Tag Archives: 2000

The Cobras Rs

Posted on by
Reply

The Ford Mustang Cobra Rs

Offered by Mecum | Kissimmee, Florida | January 6-15, 2017

1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

The first Mustang Cobra was produced by Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT) in 1993. It was mostly a power upgrade and other mechanical bits that made the car faster. The early Cobras looked similar to the GT, and in 1993 they also built a very limited edition Cobra R, the “R” standing for “race.”

The engine was a 5.0-liter V-8 making 235 horsepower, same as in the standard Cobra. Top speed was 140 mph. But this had a laundry list of other items that made the car lighter, faster, and more robust. Only 107 of these were built, making it quite rare in Mustangland. This one has 1,400 original miles and the original window sticker. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $60,000.

1995 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

The fourth generation Mustang went on sale for the 1994 model year. The second-generation Cobra was built for 1994 and 1995 and they looked meaner than the standard GT. The Cobra R was again produced, this time for 1995 only and 250 would be made (and you had to have a valid racing license to buy one).

The engine is a 5.8-liter V-8 making an even 300 horsepower. The idea here was to essentially homologate the car for use in endurance racing. But with that bulging hood and lowered stance, this thing looks destined for the drag strip. The as-new price was $37,599 in 1995 making it, easily, the most expensive Mustang built to that point. This example has 1,900 original miles and you can find out more about it here.

Update: Sold $35,000.

2000 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Unlike the previous Cobra Rs, the 2000 (and most recent example) was more of a departure, styling-wise, from the standard Mustang. This version had an aggressive body kit featuring a lip spoiler and a borderline-ridiculous rear wing. It even has side exhaust – when’s the last time you saw that on a production car costing less than 60 grand?

The powerplant beneath the hood here is a 385 horsepower, 5.4-liter V-8. Top speed was an impressive 177 mph and it was meant to be more of a track car than it was probably ever used for. Only 300 were made and when they came out, sporting something like an $55,000 MSRP, there was a dealership here in town that had three of them. I seem to recall them going for about $85,000 a pop. You can find out more about this 1,600 mile example here and see more from Mecum here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $50,000.

Maserati A6G/2000

Posted on by
Reply

1951 Maserati A6G 2000 Coupe by Pinin Farina

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 19-20, 2016

Photo Courtesty of RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesty of RM Sotheby’s

The A6G 2000 was the second iteration of the Maserati A6. Produced in 1950 and 1951 only, the cars saw increased displacement in the straight-six engine (to 2.0-liters) which makes 100 horsepower.

This example was sold new in Italy and has been in the U.S. since 1970. The handsome Pinin Farina body is the sort of typical body you could expect to see on one of these chassis. Except that you should never expect to see one as this is the second of just nine built by Pinin Farina (of about 15 cars built in total). It has been restored twice since 2000 and should bring between $400,000-$500,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

Vantage V600

Posted on by
Reply

2000 Aston Martin Vantage V600 Le Mans Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Newport Pagnell, England | May 21, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Here is a massively powerful Aston Martin that was never sold in America. Aston had a spotty export record through most of the 1990s, until Ford bought them and started shipping the DB7 stateside. They never bothered with this, as it was very low production.

This car is part of a line of cars that started in 1989 with the Virage coupe. The Vantage was introduced in 1993 and built in very limited numbers through 2000. Almost all were coupes (all but nine that is). The base Vantage came with 550 horsepower. The V600 was powered by the same 5.3-liter supercharged V-8 but instead of 550, it made a monstrous 604 horsepower. Top speed was reported to be 200 mph. It’s a legitimate supercar.

Only 40 Le Mans versions of the Vantage were built and it could be had in base or V600 form. Thirty of them were to V600 specification. This is one of the most powerful and intense cars Aston Martin has ever built and, as an example of this generation Vantage, is one of the last hand-built Newport Pagnell Astons before Ford’s economies of scale production took over. It should sell for between $470,000-$610,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $654,859.

Carrera GT Prototype

Posted on by
Reply

2000 Porsche Carrera GT Prototype

Offered by Gooding & Company | Amelia Island, Florida | March 11, 2016

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

This Carrera GT is special. It’s the only one like it – it’s a true prototype. The production version of the Carrera GT lasted from 2004 through 2007 with 1,270 produced. This car was actually built in 2000 – four years before production started. Yes, it looks pretty similar to the production version, but if you look closely you’ll notice that it’s really not that similar. In fact, it is said that it shares almost zero pieces with the production version.

The engine is a 5.5-liter V-10 making 558 horsepower. That’s 200cc and 47 horsepower less than the road-going version. The engine is borrowed from a Porsche LMP car – as were many other parts. Two prototypes were built but this was the only one that was actually driveable.

