Monthly Archives: March 2020

Jensen CV8 Mk II

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1963 Jensen CV8 Mk II

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | March 18, 2020

Photo – H&H Classics

The CV8 was produced by Jensen between 1962 and 1966. It was the replacement for the earlier 541 and was eventually succeeded by the Interceptor (the boxy one, not the super rare earlier one). The CV8 is a two-door, four-seater. And it was one of the fastest cars in its class thanks to its big American V8.

Three different series were offered, and this Mk II example was upgraded over earlier cars with some styling tweaks and an electronically adjustable rear suspension. It’s powered by a 5.9-liter Chrysler V8 that made around 315 horsepower.

Beginning in 1964, the cars got larger engines making more power. Only 250 examples of the Mk II were built, and this one is an ex-factory demonstrator. It should now sell for between $49,000-$54,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $46,980.

Puch 500 GE

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1993 Puch 500 GE

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Essen, Germany | March 26-27, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The civilian version of the Mercedes-Benz Geländeagen was introduced in 1979 and remains in production today looking pretty much the same. Up until 2000, the trucks were sold in Austria (and a few select other European markets) under the Puch brand.

The G-Wagen was updated in 1990, and the first V8-powered variant was introduced in 1993. It was called the 500 GE. Only 446 were produced between 1993 and 1994. Power is from a 5.0-liter V8 good for 237 horsepower. The V8 wouldn’t reappear until 1998. And, of course, MB would drop much larger, more powerful engines in these later on.

Of those 446 500 GEs, only three were Puch-branded, with this being the first. It’s finished in a great color and features a very ostentatious Puch badge on the front grille. Sure, this truck may be a footnote in the world of Mercedes vehicles, but that’s kind of what makes it interesting. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

February 2020 Auction Highlights

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Before we dive back into February, we need to backtrack to Worldwide Auctioneers in Scottsdale. The top sale was this 1936 Auburn 852 SC Boattail Speedster for $880,000.

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

The Duesenberg we featured sold for $605,000, and a previously-featured Chrysler concept car brought $742,500. The Bertone Mantide failed to sell. More results can be found here.

Onward to February and RM Sotheby’s in Paris. Top sale here? Well, this 1958 BMW 507 Series II went for $2,162,108.

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Hispano-Suiza and Gemballa Mirage failed to sell, but this previously-featured Isotta Fraschini sold for $267,386. Other sales included the Dyna-Veritas ($75,978) and the Spyker C8 ($267,386). Click here for final results.

Artcurial also had a sale during Retromobile, and the big Mercedes and Alfa Romeos we featured both failed to sell. Top sale territory was cornered by Ferrari, and this 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB sold for $2,753,831. The 126 C3 F1 car we featured brought $1,583,200.

Photo – Artcurial

The DB HBR4 sold for $190,176, the Rolland-Pilain $25,575, and the Serenissima $990,226. The ToJ did not sell. Click here for more results.

The results of Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro sale included this 1964 Aston Martin DB5 that brought $918,184, more than anything else in the sale. The Countach we featured failed to sell, and more results are available here.

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

And finally, for this round, we have Brightwells Leominster Classic & Vintage Cars sale. The TVR we featured failed to sell, and the overall top sale was this 1988 Porsche 911 Turbo for $109,611.

Photos – Brightwells

The Fordson pickup sold for $11,835. More results can be found here.

Marcos 1800GT

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1965 Marcos 1800GT

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | March 29, 2020

Photo – Bonhams

Just a few weeks ago we featured another model from the Marcos GT line of cars: the Marcos 1500GT. So what’s the difference? Well, for starters, the 1800GT was the first of the company’s GT cars. It was introduced in 1964 and was built for two years until the 1500GT took over.

The 1800GT was introduced with a plywood chassis and a 1.8-liter Volvo inline-four that originally made 96 horsepower. This car, converted to competition spec, has a rebuilt engine that is said to make 157 horsepower.

This car is historic racing eligible and is one of only 100 built. The pre-sale estimate here is $45,000-$58,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Glas S 1004

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1964 Glas S 1004 Coupe

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Essen, Germany | March 26-27, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Hans Glas GmbH was an independent automobile manufacturer based in Dingolfing, Germany. The company was about a century old when it built the Goggomobil before releasing its first Glas-branded car in the late 1950s. The Glas “04” was built between 1962 and 1968, and Glas was purchased by BMW in 1966.

Three different engine levels were offered, with this car carrying the smallest available: a 992cc inline-four making 41 horsepower. The S 104 featured a steel monocoque and was offered as a two-door coupe, cabriolet, and four-door sedan.

This coupe has been restored and is one of 40,703 produced across all engine sizes. It will sell at no reserve. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Germany.

