Ferrari 275S

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1950 Ferrari 275/340 America Barchetta by Scaglietti

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 14-15, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

This Ferrari 275 should not be confused with the gorgeous GT car of the same numerals built in the mid-to-late 1960s. The 275S was actually the first Lampedri-engined Ferrari ever built. Two were built in 1950 and they were based on the 166MM but used a new, experimental 3.3-liter V-12 from Ferrari’s new technical director, Aurelio Lampedri.

It had a body by Touring and was entered by the factory in the 1950 Mille Miglia, driven by none other than Alberto Ascari. It DNF’d, but still. After this failure, this 275S went back to the factory and was fitted with a new 4.1-liter V-12 from Ferrari’s new touring car, the 340 America. The engine makes 220 horsepower. It was then sold.

The new owners entered the car in some races. This car’s race history includes:

  • 1950 Mille Miglia – DNF (with Alberto Ascari)
  • 1951 Mille Miglia – DNF (with Gianni Marzotto and Otello Marchetto)
  • 1951 Targa Florio – DNF (with Giovanni Bracco and Mario Raffaelli)
  • 1952 Mille Miglia  – result unknown

Once it’s racing career was finished, the Touring body was replaced by this Scaglietti Barchetta. It was exported to the U.S. in 1958. It ended up being rescued from a barn in Vermont by an enterprising 15-year-old who then owned the car for over 40 years, restoring it himself and selling it in 1999.

After competing in quite a few historic events all over Europe, the current owner was able to acquire the car. This is one of only two Ferrari 257S racers ever built. It is one of only nine Scuderia Ferrari racing roadsters from the 1950s. And it was the first Lampedri-engined Ferrari to hit the track. It’s a piece of history – and one you can use. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $7,975,000.

Chevrolet CERV-I

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1960 Chevrolet CERV-I

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 14-15, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

While this may look more like Jim Clark’s Indy 500-winning race car than a Corvette, rest assured, the Corvette would likely not exist as we know it without this car. This car was the creation of Zora Arkus-Duntov, father of the Corvette. He was also head of GM’s High Performance Vehicle department, from which this was born.

The mid-engined bug had been around for a few years before this car came to be. And when it did, it was supposed to fit a variety of roles: it was to be eligible for Indianapolis, Pikes Peak, as well as bolster support for the coming rear-engined Corvair.

The body is fiberglass and the car has had several different engines in its lifetime. The final engine, which it currently has, is a 6.2-liter V-8 making a lot of power. How about a little history: it showed up at the 1960 Pikes Peak hillclimb and after dozens of aborted runs, they decided that hillclimbing was not the way to go.

Dan Gurney and Stirling Moss then drove the car at Riverside in demonstration laps in conjunction with United States Grand Prix in 1960 and both would’ve qualified the car for the race. But this car was never destined for competition. Instead, Arkus-Duntov thought this could be the first car to lap Daytona at 180 mph. Jerry Titus could only achieve 162. So they added a big turbocharger.

When the CERV-II came around, GM wanted to scrap this thing. But Arkus-Duntov installed the current motor and ended up doing 206 mph at GM’s proving grounds. He saved it from the crusher and eventually gave it to Briggs Cunningham who later sold it to Miles Collier.

The current owned later acquired it from Collier and restored it to the condition you see here. This is an important car. It taught GM a lot of things that went directly into the Corvette. And the spirit of performance that this car created within Chevrolet lives on to this day. It is exceptional. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Update II: Sold, Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2017, $1,320,000.

XK120 Supersonic

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1952 Jaguar XK120 Supersonic by Ghia

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 13-15, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

When the Jaguar XK120 was introduced in 1948, it was the fastest production car in the world with a top speed of over 120 mph. It had classic Jaguar styling that would stay with Jaguar cars for decades. But what happens when you take a classic British sports car and send it to Italy? This. This happens.