This car comes from Jerry Seinfeld’s collection and, strangely, prior to his purchase (directly from Porsche in 2007), Porsche removed the ECU so the car can’t actually be used. In addition, any purchaser of this car has to agree to terms and conditions that allow Porsche the first right of refusal if they ever want to sell it. The new owner is also not allowed to drive it. Kind of strange, but it puts the new owner in more of a caretaker role than anything. The pre-sale estimate is between $1,500,000 and $2,250,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Gooding & Company.

Update: Not sold.

Buick Blackhawk

Posted on by
Reply

2000 Buick Blackhawk

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Fort Worth, Texas | May 2, 2015

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

This extremely long-looking convertible hot rod was actually built by General Motors to celebrate 100 years of Buick. Even though the Motor Division wasn’t founded until 1903 (the year public sales began), David Dunbar Buick founded his company in 1899, building engines and prototypes.

The car was built to showcase the best things Buick had done in the past century. In 1938, GM designer Harley Earl created what was essentially the first “concept car” – the Buick Y-Job. This car takes some of its design inspiration from that car – and also the 1940s Buick Roadmasters.

The engine is a 463 horsepower 7.5-liter V-8 from a 1970 Buick GS Stage III. It went on the auto show tour in 2001 and was very popular. After the shows, it went back to the GM Heritage Collection until GM had to thin it out during bankruptcy. It was then sold to the current owners at a Barrett-Jackson sale in 2009 for $522,500.

As it was a show car, it wasn’t really well-engineered. So the new owners made it derivable. It’s a fantastic piece of Buick (and GM) history and is a true factory custom show car. It is expected to bring between $300,000-$450,000. Click here for more info and here for more from The Andrews Collection.

Update: Sold $363,000.

Update: Sold, Mecum Kissimmee 2022, $385,000.

Cadillac LMP

Posted on by
Reply

2000 Cadillac Northstar LMP

Offered by Barrett-Jackson | Scottsdale, Arizona | January 17, 2015

Photo - Barrett-Jackson

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

What you’re looking at is essentially General Motors’ only foray into the wild world of modern prototype racing. Between 2000 and 2002, under the guise of the Cadillac brand, GM took on the otherworldly Audi R8, among others.

The Northstar LMP (named for Caddy’s Northstar V8 engines) was built from the ground up by Riley & Scott. A version of the Northstar V8 was situated behind the driver – a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 making 650 horsepower. The competition history for this Cadillac factory team chassis includes:

  • 2000 24 Hours of Daytona – 14th (with Eric van de Poele, Wayne Taylor, and Max Angelelli)
  • 2000 12 Hours of Sebring – 6th (with van de Poele, Taylor, and Angelelli)
  • 2000 24 Hours of Le Mans – 21st (with Franck Lagorce, Butch Leitzinger, and Andy Wallace)
  • 2000 Petit Le Mans – 8th (with Lagorce, Leitzinger, and Wallace)

GM cancelled the program after 2002 to focus on their very successful Corvette racing program. These pop up for sale now and then, but only seven were built (two are in this sale). I remember hearing once that GM stripped most of the electronics out of these things before releasing them into the wild… so you can buy it, but it might be hard to use on a track day. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $104,500.

Ford Focus Kona Concept

Posted on by
Reply

2000 Ford Focus Wagon Kona Concept

Offered by RM Auctions | Farmer’s Branch, Texas | November 15, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions
Photo – RM Auctions

The Ford Focus went on sale in North America for the 1999 model year (1998 in Europe). To appeal to the active lifestyle types, Ford partnered with Kona U.S.A., manufacturer of mountain bikes, to produce Kona Editions Focuses in 2000. Focuses? Focii?

The engine is a 2.0-liter straight-four making 130 horsepower. Production cars had bike racks on the roof. This was the pre-production prototype used to introduce the limited-edition model. It was first shown at the 2000 Los Angeles Auto Show. Only 5,000 production versions were made. This one should cost between $10,000-$20,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $8,250.

Three Ford Concept Cars

Posted on by
Reply

Ford Motor Company Concept Cars

Offered by RM Auctions | Farmer’s Branch, Texas | November 15, 2014

 2005 Ford Sport Trac Adrenalin Concept

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The Ford Explorer Sport Trac was a four-door pickup based on the Ford Explorer that was introduced for the 2001 model year. This running, driving concept car was introduced at the 2005 New York Auto Show. It is powered by a 300 horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8. That’s the same engine from the SVT Cobra of that year (SVT did this truck, too).

This sport truck was never produced as you see here, but this one-off concept went into this private collection in 2010. It can be yours for between $50,000-$80,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $173,250.

2005 Lincoln MKS Concept

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

For some reason, this car is called a “2005” when it was actually introduced at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This car was the vision for Lincoln of the future. It carried on from the earlier Lincoln Zephyr Concept from two years prior, but this car was much closer to the production MKS that went on sale for the 2009 model year.

This car does run and drive and is powered by a 315 horsepower 4.4-liter V-8. Production cars only have V-6s. You can have this design study for between $30,000-$50,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $27,500.