Update: Sold $13,573.

Fiberfab Jamaican

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1959 Fiberfab Jamaican

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | March 29, 2020

Photo – Bonhams

Calm down, Austin-Healey lovers. This car started life as a 1959 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk I. Bonhams lists it as an Austin-Healey with “coachwork by Fiberfab,” which is a fancy way to say this big Healey wears a fiberglass body produced in California in the late 1960s, which is roughly when this car was re-bodied.

The engine is a 2.9-liter inline-six that has been rebuilt and tuned to an impressive 285 horsepower. This thing will scoot. Which is good, because it is being marketed as a historic competition car.

The Jamaican was Fiberfab’s best-looking product, and to see one fitted to a Healey is kind of rare. Many were placed on TR3/4, MGA, or even Volkswagen underpinnings. This one is expected to bring between $58,000-$71,000, which might seem like a lot for what some would consider a fiberglass kit car, but a big portion of that estimate is for the car underneath. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Facel Vega Facellia Cabriolet

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1961 Facel Vega Facellia Cabriolet

Offered by Aguttes | Paris, France | March 15, 2020

Photo – Aguttes

Facel S.A. was a French company that got its start building aircraft components. From there they turned to furniture and then automobile bodies. Finally, in 1954, Facel Vega was founded to build complete automobiles. They were like a small, independent, French version of Alfa Romeo. Their cars were luxurious, expensive, and exclusive.

The Facellia first appeared in 1960. It was like a French alternative to the Mercedes-Benz 190SL. A small, sporty car. A new one would’ve fun about $4,000 in the U.S. at the time. The Facellia was produced from 1960 through 1963.

Coupes and cabriolets were offered, with the convertibles coming first. Power was from a 1.6-liter inline-four good for 115 horsepower, but the engines were built in-house by Facel, instead of earlier cars that used Chrysler V8s. This was the car’s undoing.

Pretty much every car had to have its engine replaced under warranty, which ruined Facel’s reputation and ate most of their cash. By mid-1961, a fix was in place for the F2 series of cars, but the company was gone by 1964. In all, 1,045 examples of the Facellia were produced. This one should bring between $43,000-$54,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $74,345.

Diablo SE30

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1996 Lamborghini Diablo SE30

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Essen, Germany | March 26-27, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Lamborghini Diablo was introduced in 1990, and by 1993 they were already offering different submodels and special editions. One such special edition was the SE30, which was launched to celebrate the marque’s 30th anniversary.

While the car shared the same engine, a 5.7-liter V12, it did receive a power increase to 523 horsepower. It was lighter than the stock version and featured rear-wheel drive. There were exterior revisions as well, including a deeper rear spoiler, a re-done front end, and side strakes. It got carbon fiber seats, a fire-suppression system, and racing harnesses inside.

Only 150 were built, and deliveries actually began in 1994. This one was sold new in Austria in 1996, thus why it is listed as a ’96, and it is finished in Titanium instead of the normal SE30 lavender metallic. Fifteen of the 150 were later converted to Jota specification, which made them even more extreme. Click here for more info on this car and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $259,136.

Belgian “Can-Am” Car

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1967 Méan Can-Am

Offered by Historics Auctioneers | Ascot Racecourse, U.K. | March 7, 2020

Photo – Historics Auctioneers

Méan Motor Engineering was a Belgian company that produced some race cars and some road cars. It was founded by Jacques D’Heur in Liege in 1966. The company’s name changed in 1971, and it closed up in 1974.

This race car was built in 1967 and is powered by a 1.2-liter NSU inline-four. It’s called a “Can-Am” but there is no evidence that the car actually competed in the Can-Am series in North America. It does have FIA papers and is eligible for historic events.

Méan road cars are exceptionally rare, and their racers even more so. This fiberglass road race car should bring between $36,000-$44,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $36,928.

Porsche 356B by Beutler

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1961 Porsche 356B Super Coupe by Beutler

Offered by Gooding & Company | Amelia Island, Florida | March 6, 2020

Photo – Gooding & Company

The 356B was built by Porsche between 1960 and 1963 and featured styling and technical advances compared to earlier cars. This particular example is one of five constructed by Beutler of Switzerland. It’s… bookish.

Power is from a 1.6-liter flat-four good for 75 horsepower. Design cues for this four-seat coupe include a larger greenhouse and a flat rear deck, both striking features when compared to the standard, quite round, 356. The two-tone paint is also a win.

This is believed to be the one that Beutler showed at the 1960 Geneva Motor Show. The rare coachbuilt bodywork really runs the price up, though. You’re looking at a pre-sale estimate of $400,000-$600,000 to take this home. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $395,500.