Diablo SV Roadster

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1998 Lamborghini Diablo SV Roadster

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Germany | December 2023

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Didn’t know this one existed. There were quite a few Diablo variants, but roadster models were only available as a VT. Or were they? This is one of apparently two SV roadsters built, which means it is one of only two rear-wheel-drive Diablo roadsters (the VTs had four-wheel drive).

The SV featured a power bump over the standard Diablo. It’s 5.7-liter V12 was rated at 510 horsepower, which was more than the base car or VT. This one is finished in bright yellow with black graphics that makes it impossible to mistake what it is. The color-coordinated wheels and rear wing are a nice touch.

The car is offered as part of Sotheby’s “sealed” program, which is just another weird venue to purchase a car. Unclear why it is being offered that way. But who knows. No estimate is available, but you can read more about it here.

Update: Who knows. No result is shown.

Fiat 850 Beach Car

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1969 Fiat 850 Spiaggetta by Michelotti

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Coral Gables, Florida | March 2024

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Italians would’ve built a beach car out of anything in the 1960s. What started out as 500/600-based Jollys evolved into all manner of open cars based on the 600 and, apparently, its successor, the Fiat 850.

Rear-engined, the 850 was available as a two-door coupe and, perhaps more famously, the Spider. The 850 was offered with three different inline-fours ranging from 817 to 903cc. It is unclear what this one has.

But what it does have is looks. Styled by Giovanni Michelotti, the Spiaggetta, which was also known as the Shellette, was a limited-run beach car. It was a step up from a Jolly in that it doesn’t have a wicker interior. Just 80 were built, and RM says it’s good for use as yacht tender. They also say it’s worth $50,000-$60,000. More info can be found here.

Update: Sold $53,200.

Alta F2

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1951 Alta Formula 2

Offered by Bonhams | London, U.K. | December 15, 2023

Photo – Bonhams

Geoffrey Taylor’s Alta Car and Engineering Company was founded in 1929 and produced sports racing and a few road cars prior to WWII. In 1950, they built a Formula One car and entered five races as a constructor. But F1 was, as always, expensive. So Taylor turned his attentions to F2.

Their first Formula Two car was built in 1951, and this example is the second of five constructed. It competed in races in 1951 and 1952 and was purchased by its current owner in 1974.

It’s never been restored. The Alta F2 car was powered by a 2.0-liter inline-four that was rated at about 130 horsepower. The estimate is $76,000-$150,000, which is quite a range. More info can be found here.

Update: Sold ~$122,035.

GT500KR Convertible

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1968 Shelby GT500KR Convertible

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auction | December 2023

Photo – Bring a Trailer Auctions

Of all of the true Shelby Mustangs (those produced in the ’60s, not the modern mass-produced Fords with Shelby badging), this is the best. The GT500 was the GT350‘s big brother, and in “King of the Road” spec, it was one step beyond that.

The GT500 debuted in 1967, and the KR came a year later. Just 518 of them were convertibles. Power is from a 428 Cobra Jet (7.0-liter) V8 that was rated at 335 horsepower. Shelby-specific stuff included a fiberglass hood, a spoiler, Thunderbird taillights, a heavy-duty suspension, and a few more tweaks. The KR convertible got that distinctive roll bar.

This car was restored before being relocated to Canada in 2021. GT500KRs seem to change hands with some regularity. But that doesn’t make them any less awesome. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $265,000.

964 Turbo 3.6

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1994 Porsche 911 Turbo 3.6

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | New York, New York | December 2023

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Porsche’s 964-generation of the 911 went on sale in 1989 with the Carrera 4 coupe. It was only around through 1994, so it was relatively short-lived. But being a relatively modern, air-cooled version of the 911, prices have gone up. Way up.

The Turbo arrived in 1990 with a turbocharged version of the previous-generation’s 3.3-liter flat-six. Come 1993, Porsche had finally found the time to slap a turbo on the 964’s 3.6-liter flat-six, and thus the Turbo 3.6 was born. Produced for just two years, about 1,500 were built. Output was rated at 355 horsepower, which was almost 40 more than the 3.3 car.