2000 Ford Focus Wagon Kona Concept

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The Ford Focus went on sale in North America for the 1999 model year (1998 in Europe). To appeal to the active lifestyle types, Ford partnered with Kona U.S.A., manufacturer of mountain bikes, to produce Kona Editions Focuses in 2000. Focuses? Focii?

The engine is a 2.0-liter straight-four making 130 horsepower. Production cars had bike racks on the roof. This was the pre-production prototype used to introduce the limited-edition model. It was first shown at the 2000 Los Angeles Auto Show. Only 5,000 production versions were made. This one should cost between $10,000-$20,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $8,250.

Abarth 2000 Sport Prototipo SE010

Posted on by
2

1969 Abarth 2000 Sport Spider SE010 Prototipo

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | September 13, 2014

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Carlo Abarth founded his company in 1949. Originally a race team, they soon turned their attention to tuning Fiats. Racing was always the love of Abarth so long as Carlo was in charge (instead of a trim line on modern Fiats).

They never lost their racing roots, as this car attests. The 2000 Sport Prototipo was introduced in 1968. This car is part of the later SE010 series with its signature four headlights (or “Quattro Fari“). The engine is a 2.0-liter straight-four making around 250 horsepower.

This car was used in hillclimbs in Italy when new, winning many that it entered. It was later acquired by Fabrizio Violati and has been in his Maranello Rosso collection for years. This is chassis #40 of what is believed to be around 50 built total. They don’t come up for sale often and this one is in very nice condition, even if it will require a thorough re-freshening after having been on display for many years. It should sell for between $330,000-$410,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $302,415.

Top Open-Wheel Cars in Monterey

Posted on by
1

Open-Wheel Race Cars

Offered during the Pebble Beach Concours Weekend | August 15-17, 2014

 1986 March 86C Cosworth

Offered by RM Auctions

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

This was the car in CART in 1986. Fielded by Truesports, the March 86C was campaigned by Bobby Rahal for the 1986 season. It is powered by a 700 horsepower 2.7-liter Cosworth turbo V-8. Just take a look at this car’s competition history:

  • 1986 Indianapolis 500 – 1st (with Bobby Rahal)
  • 5 other wins that season
  • 1986 CART Championship

The chance to own an Indy 500-winning car is a very rare thing, and one this cool driven by such a legend makes it even better. The car still retains its race-winning engine. It should sell for between $1,750,000-$2,500,000. Click here for more info.

S/N: 86C-13

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

2000 Ferrari F1-2000

Offered by RM Auctions

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The F1-2000 was, you guessed it, Ferrari’s F1 car for the 2000 season. And guess who drove for Ferrari in 2000? That’s right, Michael Schumacher. And it was one of those seasons that he had with Ferrari where he nearly won everything on the calendar. He also won the championship. This car won the 2000 Brazilian Grand Prix. The engine is a monster: 3.0-liter V-10 making 770 horsepower. It should sell for between $1,750,000-$2,500,000. Click here for more.

S/N: 198

Update: Sold $1,804,000.

1970 Brabham-Cosworth BT33

Offered by Bonhams

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

You’re looking at the final car driven by Jack Brabham in Formula One. In fact, he won his final grand prix in this car – the 1970 South African Grand Prix. What’s even better, this is a Brabham chassis and he remains the only person to ever win in a car bearing his own name. The car looks fabulous. The engine is too: it’s a Cosworth V-8 of 3.0-liters and puts out 430 horsepower at an ear-shattering 10,000 rpm. It can be yours for between $1,000,000-$1,400,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $1,034,000.

1978 Ferrari 312 T3

Offered by Bonhams

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Ferrari 312 T3 was Ferrari’s second car for the 1978 Formula One Season. The car used for the first two races was a carryover from 1977. The T3 was introduced for the third race. This car was driven primarily by Carlos Reutemann (who won the 1978 British Grand Prix in it). It also driven by Gilles Villeneuve. Villeneuve won the 1978 Race of Champions (a non-points F1 race) in this car. The engine is a 530 horsepower 3.0-liter Flat-12. Ferrari built five of these cars and this one is offered in more-or-less as-raced conditions and has spent many years in the Maranello Rosso Collection. It should sell for between $1,500,000-$2,000,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $2,310,000.

1969 AAR Eagle-Santa Ana

Offered by RM Auctions

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Here’s the last open-wheel car we’ll feature from Monterey (mostly because I just lost all of the work I did on this post and had to start over – there are other awesome racers this weekend). This car comes from AAR, Dan Gurney’s All American Racers. It was their car for 1969 and it uses a 5.2-liter Ford V-8. AAR built four of them, three of which raced at the Indy 500 that year. This one did not, although Gurney did run it in practice. The only racing this car has ever done is on the historic circuit and it has been in the same ownership for nearly a quarter of a century. It can be yours for between $125,000-$175,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $104,500.