Tag Archives: 2015

Force India VJM08

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2015 Force India VJM08B

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | September 17, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

Another Bonhams sale in England and another car from the former Force India reserves. The VJM08 was the car used by the Sahara Force India F1 Team during the 2015 season, during which the team employed drivers Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg. They upgraded the car to VJM08B spec after the first eight races. That upgrade was just revised aerodynamics.

Mercedes engines were used in conjunction with the VJM08 chassis. Mercedes, naturally, also used that power source, as did Williams and Lotus. This car no longer has an engine. It is chassis #2, and its competition history includes:

  • 2015 Australian Grand Prix – 10th (with Sergio Perez)
  • 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix – 13th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Chinese Grand Prix – 11th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Bahrain Grand Prix – 8th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Spanish Grand Prix – 13th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Monaco Grand Prix – 7th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Canadian Grand Prix – 11th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Austrian Grand Prix – 9th (with Perez)
  • 2015 British Grand Prix – 9th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix – 13th, DNF (with Perez)
  • 2015 Belgian Grand Prix – 5th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Italian Grand Prix – 6th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Singapore Grand Prix – 7th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Japanese Grand Prix – 12th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Russian Grand Prix – 3rd (with Perez)
  • 2015 United States Grand Prix – 5th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Mexican Grand Prix – 8th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Brazilian Grand Prix – 12th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – 5th (with Perez)

It can now be yours, as a roller of course. The estimate is $60,000-$82,500. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $89,919.

Ruf Rt 12 R

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2015 Ruf Rt 12 R

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 13-21, 2022

Photo – Mecum

The most famous Rufs are based on the Porsche 930, 3.2 Carrera, and the 993. Porsche’s 997 generation of the 911 was produced for the 2005 through 2013 model years, and that’s what this Rt 12 R is based on. Okay, not based on. Don’t forget Rufs are most certainly their own thing and not at all tweaked Porsches. No way.

The Rt 12 was offered between 2004 and 2012. Trim levels included “S” and “R”, with the R being more hardcore. In this spec, the twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-six makes 720 horsepower and 693 lb-ft of torque. The bodywork is also revised and includes a GT3-esque rear wing and attractive center-lock Ruf wheels. Top speed was about 230 mph.

All 997 Turbos had all-wheel drive. The Rt 12 offered rear-wheel drive as an option. Just 13 R-spec Rt 12s were built, and this is one of only two in RWD configuration. This is a pretty crazy yet completely unassuming supercar. Read more about it here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $1,100,000.

GTO Spano

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2015 Spania GTA Spano

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Paris, France | February 13, 2021

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

I am unclear if the company name here is Spania GTA, or if the model name is GTA Spano. That is, I’m not sure if “GTA” is part of the marque or model. In any event, the company was founded by Domingo Ochoa, team principal of GTA Motor Competición, a Spanish racing team.

This was the only model the company produced, and it debuted in 2010. The production version went on sale in 2013, and apparently, only 10 of the “first generation” cars were constructed. The company stated that 99 were to be built, but only 12 made it out of the factory, including this, the only “Series 2” example remaining. Three Spanos were destroyed for crash testing.

Power is from a twin-turbocharged 7.9-liter V10. That engine is an Ilmor-modified version of the Dodge Viper‘s, and it produces 925 horsepower. That monster motor is mounted behind the seats and is covered by carbon fiber and Kevlar bodywork. Sixty is gone in 2.9 seconds, and the top speed is said to be 230 mph.

This is a hardcore supercar, despite its cottage-industry looks. Apparently, the Spano is still available, but this is the most recent one, and it was built in 2015…. sooo…

I love European auctions that feature cars that we can’t get in the U.S. Cars just like this. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Withdrawn from sale.

