2002 Firehawk

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2002 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SLP Firehawk

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 19, 2022

Photo – Mecum

The fourth-generation Firebird went on sale for 1993. It was kind of pointy, but if you look at the rear 3/4 of the car, you could tell the genes were there for some muscle. That became more apparent when a mid-cycle refresh came in 1998. The car got a new hood with two big intakes/nostrils up front. It was bulky and looked like a muscle car.

So, of course, on top of the Firebird there was the Trans Am, which usually specified some kind of upgraded suspension, an appearance package, and a power bump. But what do you do when that’s not enough? You go to SLP Engineering and have them turn it into a Firehawk, naturally.

These were sold through Pontiac dealerships. This example is from the final year of Firebird production, making it a final-year example of the top dog… or top bird Firebird/Trans Am you could get. The 5.7-liter V8 was tweaked to put out 335 horsepower. It’s got all of the goodies too: T-tops, a limited-slip differential, a composite hood, a cat-back exhaust, and more. This car has just 57 miles, which will make it among the most expensive Firehawks out there. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $61,600.

Alfa 8C Competizione

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2008 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | May 5, 2022

Photo – Bring a Trailer Auctions

Alfa Romeo may not be crushing it in the U.S. right now, but this car is proof that they can still put out some stunners, despite what the sales numbers show. To be fair, in this car’s case, they only built 500 of them, with orders for almost triple that.

Styling was done in-house at Alfa and was supposed to invoke the company’s classic models of the 1950s and ’60s. It’s a success. It took its name from the 1930s 8C, Alfa’s pre-war masterpiece. The car is powered by a Ferrari/Maserati 4.7-liter V8 that was rated at 444 horsepower. And it sounds amazing.

Colors were all over the board, but most appear to have been finished in red. It still looks good in black, and pretty much any other color you could lather it in. Bidding is already at $175,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $351,000.

AMC AM Van Concept

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1977 AMC AM Van Concept

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Highland Park, Illinois | June 1, 2022

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Well look at AMC, predicting the minivan yet somehow also treating their futuristic minivan prototype with all of the gaudiness of late-1970s van life culture. This thing is kind of like an inflated Pacer, with some styling cues definitely carried over.

There’s no engine – never was – but it has “Turbo” and “4×4” badging, so they were definitely thinking outside of the box. The body is fiberglass, and those turbine wheels look great with white-letter BFG tires. Oh, and side pipes! On a van!

Too bad it never made it past this prototype roller stage. It’s been part of a concept car collection for the last 35 years. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

1930 Ansaldo

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1930 Ansaldo 15 GS Berlina by Liotti

Offered by Aguttes | Cassel, France | May 1, 2022

Photo – Aguttes

Gio. Ansaldo & C. was founded in 1853 and became a big player in the Italian railway manufacturing market before branching out into automobiles in 1921. The experiment lasted just 10 years, with production wrapping in 1931.

The Type 15 GS was introduced in 1928 as the company was bleeding money. It was a follow-up to the earlier 15, which was not at all a success. The 15 GS used a double overhead cam inline-four that made 60 horsepower.

This car wears lightweight four-door coachwork by Liotti of Florence that features a skin over a steel frame, whereas many contemporary coachbuilders still utilized wood frames. It was restored in the late 1980s/early 1990s and now carries an estimate of $42,500-$64,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $61,331.

Omega-Six

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1928 Omega-Six 3-Litre Short-Chassis Competition Roadster

Offered by Aguttes | May 1, 2022

Photo – Aguttes

Omega-Six was a car company that operated out of the Paris region of France between 1922 and 1930. They were founded by Jules Daubeck, and the cars were designed by Maurice Gadoux, a former Hispano-Suiza engineer. Production didn’t do much better than about 50 cars a year.

They did have some sporting credentials, running at Le Mans in 1924 and 1925. Their lone victory came in an all-female race with Helle Nice at the wheel in a 3-Litre Competition car, which were unveiled in 1928. The 3.0-liter inline-six featured dual carburetors and carried a factory-advertised rating of 150 horsepower.