This awesome, futuristic sports car is unrecognizable as a Jaguar, certainly as an XK120. It looks strikingly similar to an Aston Martin Supersonic of similar vintage. First of all, this car is powered by a 220 horsepower 3.4-liter straight-six – making it one of the most-powerful XK120s in the world. It was originally an XK120 Fixed-Head Coupe sent to a dealer in Paris, who then sent it (and another car) to Ghia for a Jet Age makeover.

This car remained in France most of its life and has been repainted in the last 10 years – but everything else is original, including the 22,000 kilometers on the odometer. Only three XK120s were blessed with the Supersonic treatment. Only two are still around, as the body from the third is now on a Shelby Cobra. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $2,062,500.

Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine

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1938 Adler Trumpf Rennlimousine

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 14-15, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

There is so much to like about this car. The first thing that caught me eye was the car’s looks. With the silver, streamlined body and the dim headlights (not to mention that it’s photographed in an aircraft hangar) it looks like some top secret Nazi experiment.

But it isn’t. It is fascinating. This was the ultimate Adler Trumpf, which was a small family car built by Adler between 1932 and 1938. Trumpfs were powered by a 56 horsepower 1.9-liter straight-four. Most had upright grilles and traditional body work for the period. They were not fast.

Enter Paul Jaray, an aerodynamicist schooled in zeppelin design. He figured he could make a Trumpf faster by slimming it down. At least six Rennlimousines (“racing limousine”) were built and three of them were entered in the 1938 24 Hours of Le Mans, including this one. It finished 9th (2nd in class) with Otto Löhr and Paul von Guilleaume. It was then wrecked at Spa, repaired, and used as a show car.

Somehow it survived the war and reappeared in Bavaria in 1955. It ended up in the U.S. shortly thereafter. It passed around before being purchased by the current owner from the Blackhawk Collection in 1994. It’s beautiful. The interior is fantastic if not sparse and roomy. It’s unlike anything else you’re likely to come across and it comes from a weird time time and place in history when things were inventive and little mysterious. I’m over the moon with this car.

Only three of these still exist, all slightly different. This is the best one. And it shouldn’t be cheap. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Removed from catalog.

Urban Explorer Concept

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2001 Ford Urban Explorer Concept

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Plymouth, Michigan | July 25, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

We like concept cars, new or old. In fact, we’ve featured an unlikely number of Ford concept vehicles from 2001. They must’ve really preened their collection a few years back. This may be a concept, but it’s easily based off a third generation Explorer.

It’s powered by a 4.0-liter V-6 making 205 horsepower – stock in all forms. The exterior was altered to make it appear much sportier (which it is). The wheel arches and lowered suspension were supposed to appear to youths.

Cars like this have limited appeal because they aren’t that old and not all that different from road-going models. Plus, it’s likely to be quite a task trying to get this road-registered. The number of people willing to shell out $20,000-$30,000 for a driveway-only SUV concept vehicle is pretty small. But hey, you never know where the value will stand in 10 years. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $14,300.

1906 Franklin

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1906 Franklin Model E Roadster

Offered by Auctions America | Santa Monica, California | July 17, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Herbert H. Franklin founded his car company in 1901 when inventor John Wilkinson convinced him he had a solid design for an air-cooled automobile. Franklins remained air-cooled throughout their lifetime and as time went on, their cars went more and more upscale, which ultimately cost the company its existence when the Depression started.

The Franklin Model E was built between 1904 and 1906. It was Franklin’s light car for 1906 and is powered by a 12 horsepower straight-four. It was only offered as a two-passenger Runabout. This car was re-bodied at some point to resemble one of Franklin’s Speed trials cars.

It is being offered out of a “barn find collection” and therefore is likely not a running, driving example but would be a great little project car. The detail on it is great, right down to the light pinstriping on the suspension. It should sell for between $25,000-$45,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $19,800.

A Pretty LaSalle

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1931 LaSalle Series 345A Seven-Passenger Touring by Fleetwood

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Plymouth, Michigan | July 25, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

When Alfred P. Sloan took over at General Motors, he instituted many things that would transform the industry. One such initiative was the companion marque program, where each existing GM make (sans Chevrolet) would be allotted a secondary marque to fill price gaps between other makes. Cadillac’s companion make was LaSalle.

