delahaye failed to sell here again, and the Atterbury truck brought $77,000. The big seller here was this 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 429 Fastback. It sold for $275,000. More results are available here.

Photo – Mecum

Bonhams’ London-to-Brighton sale is one of our favorites. The 1901 Panhard we featured was the top sale at $573,410. Other sales included the Bartholomew for $25,254, the De Dion Model Y for $74,468, and the MMC for $290,428. We will award Most Interesting to this 1903 Oldsmobile Model R Curved Dash Runabout that sold for $49,149.

Photo – Bonhams

A previously-featured 1899 Star sold for $178,725, along with a Phoenix Tricar at $40,213 and a Bruneau Quadricycle at $53,617. The Peugeot Bebe failed to sell. Complete results can be found here.

Osenat’s October sale saw our featured Flipper fail to find a new home. But that didn’t stop this 1981 Ferrari 308 GTSi from going home with its new owner for $64,791. Click here for more results.

Photo – Osenat

Mecum’s tractor auction in Davenport, Iowa, in November also featured a whole day of classic trucks, the most expensive of which was this 1934 Ford Roadster Pickup at $104,500.

Photo – Mecum

The Fordson prototype brought $90,750, and the Erskine failed to sell. More results are available here.

Zagato Raptor

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1996 Zagato Raptor Concept

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. | November 30, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Sometimes design houses will build concept cars on behalf of a manufacturer. ItalDesign used to do it, along with Pininfarina and even Zagato, as was the case here. It was built in conjunction with Lamborghini and was ultimately intended to slot in Lambo’s model lineup below the Diablo.

Only one functional prototype was built (this car), and it borrows the Diablo VT‘s chassis and all-wheel-drive system. Power is from a 5.7-liter V12, and the car weighed significantly less than the one it was based on, thanks to carbon-fiber bodywork and a lack of doors. That’s right, the entire front section, windshield included, flips forward to allow entrance to the two-seat cabin.

It debuted at the 1996 Geneva Motor Show and was acquired by its current owner in 2000. The car was last shown and driven in 2008. You can see more about it here, and see more from RM here.

Update: Sold $1,086,250.

Panhard Tigre

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1963 Panhard PL 17 Tigre Cabriolet

Offered by Aguttes | Lyon, France | November 9, 2019

Photo – Aguttes

The PL 17 was Panhard’s follow-up to the Dyna Z, a mid-size front-wheel-drive car that was sold between 1954 and 1959. The PL 17 was offered between 1959 and 1965 and could’ve been had as a sedan, wagon, or cabriolet.

The “Tigre” represented the more powerful of the two engine options. It was a 50 horsepower, 851cc flat-twin. The engine was mounted up front and drove the front wheels. This 1963 model received some of the revisions brought by Panhard for 1962, including a padded dashboard and more comfortable seats.

The cabriolet was cut from the lineup in June 1963, and only about 400 had been produced up to that point. This car is one of just 125 built for the model year. Restored in 2016, the car is expected to bring a healthy $67,000-$90,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Fordson Truck

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1926 Fordson Prototype

Offered by Mecum | Davenport, Iowa | November 7, 2019

Photo – Mecum

Early Ford trucks were based on the Model T. They usually had a dually rear axle and some other changes, but the relation to the T was pretty obvious. They were even called the TT. The vehicle you see here was the first Ford heavy-duty truck. It’s a two-ton chassis, and it was built under the Fordson brand.

Fordson was a brand of tractors marketed by the Ford Motor Company between 1917 and 1964. The name also appeared on some light commercial vehicles in the U.K. The truck is powered by a Fordson tractor engine and transmission. The way it is packaged makes it looks like it completely lacks an engine, with the radiator mounted behind the front axle.

This was the only example of the Fordson two-ton truck that was actually delivered to a customer. It eventually made its way to the Harrah Collection and has been privately owned since 1983. Mecum has been making a big deal of it, which is the star of the show at this sale. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $90,750.

Ballot Sedan

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1929 Ballot RH3 Sedan

Offered by Osenat | Chassieu, France | November 10, 2019

Photo – Osenat

Edouard Ballot got his start building engines. He even worked with Ettore Bugatti early in Bugatti’s career. Maurice Ballot later joined his brother, and Etablissements Ballot SA was formed in 1910. Engines were their main business until 1919 when they started building cars.

The company went racing right off the bat, competing in the 1919 Indy 500, as well as the Targa Florio, French Grand Prix, and more. More luxury-oriented cars followed, including the 1927 Type RH, which became the RH3 in 1929. The engine is a 3.0-liter inline-eight. This one was sold new in Marseilles and carries a fabric sedan body, which may be from Weymann.

Ballots are around but aren’t very common – especially those with big engines and nice coachwork. This example should sell for between $70,000-$90,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $79,374.