VLF Force 1

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2015 VLF Force 1

Offered by Gooding & Company | Online | August 3-7, 2020

Photo – Gooding & Company

Yes, this is a Dodge Viper. Buuut, it’s Dodge Viper with Henrik Fisker-penned bodywork produced by VLF Automotive, a company originally founded by Bob Lutz to stuff V8s into formerly-electric Fisker Karmas.

VLF said, “Hey, we’re gonna build 50 of these things at $286,500 a pop.” Well, we all know how start-up supercar companies go. This car is the first of just five completed. It shares the Viper’s 8.4-liter V10, but it’s been cranked up to 745 horsepower. It’s said to hit 60 mph in three seconds and top out at 218 mph.

The design isn’t bad, but it looses some of that Viper meanness in an attempt to beautify it. Actually, it kind of looks like a Viper that is halfway finished eating a Jaguar F-Type. This car is expected to bring between $275,000-$325,000. Good luck finding another one. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold. Price lamely not disclosed.

FXX-K

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2015 Ferrari FXX-K

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. | November 30, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The “XX” series of Ferrari cars began with the Ferrari FXX, which was an Enzo-based track day car offered to select clients. It was later Evolution-ized and followed up with a 599-based XX car. Then the LaFerrari came about, giving Ferrari an entirely new canvas to create a monster track car.

And that’s what the FXX-K is. Power is from a 6.3-liter V12 paired with an F1-style KERS electric motor, all of which is good for a combined system output of 1,036 horsepower. It’ll top out at 217 mph. An Evo version was introduced in late 2017 and is even quicker.

Only 40 were built between 2015 and 2017. When they were introduced, like the other XX cars before it, they were “owned” by an owner, but retained by Ferrari for the owner’s use at tracks all over the world. It’s unclear if that is still the case or if you get to take this home with you. Regardless, it is expected to fetch between $4,000,000-$4,500,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this auction.

Update: Sold $4,281,250.

Koenigsegg One:1

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2015 Koenigsegg One:1

Offered by Bonhams | Cheserex, Switzerland | September 29, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

Koenigsegg does this thing where they design a car and then keep iterating on it and giving each new version a distinct name. The Agera was introduced in 2011 as the successor to the CC/CCX line of cars. And the Agera kind of just looked like a development of the earlier car.

The Agera and its associated line of spin-off models lasted through 2018 and included this, the One:1, which is so-named due to its remarkable power-to-weight ratio of one metric horsepower per kilogram. The twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 makes 1,341 horsepower. Only six were built between 2014 and 2016.

This particular car – as with many of the other exotics in this sale – was owned by the vice-president of Equatorial Guinea (who also happened to be the son of the sitting president). His cars were seized by the Swiss government after he was found guilty of embezzlement. He has a pretty terrible rap sheet of financial crimes and sounds like a real, great overall dude. This car cost $2,850,000 when new and now is expected to bring $1,800,000-$2,300,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale. Proceeds go toward social programs in Equatorial Guinea, where perhaps the money should’ve been spent in the first place.

Update: Sold $4,627,820.

Morgan Aero SuperSports

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2015 Morgan Aero SuperSports

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Paris, France | February 6, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Morgans are weird cars. They’ve been pretty much producing the same models for more than half a century, so when they introduce something brand new, it’s kind of a big deal. In 2000, they introduced the Aero 8, a convertible that had kind of retro looks but actually looked pretty fresh compared to their other models.

In 2008, the AeroMax was introduced and it was the coupe version of the Aero 8 – and it had a boattail rear end which made it look even better. Then, in 2009, came the Aero SuperSports – the Targa version. It was produced through 2015.

Power is from a 4.8-liter BMW V8 making 362 horsepower. These are light cars, which makes them rocketships when you get on it. This car is essentially brand new and looks great in Lapis Blue. Easily my favorite Morgan, it should bring between $170,000-$225,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Essen 2019, $99,853.

