Tag Archives: 2000

Lancia 2000 Sedan

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1972 Lancia 2000 Sedan

Offered by Anglia Car Auctions | Online | Feburary 27-28, 2021

Photo – Anglia Car Auctions

Today, the barely-alive Lancia only produces badge-engineered versions of cars from other manufacturers, namely, Fiat (they’ve only made one model since 2016). You might think that this car was the start of it all, but it isn’t. It was actually designed by Lancia before they were taken over by Fiat.

The car was production-ready in 1969, the same year Fiat took control of the brand. It was never supposed to go on sale because it was expensive to build, but once Fiat realized Lancia had nothing else in the hopper, they launched it anyway in 1971. Production would continue through 1974. Both sedans and coupes were offered.

I actually quite like the look of the sedan, which is powered by a 2.0-liter flat-four (weird, right?) that made 126 horsepower when fuel injected. The injected engine, which this car has, also got an extra speed in the gearbox for a total of five. Only 14,319 sedans were built, and this 66,000-mile example should sell for between $11,000-$14,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $34,378.

Datsun 2000 Roadster

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1969 Datsun 2000 Roadster

Offered by Mecum | Las Vegas, Nevada | November 12-14, 2020

Photo – Bonhams

The Datsun Fairlady (or Sports) was a series of sports cars that preceded the “Z” line of cars that remains in production today. The series began in 1959 with the ultra-rare Sports 1000 and continued in rarefied form until the 1965 launch of the 1600 Roadster. This was when they started appearing in the United States.

In 1967, the 1600 was replaced with the 2000 Roadster, which was the pinnacle of this line of cars. It would eventually be dropped in favor of the 240Z in 1970. Power is from a 2.0-liter U20 inline-four generating 133 horsepower.

These are great little cars, and affordable too. I chose this one because I feel this is how they are supposed to look: with color-matched steel wheels wearing polished hubcaps. The tan soft top doesn’t hurt either. I feel like this one was transported here from a Yokohama back road from 50 years ago. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $19,800.

Arrows A21

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2000 Arrows A21

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | London, U.K. | October 24, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Arrows Grand Prix International was an active F1 team between 1978 and 2002. They never won a race, and by 2000 they weren’t in the best position on the grid, literally and figuratively. Drivers Jos Verstappen and Pedro de la Rosa managed a best result of 4th all season.

The A21 was their car for 2000. Originally, it was powered by a 3.0-liter V10 from Supertec. Now it has a 3.0-liter Cosworth AC V8, which is probably much more reliable, even if it was built 25 years ago. The AC carried a rating of about 500 horsepower when new. The competition history for this chassis includes:

  • 2000 Belgian Grand Prix – 16th (with Pedro de la Rosa)
  • 2000 Italian Grand Prix – 21st, DNF (with de la Rosa)

And that was it for A21 chassis no. 05. It was later rebuilt after the accident at Monza and is now being offered alongside another A21 at RM’s sale. It’s like a turn-key F1 team from 20 years ago. Get after it! Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $92,194.

The Gullwing Alfa Romeo

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1976 Alfa Romeo Giulia 2000 GT Veloce Gullwing Coupe

Offered by Aguttes | Lyon, France | November 10, 2018

Photo – Aguttes

The original 4-door Alfa Romeo Giulia went on sale in 1962 and spawned the Series 105/115 Coupes that followed in 1963. There were quite a few variants of the 2-door Giulia. This car began life as a 2000 GT Veloce, a model offered between 1971 and 1976.

Such cars were powered by a 2.0-liter Twin Cam straight-four that made 130 horsepower. They’re great-looking cars, as were most Alfa 2-doors from this era. One thing they didn’t offer from the factory though: gullwing doors.

Some enterprising German decided to build such a car, because, why not? After all, Mercedes-Benz did it 20 years before, so how hard could it be? The car was fully restored and finished in brown. The new doors look seamless – as if this was how the car was born. It’s funky. We love it. It’s a unique one-off creation that is expected to bring between $55,000-$90,000 at auction. Click here for more from Aguttes.

Update: Sold $121,467.

Bristol Blenheim 3

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2000 Bristol Blenheim 3

Offered by Coys | Woodstock, U.K. | June 30, 2018

Photo – Coys

The Bristol 411 was produced from 1969 through 1976 when it was replaced by the 603. The 603 was a pretty big departure, styling-wise from earlier models. It was more modern and less “classically British.” Somehow Bristol managed to continue building the 603 from 1976 through 2011, which is pretty incredible.

After a few different name changes as the model was refined, the Blenheim name was introduced in 1995. It would be produced in three different series until 2011. The Blenheim 3, as we have here, first went on sale in 2000. It featured an upgraded interior and different tail lights. Oh yeah, and the engine got an upgrade. It’s got a 360 horsepower, 5.9-liter Chrysler V-8.

Bristol is one of the most secretive automotive marques in the world. They didn’t even officially publish a horsepower figure. With such exclusive clientele, they certainly won’t tell us how many examples of the Blenheim (of any sort) have been made. This 51,000 mile example should bring between $60,000-$65,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Coys’ lineup.

