Monthly Archives: January 2020

Two Prototype Racers

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Two Prototype Racers

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 7, 2020

1974 ToJ SS02

Photo – Artcurial

ToJ was a racing team founded by driver Jorg Obermosser. They were most famous for their prototype sports cars and Formula Two/Three single-seaters. This sale features three of their sports racers from the 1970s. The team was in existence between 1974 and 1990.

This was the team’s first sports prototype, and it was developed using Obermosser’s previous GRD-BMW S73 prototype as a launching point. This car is powered by a 2.0-liter BMW inline-four. It never made it to Le Mans, but it did contest the European 2-Litre Championship. It’s the only survivor of two built and should bring between $300,000-$315,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

1967 Serenissima 3000SP Prototipo

Photo – Artcurial

Last year at this sale, Artcurial sold three extremely rare Serenissima cars, including a race car. And this year they are featuring another of Giovanni Volpi’s rarities. This is one of two other Serenissima cars that still exist.

It was built in 1967 using a McLaren chassis and 3.0-liter V8. Originally featuring a closed-cockpit fiberglass body, the car was reworked for the 1969 season and fitted with the steel body you see here. Unfortunately, this new look proved unstable at high speed.

It was restored two years ago by Volpi’s original chief mechanic and should now sell for between $1,100,000-$1,500,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $990,226.

Countach 25th Anniversary

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1990 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Stoneleigh Park, U.K. | February 22-23, 2020

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

It’s amazing that the car shown above and this Diablo were sold by the same company in the same year (yeah, that Diablo is a ’91, but they made the same car in ’90 too). What is perhaps even crazier is that this is the final iteration of this Countach. Sure, you can see the similarities, but they are vastly different cars, styling-wise.

The original Countach was a streamlined Italian masterpiece. By the late 1970s, things started to get a little boxy. And by the 1980s, things were certainly box-ified, with side strakes, rear wings, and other add-ons that really made them hot in their day.

In 1988, Lambo debuted the 25th Anniversary Countach, which would be produced until the end of Countach production in 1990 (27th Anniversary?). The styling was updated by Horacio Pagani. It was popular – the most popular Countach, in fact, with 657 examples produced. This one doesn’t have a rear wing and is finished in a Miura Orange, which was specially-ordered for this car.

Power is from a 5.2-liter V12 capable of 449 horsepower. It made for the quickest Countach: able to hit 60 in 4.5 seconds on the way to a 185-mph top end. This one-owner example would be a great addition to any supercar collection. And it’s the only one in this color. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Alfa 6C 2300 Pescara Worblaufen

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1938 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 B Pescara Cabriolet by Worblaufen

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 7, 2020

Photo – Artcurial

The Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 was introduced in 1934 and was updated to “B” specification in 1935. That car remained in production through 1938. Different models were offered from the factory, many of which ended up with coachbuilt bodies. The 2300 B Pescara was sold from 1935 through 1938. Only 120 were produced.

This car was bodied by Worblaufen of Switzerland and was first shown at the 1938 Geneva Motor Show. The car was restored by a previous owner in 1983 and has since held up very well.

Power is from by a 2.3-liter inline-six good for 95 horsepower. This pre-war European beauty is expected to sell for between $725,000-$825,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Artcurial.

Update: Not sold.

Toyota TF108 Roller

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2008 Toyota TF108

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 6, 2020

Photo – Bonhams

Toyota competed as a constructor in Formula One between 2002 and 2009. And it did not go well. Despite dumping an untold fortune into the endeavor, they never won a race. They finished second five times, however, including once in 2008 using a TF108 chassis.

Not this chassis, though, because it is an engine-less show car. It was the fifth TF108 chassis built and, had it been a race car, it would’ve been powered by a 2.4-liter V8. Toyota’s 2008 drivers were Timo Glock and Jarno Trulli.

This show car is from Toyota’s penultimate year in F1 and would be a cool piece in any collection. It would also make for a great simulator base. It is expected to fetch between $67,000-$89,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $90,823.

1922 Rolland-Pilain

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1922 Rolland-Pilain Type R Torpedo

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 7, 2020

Photo – Artcurial

Rolland-Pilain, perhaps not surprisingly, was founded by two guys. One of them was Francois Rolland, the other Emile Pilain. The company popped up in Tours, France, in 1905 and sauntered on through 1932, after the owners lost control of the business in 1926. The last cars rolled off the line in 1927.

This example is exactly what I picture when I think of this marque. It’s a slim, long, very French touring car. Power is from a 2.3-liter inline-four rated at 12 horsepower. This is the factory body, and the car features factory hydraulic brakes.

