Tag Archives: 1999

Diablo VT Roadster

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1999 Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 26, 2022

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The VT Roadster is one of the ultimate cars of the 1990s. RM calls it an example of Lambo’s “first production convertible,” which is kind of a half truth. One, it’s not really a convertible as it’s more of a targa. And Lambo had done targas before, namely the Jalpa and Urraco. But the difference is that the Diablo had an electronically retractable carbon-fiber roof panel, whereas the two earlier cars had a lift-off removable top panel.

At any rate, this facelifted Diablo features faired-in headlights instead of the earlier model’s pop-up units. It’s also powered by a 5.7-liter V12 rated at 529 horsepower. It also has four-wheel drive with front and rear limited-slip differentials.

Something like 100 of these roadsters were made for the facelifted model. The car could hit 200 mph and achieve sixty in under four seconds. As popular as these were 20-25 years ago, they seem few and far between today. Check out more about this one here.

Update: Sold $456,000.

TVR Tuscan Challenge

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1999 TVR Tuscan Challenge

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Silverstone, U.K. | August 26-27, 2022

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

The first TVR Tuscan was a car built in the 1960s. It was essentially a V8- (or V6)-powered version of the Grantura. The name was reused on the somehow more-wild Tuscan Speed Six of 1999-2006. In the intervening years, a Tuscan Challenge one-marque racing series took place.

Beginning in 1989, the Tuscan Challenge spec race car ran in a single-make series put on by TVR. The last season was around 2006. The cars resembled the early-1990s Griffith and Chimaera but actually debuted before either car. It’s somewhat unclear how many race cars were built in 1989 and later updated and modified, or how many they continued to build new over the next decade. This one was built new by TVR in 1999.

It’s powered by a either a 4.4-liter or 4.5-liter V8. Race wins for this chassis totaled four in the 1999 season and three the following year in which it took second in the championship. It now has an estimate of $79,000-$91,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

Williams FW21

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1999 Williams-Supertec FW21

Offered by Bonhams | Monaco | May 13, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

Coming off of back-to-back CART championships, Alex Zanardi was on quite the hot streak going in to 1999. Williams, who won the constructor title in F1 in 1997, was also a hot commodity. But the pairing of the two never really led to anything. Zanardi drove just one season for Williams, 1999, finishing only six of 16 races.

It wasn’t all the car. Teammate Ralf Schumacher had three podiums and finished in the top five 11 times. The FW21 was powered by a year-old Renault 3.0-liter V10 that was branded “Supertec” after Renault pulled out of F1 at the end of 1998. The competition history for this chassis (#05) consists of (all with Zanardi):

  • 1999 San Marino Grand Prix – 11th
  • 1999 Monaco Grand Prix – 8th
  • 1999 Spanish Grand Prix – 19th, DNF
  • 1999 Canadian Grand Prix – 12th, DNF
  • 1999 French Grand Prix – 14th, DNF
  • 1999 British Grand Prix – 11th
  • 1999 Austrian Grand Prix – 19th, DNF
  • 1999 German Grand Prix – 14th, DNF
  • 1999 Hungarian Grand Prix – 22nd, DNF
  • 1999 Belgian Grand Prix – 8th
  • 1999 Italian Grand Prix – 7th
  • 1999 European Grand Prix – 19th, DNF
  • 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix – 10th
  • 1999 Japanese Grand Prix – 24th, DNF

It’s unclear the history of the car after that race in Japan, but it’s being offered as “last raced.” The pre-sale estimate is $110,000-$165,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $443,352.

Prost F1

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1999 Prost-Peugeot AP02

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Le Castellet, France | November 19, 2021

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Alain Prost won four Formula One World Championships before tossing his hat into the F1 ownership ring. He purchased the Ligier F1 team in 1997, just before the season started, and rebranded it Prost Grand Prix. The following year, the team secured a deal to be supplied with factory Peugeot engines.

The AP02 was 1999’s car, and it was powered by a 3.0-liter Peugeot V10 making about 785 horsepower and revving to 17,000 rpm (!). The team had a decent 1997 season, a poor 1998 season, and an okay 1999 season. Things went south quickly thereafter, and it was all over after the 2001 season. The assets of Prost (and Arrows engines) were bought by a group called Phoenix Finance, but they never made it to the grid.

The competition for this chassis, 03, included:

  • 1999 Australian Grand Prix – 15th, DNF (with Olivier Panis)
  • 1999 Brazilian Grand Prix – 6th (with Panis)
  • 1999 San Marino Grand Prix – 13th, DNF (with Panis)
  • 1999 Monaco Grand Prix – 13th, DNF (with Panis)

It was used as a test car after that. It now wears the team’s 2000 paint scheme and 2001 sponsor livery. The engine is not currently installed, but is included, along with the gearbox. You can read more about it here and see more from this collection here.