LaSalle’s were essentially “baby Cadillacs” and they were not a commercial success. But they did have a profound impact on GM. While the cars were built by Cadillac, their styling was no longer done in the engineering department. Instead, Harley Earl and his gang were given their own department. All LaSalle’s were eight-cylinder cars. This Series 345A features a 5.8-liter V-8 making 95 horsepower.

The body is actually by Fleetwood – it was one of five body styles offered by LaSalle in 1931 that were built by Cadillac’s in-house coachbuilder (of the 12 total body styles they offered that year). It cost $2,345 in 1931. This is an actual Fleetwood Seven-Passenger Touring body, but it likely did not come on this chassis originally.

LaSalle was phased out after 1940 and while the marque isn’t exceptionally rare today, this is easily the best-looking LaSalle I’ve ever seen. This is thought to be one of less than 12 of this style to survive. It is fresh off restoration and should sell for between $80,000-$100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $77,000.

Crofton Bug

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1960 Crofton Brawny Bug

Offered by Auctions America | Santa Monica, California | July 17, 2015

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Powell Crosley’s little automobiles ceased production after the 1952 model year. But the engines his cars’ used – as well as the design of the Crosley Farm-O-Road – wouldn’t be lost forever.

W.B. Crofton was a GMC dealer and owner of the Crofton Marine Engine Company in San Diego and he went into the car business himself in 1958. The Bug was built between 1959 and 1961. It used a similar mini-Jeep style to that of the Farm-O-Road in addition to a slightly modified 35 horsepower version of the Crosley 721cc straight-four.

Only 200 Bugs were produced in total and they’re very rare today, although they seem to pop up here and there. The Brawny Bug was the off-road version that had flotation tires on it and this example is so equipped. It’s a fun, simple off-roader and it can be yours for between $25,000-$30,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $22,000.

The Pope’s Ferrari

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2005 Ferrari Enzo

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 13, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

Remember when the Enzo launched and everyone thought it was a weird naming convention and then Ferrari waited a decade and decided to name a car the LaFerrari? We can’t wait to see what name their next halo car is burdened with.

The Enzo is a monster. When this car launched it was the pinnacle of supercar performance. It’s like an F1 car for the street. Only 400 were built between 2002 and 2004. It is powered by a naturally aspirated 6.0-liter V-12 making 651 horsepower.

The Enzo slots in the supercar gap before the LaFerrari but after the 288 GTO, F40 and F50. It’s a special car in a special lineage. But this one is even more special. First off, it was the final Enzo built. This is #400. It has unique trim pieces such as a carbon fiber rear spoiler and special seats.

Oh, and this car was gifted to Pope John Paul II. His Holiness probably didn’t get the car up to its 221 mph top speed and he probably never drove it at all (it only has 112 miles on the odometer). But he did bless it and then-Ferrari head Luca di Montezemolo wrote an inscription under the hood. This is called the most important Enzo ever built and it will have an outrageous price tag. Click here to see more and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $6,050,000.

Marlin Roadster

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1990 Marlin 1800 Roadster

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | July 15, 2015

Photo - Brightwells

Photo – Brightwells

Marlin Sportscars Ltd has been around since 1979 when it was founded in the U.K. by Paul Moorhouse. All six models that the company has produced have been based around other cars. They’re kit cars (even though you can technically buy one already built).

The Roadster was Marlin”s first model, first introduced in 1979. Kits were sold up through about 1990 when a new model took its place. Original cars were based on the Triumph Herald while later cars (like this one) were based on the Morris Marina. The engine is a 1.8-liter straight-four.

Marlin is still in business, building sports cars as they have been for decades. It you want a throwback roadster with pre-war or immediate post-war looks, and you’re on a budget: look no further. This is expected to bring between $2,300-$3,100. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $2,635.