Rolland-Pilain cars were built for a while, and there are a number of them still around. This one will cost someone between $33,000-$55,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $25,575.

Pegaso Z-102 Cabriolet

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1952 Pegaso Z-102 Cabriolet

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 6, 2020

Photo – Bonhams

The Pegaso Z-102 is Spain’s most dramatic automobile. Produced between 1951 and 1958, the car sold just 84 copies, many of which ended up with beautiful coachbuilt bodies. We’ve featured three of them to this point, including a convertible.

This drop-top Z-102 looks a little more restrained, and that’s probably because it was bodied by the factory. And that is because this is a factory prototype that was displayed at the 1955 Paris Motor Show. It is powered by the earliest of Z-102 engines: a 2.5-liter V8 that makes 165 horsepower. The 2.8-liter version was more popular, and later cars had a 3.2-liter unit.

This is one of five factory prototypes and the only prototype cabriolet. The current owner purchased the car in 2019 and is the car’s third owner from new. The factory body, while more plain than the Saoutchik cars, is still fantastic. This car should bring between $890,000-$1,300,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $782,089.

Spyker C8 Laviolette

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2008 Spyker C8 Laviolette

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Paris, France | February 5, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

A silver Spyker with an orange leather interior. Yep. I’ll take two. The Laviolette version of Spyker’s C8 was introduced in 2001, a year after the original Spyder was released. What differentiated the cars were their roofs.

The Laviolette features a fixed roof with a built-in air intake to feed the rear-mounted 4.2-liter Audi V8. Power was rated at 395 horsepower. The original short-wheelbase Laviolette was produced up until 2009, and this is one of the final examples of the model.

It was also an ex-factory demonstrator. With three owners since new, including Spyker themselves, this one will hopefully find a new home at RM’s Paris sale. More info can be found here, and more from this sale is available here. Also, just because it is so damned pretty, the interior of this car:

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Update: Sold $267,386.

Mercedes-Benz SS

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1929 Mercedes-Benz SS 27/140/200 Sport Tourer by Fernandez & Darrin

Offered by Artcurial | Paris, France | February 7, 2020

Photo – Artcurial

Before there was the S-Class, there was the S-Series, which started with the Model S, which was a nice, big car introduced by Mercedes-Benz in 1926. This line of cars was responsible for the best Mercedes cars before things like the 540K rolled out.

It was topped by the SS in 1928, as shown here. This car is believed to wear a body from Fernandez and Darrin and was sold new in New York. Three versions of the SS were offered between 1928 and 1934. This is an example of the early, entry-level model, which is powered by a supercharged 7.1-liter straight-six that made 140 horsepower in normal mode and 200 with the supercharger engaged. This power rating was only available through 1930.

Things got even more intense with the SSK, but that’s another story for another day. Only 111 examples of the SS were built, and this example should bring between $6,500,000-$8,750,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Artcurial.

Update: Not sold.

Gemballa Mirage

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2005 Gemballa Mirage GT

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Paris, France | February 5, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Okay, so maybe labeling this car as a Gemballa and not a Porsche is giving Gemballa a little too much credit. It’s a Porsche Carrera GT… with some subtle mods and some not-so-subtle paint. Visual modifications include Gemballa wheels, a roof-mounted air intake, and relocation of the reverse lights.

Mechanical modifications aren’t all that extreme considering what some people do to supercars. A freer-flowing exhaust system, a revised intake system, an adjustable coil-over suspension, and a Gemballa clutch were also added. These things added 40 horsepower to the output of the 5.7-liter V10 for a new rating of 645 horsepower.

This is one of three “Gold Edition” Mirages, and I think what that means is pretty self-explanatory. Only 25 Mirage GTs were built. That accounts for 2% of all Carrera GT production. It’s had just one owner, who also happens to be an Olympic gold medal-winning soccer player. You can see more here and more from RM in Paris here.

Update: Not sold.

Bugatti Type 39 Grand Prix

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1925 Bugatti Type 39 Grand Prix

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 6, 2020

Photo – Bonhams

The Bugatti Type 39 is part of the Type 35 series and is very similar to the Type 35C. The main exception was the engine, which in this car was a 1.5-liter straight-eight. The cars were successful in competition upon their debut, taking the top four spots in their first race (this one was third).

This particular car was a factory racer that went to Australia under a privateer banner in 1926. It suffered a series of engine failures in the 1920s and then bounced between a number of owners leading up to and after WWII. It has since been completely restored.

I’ve always thought that Grand Prix Bugattis were too cheap. This car carries an estimate of $1,200,000-$1,600,000… which is a little less inexpensive. After all, only 10 Type 39s were built. You can see more about this one here, and see more from Bonhams here.

Update: Not sold.