Update: Sold $195,332.

Chimaera 4.5

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1999 TVR Chimaera 4.5

Offered by Brightwells | Online | December 10, 2020

Photo – Brightwells

The Chimaera was TVR’s “tourer.” It was intended for long-distance cruising and was sold between 1992 and 2003. Now, TVRs don’t have the world’s greatest reputation for reliability (so take “long-distance” with a grain of salt), but the intent was still there. Also, who cares. TVRs are awesome. And this one has over 90,000 miles, so take that, reliability skeptics.

There were a number of different power levels of Chimaera offered. We’ve featured a 4.0-liter example previously, and this one is two steps up. The 4.5 is powered by a 4.5-liter Rover V8 rated at 285 horsepower. Top speed was supposed to be 160 mph.

All Chimaeras were drop-tops, and only one model was slotted in above the 4.5. This example is finished in Canyon Red over Biscuit leather. It is expected to sell for between $13,500-$16,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $14,903

Shelby Series I Prototype

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1999 Shelby Series I Prototype

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 17, 2020

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Shelby Series 1 was a legitimate, home-grown American sports car. It was the first Shelby-branded car to start from a clean-sheet design. They managed to produce just 249 examples – all in 1999.

Power is from a 4.0-liter Oldsmobile Aurora V8. That may sound lame, but remember that engine was also the basis for Olds’ Indy car engine around this time. Power in the Series 1 production cars was rated at 320 horsepower, and a top speed of 170 mph was reported.

This is actually a pre-production prototype and demonstration car. A couple of these prototypes were built. Later on, after the Series 1 program went bust, a Series II was introduced, but never advanced beyond the prototype stage. At no reserve, this car is expected to fetch $120,000-$150,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $91,840.

Update: Sold, Mecum Indy 2020, $115,500.

Cerbera Speed Six

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1999 TVR Cerbera 4.0L Speed Six

Offered by Historics at Brooklands | May 18, 2019

Photo – Historics at Brooklands

I will not hide the fact that the Cerbera is one of my favorite cars of the 90s. It is great looking and, as TVRs tend to be, completely bonkers, unnecessary, and irrational. And this one is purple!

The 4.0L Speed Six model was the “base model” of the Cerbera and is powered by a 4.0-liter inline-six making 350 horsepower. With that naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine, it could hit 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and topped out at 170 mph. Not bad. Later models only got more powerful and faster.

This example received a replacement factory chassis in 2005 as well as a factory engine rebuild. Only about 1,500 Cerberas were produced between 1996 and 2003, with the six-cylinder model being the rarest. The craziest part about these cars is that, despite all of their power, performance, style, exotic-ness, and rarity… they are cheap. This one is expected to sell for between $19,500-$25,000. Just wait until you can start importing them into the US… Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $20,648.

Esprit V8

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1999 Lotus Esprit V8

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | March 29-30, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

This is the best Lotus. Okay, well it’s at least my favorite Lotus. And it’s in the best color, with the best wheels. The Esprit debuted in 1975 for the ’76 model year, and the above car is a Series 4 example – which was actually the fifth iteration of the model.

The S4 was built between 1993 and 2004, and damn if they aren’t just great-looking sports cars – especially in Yellow Pearl. In 1996, the company decided to stop screwing around with lousy four-cylinder engines and finally stuffed a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8 in there. It was good for 350 horsepower. It could do 175 mph.

This 37,000-mile example carries a pre-sale estimate of $60,000-$70,000 – which seems steep – and it is one of 1,237 V8 models built. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $50,600.

Michael Andretti’s ’99 CART Car

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1999 Swift-Ford-Cosworth 010.c

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 7, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

Well, this was the exact car I rooted for in 20 races of the 1999 CART season. Alex Zanardi just won the championship the year before and departed for F1, leaving me with Gil de Ferran, Greg Moore, Adrian Fernandez, and Michael Andretti for whom to root for the season. And boy, did I love this car.

The Swift 010.c was one of five different chassis used during the season, with others coming from Reynard, Lola, Eagle, and Penske. This Newman/Haas-owned car is powered by a 2.7-liter V8 making 829 horsepower. It carries a wonderful Havoline/Kmart livery and was used by Michael Andretti in all 20 races that season. It was never wrecked, though it did retire from contact in Toronto. It’s competition history during the 1999 CART seasons includes:

  • Homestead-Miami Speedway – 2nd
  • Twin Ring Motegi – 5th
  • Long Beach Grand Prix – 7th
  • Nazareth Speedway – 6th
  • Rio de Janeiro – 26th, DNF
  • Gateway International Raceway – 1st
  • Milwaukee Mile – 15th
  • Portland International Raceway – 10th
  • Burke Lakefront Airport – 3rd
  • Road America – 2nd
  • Molson Indy Toronto – 26th, DNF
  • Michigan International Speedway – 4th
  • Belle Isle – 4th
  • Mid-Ohio – 8th
  • Chicagoland Speedway – 22nd, DNF
  • Molson Indy Vancouver – 14th
  • Laguna Seca – 10th
  • Grand Prix of Houston – 3rd
  • Surfer’s Paradise – 5th
  • Auto Club Speedway – 21st, DNF

Let us all now take a step back and look at just what an awesome schedule that is. You old timers will disagree, but this was the pinnacle of open wheel racing in the U.S. Sorry, it just is.