This chassis was purchased by Robert de Ganay, who won his class at Le Mans in 1931 under a pseudonym. It is believed to have been re-bodied around 1930 and has only had four owners since new. The car has been rarely shown since the 1970s and is offered with a spare 2.7-liter six. The pre-sale estimate is $425,000-$530,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

Volpini Formula Junior

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1958 Volpini Formula Junior

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monaco | May 14, 2022

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Gian Paolo Volpini joined forces with Egidio Arzani in 1954 to form Arzani-Volpini. They intent was to make the Formula One grid, which they did for once race in 1955 with driver Luigi Piotti in a modified, used Maserati.

Eventually Scuderia Volpini dropped the name of engine builder Arzani and stuck to the lower open-wheel rungs. This Formula Junior single-seater is powered by a 1.1-liter Fiat inline-four that has been tuned to put out 90 horsepower.

This car had a long history in the U.S., with one of its more recent owners campaigning it at historic events over the last 20-ish years. It’s now offered at no reserve. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $48,491.

Mercedes-Benz 230 N

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1937 Mercedes-Benz 230 N Cabriolet A

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | April 30, 2022

Photo – Bring a Trailer Auctions

The Mercedes-Benz W143 launched in 1936 as the 230. The following year, the 230 N (for Normal) was introduced as a short-wheelbase variant of the 230. It actually shared its wheelbase with 1933’s W21 200 model.

The 230 N was only produced for a single year, with approximately 963 built. Like the standard 230, the N is powered by a 2.2-liter M143 inline-six that was rated at 55 horsepower when new.

This car wears Sindelfingen Cabriolet A coachwork, one of a variety of styles offered on the 230 N. The car looks to have been restored, at least in part, over the years. It’s not a classic Benz that crops up often, and bidding on this one ends in just a few days. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $165,000.

Sierra Cosworth RS500

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1988 Ford Sierra Cosworth RS500

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Sywell, U.K. | May 28, 2022

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

The Ford Sierra was a European family car sold between 1982 and 1993. For a brief time, the two-door variant was sold in the U.S. as the Merkur XR4Ti. A high-performance version, offered as a hatchback in 1986 and 1987 and as a sedan from 1988-1992, was also sold. It was called the Sierra RS Cosworth.

In 1987, some people at Ford thought about homologating the car for touring car racing, which required 500 “evolution” models. So Ford roped in Aston Martin Tickford to help convert the cars to “RS500” spec. Changes included a larger turbocharger for the 2.0-liter inline-four, which now was good for 224 horsepower. The front end was reworked to aid cooling, and a second spoiler was added beneath the rear wing.

This car has less than 36,000 miles, and a pre-sale estimate has not yet been published. You can read more about it here.

Update: Sold, but Silverstone won’t tell us for how much. Lame. Gotta love that transparency.

1934 Hudson Convertible

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1934 Hudson Deluxe Eight Convertible Coupe

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 18, 2022

Photo – Mecum

The Hudson Deluxe Eight first appeared under that name in 1934 and would continue to be produced through 1938. This first-year model was a Series LU, and nine body styles were offered that year.

Power is from a 4.2-liter inline-eight was rated at 108 horsepower when new. The Convertible Coupe featured a rumble seat and a soft top, and this one is finished in cream with orange accents. Production totals for 1934 were not released.

The age of the restoration here is unknown, but it appears to have held up well. Plus, it’s got mid-1930s artillery-style wheels, which are always a plus. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $72,000.

Sunbeam-Talbot 2-Litre

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1947 Sunbeam-Talbot 2-Litre Sports Tourer

Offered by H&H Classics | Buxton, U.K. | April 27, 2022

Photo – H&H Classics

Sunbeam-Talbot existed as a marque between 1935 and 1954. It was formed when the Rootes Group merged Sunbeam and Talbot together. By the mid-1950s, Talbot-Lago‘s existence made things confusing, so Talbot was dropped from English-built cars and Sunbeam existed for decades to come.

The 2-Litre was available from 1939 to 1948, with a break for the war. Power is from a 1.9-liter inline-four capable of 56 horsepower in post-war spec. Three body styles were offered, including this tourer, which was restored in the 1980s.

There were 1,306 examples of the 2-Litre built, and just eight are known to exist in the U.K. This one carries an estimate of $20,000-$26,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $22,029.