The 3.6 was the hero car in the movie Bad Boys, and there were even more exclusive sub variants of the Turbo 3.6, but we’ll save those for another day. Remember how we said things have gotten expensive? The estimate for this sub-7,000-mile car is $525,000-$625,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

GMC Syclone

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1991 GMC Syclone

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 2024

Photo – Mecum

In the early 1990s, GMC went a bit nuts and produced two legendary performance trucks. First came this, the Syclone, which was a performance-oriented version of the Sonoma. The following year they’d launch the Typhoon, which was a hot Jimmy, which is a weird thing to type.

All but three Syclones were built for the 1991 model year – 2,995 of them to be exact. Power is provided by a turbocharged 4.3-liter V6 that made 280 horsepower. The truck also got all-wheel drive and was the first pickup with four-wheel ABS. It could hit 60 in 4.3 seconds. Pretty good numbers for its day, truck or not.

These are some of the coolest pickups ever made and are the grandad of every performance pickup that came after. You can read more about it here.

Update: Sold $58,300.

BAC Mono

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2020 BAC Mono

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | December 2023

Photo – Bring a Trailer

Neill and Ian Briggs are brothers that founded the Briggs Automotive Company in Liverpool, England, in 2009. Since then, BAC has produced a lone product: the Mono, which is a single-seat supercar. It’s kind of like an open-wheel car for the road, but it does have fenders, of course.

The Mono went on sale in 2011, and in 2015 the company changed up the stock engine, which is a 2.5-liter inline-four rated at 305 horsepower. The whole thing weighs about 1,300 pounds. It’s quick.

An even more powerful R variant went on sale in 2019. At the time of this writing, the car is already bid over $100,000 with 10 days left. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $196,000.

Manta Mirage

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1976 Manta Mirage

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 2024

Photo – Mecum

The Manta Mirage is one of the coolest kit cars ever produced. Manta Cars existed from 1974 through 1986 in Costa Mesa, California. The Mirage was their attempt at a do-it-yourself supercar (for the day). The design is like two steps removed from a McLaren Can-Am car, but it is road legal.

Chevy small-blocks were the main engine option, and his one has a 5.7-liter V8. The body is fiberglass, and the whole thing weighs less than 2,000 pounds. It also has detachable gullwing doors that transform the car into a targa-like thing.

About 1,000 examples were produced in kit and turn-key form. This one looks pretty nice for a 1970s fiberglass special.

Update: Sold $15,500.

Mass Torpedo

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1909 Mass Model B Torpedo Tourer

Offered by Gooding & Company | Online | December 2023

Photo – Gooding & Company

Automobiles Mass is a mostly unremembered French automaker that existed from 1907 until 1923. Based near Paris, the company was founded by a Mr. Masser-Horniman, who was apparently English. The chassis/engines were assembled at the French factory, but the cars were then bodied in England. Very economical.

This car is powered by a 3.3-liter inline-four rated at 30 horsepower. It has a three-speed gearbox and rear drum brakes. The body was constructed by Shaw Brothers in the U.K. It has known ownership back to the 1950s and spent years in a Colorado museum.

The catalog notes that it has received “improvements” over the last few years to get it into the condition it is today. This is not a well-known or common car (in fact, I can’t remember another one coming up for public sale in the last ~15 years). It has an estimate of $40,000-$55,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $33,000.

Ford GT Mk II

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2020 Ford GT Mk II

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 2024

Photo – Mecum

From a performance – and pedigree – standpoint, Ford’s second-generation GT blew the first-gen out of the water. It arrived in 2017, and production continued into 2022 (the first gen lasted just two model years). These were more powerful, faster, and more expensive. And they had racing trophies to back it up.

The GT race car, in the hands of Chip Ganassi drivers, scored class victories at Le Mans and Daytona. So it only made sense that Ford would offer some of that racing prowess to the public. The GT MK II was launched in 2019 as a track-only variant of the road-going GT. The twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 was modified to produce 700 horsepower.

It gained a big rear wing and lost some niceties (and weight in the process). This car is #18 of 45 built and wears a Gulf livery. These were over $1 million new, and this one hasn’t been used. Click here to read more about it.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $1,200,000.