Ford Prodigy P2000 Concept

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2000 Ford Prodigy P2000 Concept

Offered by Worldwide Auctioneers | Arlington, Texas | April 21, 2018

Photo – Worldwide Auctioneers

The basic approach we take when combing through auction catalogs to find feature cars is: what have we never seen before and what are we unlikely to see again? Concept cars are usually shoo-ins and this is no exception.

The initial Ford Prodigy concept debuted at the 2000 North American International Auto Show. It’s thing was efficiency and with a low drag coefficient and a small engine it was said to be capable of 80 mpg. The styling on that original Prodigy Concept is a little different from this roller (sometimes car companies build one driveable concept and a few rollers for different auto shows). This car has a small electric motor to help move it around, but it’s not a driver. The body is steel and it’s mounted to a wooden frame. There’s a bench seat and prototype dashboard, but otherwise no interior.

It’s hard to believe that this car goes back to 2000, as the styling looks a little more modern. Some cues are easily found on the first generation Ford Fusion and Ford Five Hundred. If you want something unique, here you go. Last time this changed hands it brought $4,400. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $2,200.

Citroen Eco 2000 SA

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1983 Citroen Eco 2000 SA 109

Offered by Leclere | Aulnay sous Bois, France | December 10, 2017

Photo – Leclere

Warning: this car is MUCH smaller than it appears. It is not mini-van-esque in size as its shape might belie, but (and look at the old cars parked nearby) it’s a miniature version of a compact car. The Eco 2000 program began to see if they could build a car that got great gas mileage and the lowest possible drag coefficient.

That Eco 2000 program lasted from 1981 through 1984 and four prototypes were built. This was the third one and it was built for wind tunnel testing. It should sell for between $3,500-$8,250. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $11,268.

Update: Sold, Aguttes July 2019, $1,137.

Aurelia B52 by Vignale

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1952 Lancia Aurelia B52 2000 Coupe by Vignale

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Villa Erba, Italy | May 27, 2017

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

What time period do you define as the “golden age” of coachbuilding? Is it the 1930s? If so, I would be inclined to agree, but at the same time, I’d be doing a great disservice to the 1950s because there were some really fantastic coachbuilt cars built during that decade. The Lancia Aurelia alone had some great designs.

The Aurelia was Lancia’s luxury car (which was also available as a coupe and convertible in addition to the standard sedan) between 1950 and 1958. It featured the first production V-6 engine and this car carries a 2.0-liter V-6 making 90 horsepower. It rides on a B52 chassis, which was the slightly lengthened B21 chassis that Lancia offered to coachbuilders.

This one went to Vignale and it was fitted with this body that resembled nothing else that Lancia built. The company only sold 98 B52 Aurelias between 1952 and 1953 (with 86 of those being from ’52). It’s a cool car that will stand out anywhere it goes. Click here for more info and here for more from RM.

Update: Sold $313,152.

Sbarro 550 Maranello

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2000 Ferrari 550 Maranello by Sbarro

Offered by Oldtimer Galerie Toffen | Toffen, Switzerland | April 29, 2017

Photo – Oldtimer Galerie Toffen

Introduced in 1996, the 550 Maranello was a huge step forward for Ferrari, as this was the replacement for the Testarossa-based F512 M. The 550 Maranello was replaced by the virtually identical 575M Maranello in 2002. It was a return to front-engined V-12 Ferraris.

But this is no ordinary 550. Sbarro, the Swiss car company that has done an array of things over the years, from building their own wacky cars to building replicas, was apparently trying to be to Ferrari what Ruf is to Porsche when they went to work here. Or something – I think these were designed for a wealthy client who wanted something special. The main difference here is that they slapped a racy body kit on it (which cost about €60,000 when new).

It’s still powered by the same 485 horsepower Ferrari 5.5-liter V-12 which means it’s still a 198 mph car. Sbarro built two of them, the other car was destroyed in an accident. It’s a nearly 60,000 mile car that has a rebuilt gearbox and has been fully serviced. If you want the rarest 550 variant (even if it’s aftermarket), here’s your car. It should bring between $95,000-$105,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

The New Pantera

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1999 De Tomaso Nuovo Pantera 2000 Concept

For Sale at Maranello Purosangue | Maranello, Italy

Photo – Maranello Purosangue

The Pantera is the car that Alejandro De Tomaso will always be remembered for. Styled by Ghia and powered by a series of big Ford V-8s, it was a raw combination of American muscle and Italian flair. It was an exotic you could buy at your local Lincoln-Mercury dealer in the U.S.

The car went out of production in 1992 after undergoing a slight restyle from Marcello Gandini, founder of Bertone. Gandini is responsible for great supercars like the Lamborghini Miura, Countach, Diablo, Bugatti EB110, and the Lancia Stratos. After the death of the Pantera, De Tomaso only managed to produce small batches of cars for the next decade and De Tomaso himself passed away in 2003.

But the aura of the Pantera always lingered. So it was in 1999 that De Tomaso teamed up with Gandini to produce a new Pantera for the new millennium. The car was to celebrate 40 years of De Tomaso and it was presented near the end of 1999. It was a design study and is pure concept car. There’s no running gear or interior, but if you’re a collector that wants a piece of “automotive art” as the showpiece of your collection, look no further. This is currently for sale in Italy, and here’s a video of its exterior.

On an interesting note, here is what the car looked like before it was rescued:

Photo – Maranello Purosangue

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s, London 2017, $25,348.