This race-winning car was later independently raced in the 2004 BOSS SuperCup series in Europe before being put into storage. It should now sell for between $110,000-$150,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $56,000.

Five Supercars from Mecum

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Five Supercars from Mecum

Offered by Mecum | Monterey, California | August 23-25, 2018

2017 Lamborghini Centenario LP770-4

Photo – Mecum

Mecum has been knocking it out of the park lately when it comes to supercars. They have no less than four Bugatti Veyrons in their Monterey sale this year. But I think this Lambo steals the show. The Centenario is an Aventador-based supercar built in extremely limited quantities. Between 2016 and 2017, they churned out just 20 coupes and 20 roadsters.

The engine is a 6.5-liter V-12 that makes 759 horsepower and top speed is 217 mph. It’s more of a styling exercise than anything, kind of like the Reventon was to the Murcielago. All of these sold out when they were announced, so this very well likely is the first one to publicly come up for sale (I believe it may have been at a So-Cal dealership for a bit before hitting the block). Because of its rarity, and because it’s Lambo’s newest limited-production special, it will be expensive. Check out more info here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $2,250,000.

2010 Bugatti Veyron Sang Noir

Photo – Mecum

Here’s another black supercar. This time it’s a Bugatti – one of at least four that Mecum has at their Monterey sale this year. The Veyron was produced for 10 years – 2005 through 2015 in four main models. But there were a number of special editions built along the way, including this Sang Noir, or Black Blood in French.

Twelve examples were produced and this is the only one with a red interior. Power comes from a quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W-16 engine capable of 1,001 horsepower. The Sang Noir special edition was mostly an appearance package but I’m sure they charged a pretty penny for it. You know it will still continue to command a big price. You can read more about it here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $1,550,000.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island 2019, $1,500,000.

1999 Lamborghini Diablo VT Alpine Edition

Photo – Mecum

This Lamborghini is one of a few special edition Diablos that were built for the American market. The Diablo was produced from 1990 through 2001 and two such special editions were the Monterey Edition and the Momo Edition. The other was this, the Alpine Edition.

Based on the Diablo VT, the Alpine Edition is powered by a 523 horsepower, 5.7-liter V-12 and features all-wheel drive. It had nothing to do with skiing and instead was built to sort of commemorate the Lamborghini connection with Alpine stereos. For the most part, it looks like any other VT, but I guess you can say it’s a limited edition example. Only 12 were built. You can see more about this one here.

Update: Sold $253,000.

2017 Ferrari F12tdf

Photo – Mecum

And here is a special edition Ferrari. The F12berlinetta was Ferrari’s front-engine V-12 GT that they built between 2012 and 2017. As has been the case recently, they’ve gone and built a ridiculous track-focused version of the car and that’s what this F12tdf is. The TDF, which stands for “Tour de France” and references a historic road race and earlier Ferraris, was built in 2016 and 2017 only.

Power comes from a 769 horsepower, 6.3-liter V-12. This one is grey, which is unusual and looks really nice. Apparently, this particular car carries over $100k in options, which isn’t too big of a deal because these F12tdfs have been bringing insane money lately. Only 799 were produced, making it quite pedestrian compared to the other cars features here, and it’s almost as quick as a LaFerrari around Ferrari’s Fiorano test circuit. And it’s that quick at a not-insignificant price discount. Does that make it a bargain? Click here for more info.

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

2010 Lamborghini Murcielago LP650-4 Roadster

Photo – Mecum

Here’s another limited edition Lambo. The Murcielago was Lamborghini’s big V-12 car, the successor to the Diablo and the predecessor to the Aventador, that was built between 2002 and 2010. The LP 640 models were sort of the “second generation” of the car and there was an “LP 640 Roadster” built between 2006 and 2010.

But in 2009 (and for 2010 too) a special LP650-4 Roadster was offered. It’s got a 6.5-liter V-12 good for 641 horsepower, 10 more than the “normal” roadster. Top speed is 210 mph – quite quick for a drop top. Only 50 were built and every one of them is grey with orange highlights. This one sports only 179 miles, so it’s essentially brand new. You can read more here and see more from Mecum here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $300,000.