Volkswagen XL1

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2015 Volkswagen XL1

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Birmingham, U.K. | November 10-11, 2018

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

Well, this isn’t a classic car – or some crazy new exotic. It’s a plug-in hybrid, hardly the fodder for enthusiasts’ dreams. But the other thing that it happens to be is an extremely rare, almost sci-fi-like car of the future… and until this cropped up in Silverstone Auctions’ catalog, it was a car I wasn’t sure even really existed.

Why? Because limited-run cars like this don’t usually make it stateside. They aren’t tested by major automotive news outlets in the U.S. Carmakers say they’re building them, and then plans go awry and sometimes they never see the light of day again. You have to scour weird internet blogs to find any sort of information.

Take for instance the history of this car. Volkswagen first showed a 1-liter concept car in 2002. It was roughly the same shape as this car. In 2007, the head of VW said the car would go on sale before 2010. In 2009, they showed another, more advanced concept dubbed the L1. It looked a lot more like this, and VW said it would go on sale in 2013.

Then, in 2011, they debuted the XL1 concept car. In 2012, VW said that this model would go on sale instead, starting in 2013. Guess what happened in 2013? Who knows? Everyone got caught up in the whole diesel scandal in 2015 when these evidently debuted, and they forgot all about it. In all, 200 copies were made. Supposedly.

They are powered by an 800cc turbodiesel twin-cylinder engine coupled with an electric motor for a combined output of 74 horsepower. The drag coefficient is incredible, and the car gets over 310 miles per gallon. Imagine a car like this on a grand scale. This example is still owned by Volkswagen UK and shows 79 miles. It’s an instant collector’s item and should sell for between $125,000-$150,000 (they were pretty expensive when new, too). Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $132,465.

Ferrari Sergio

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2015 Ferrari Sergio by Pininfarina

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monaco | May 12, 2018

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

In the past five-ish years, companies like Lamborghini and Ferrari have created some ludicrously rare cars for select customers. Cars so rare most mere mortals aren’t even sure they were ever actually produced at all. We don’t get to see them. They are shown at car shows that have capacity limits and talked about in hushed tones. And these are exactly the types of cars we all expect to see at an auction in Monaco.

The Sergio was initially shown as a concept car by Pininfarina in 2013. A positive reaction (and likely a lot of cash) persuaded Ferrari to build six examples in 2015 for select customers at a cost of about $3,000,000 each. The “production” car isn’t quite as out there as the concept, but it’s still significantly different from the Ferrari 458 Spider it is based on.

The engine is the same 597 horsepower, 4.5-liter V-8 from the 458 Speciale. Performance stats pretty much line up with the Speciale. There is a removable hard top in case you feel the need to take it out in the rain. This Sergio was the first production example built and it was displayed at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show before relocating to the private collection of its current Swiss owner. It’s covered less than 200km since new. It’s one of the rarest modern Ferraris and it’ll be pricey. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Veyrons.

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2008 Bugatti Veyron 16.4

Offered by Mecum | Monterey, California | August 16-19, 2017

Photo – Mecum

Mecum is hitting a supercar home run this year in Monterey. To wit: they have not one but two Bugatti Veyrons in their catalog (and from what I can tell, that catalog has not yet been finalized). When the Veyron went on sale in 2005, it ushered in a whole new era of the hypercar.

It’s basically just a rocket sled you are allowed to drive on the streets: super fast, fairly heavy, not so nimble. The engine is an 8.0-liter, quad-turbocharged W-16 that makes 987 horsepower. That’s enough to power this all-wheel drive machine to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds on the way to a top speed of 253 mph – which was faster than anything else when introduced. There have been some other pretenders to the World’s Fastest Car throne, but this one is an actual production car, with 450 built between the coupes and convertibles.

This is one of the 300 original coupes the company built between 2005 and 2011, when Coupe production ended (some of those 300 were the “Super Sport” model with more power). Price when new on these was well over $1 million, which is where the price is pretty much guaranteed to remain. See more about this car here and more from Mecum here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $900,000.

2015 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse

Offered by Mecum | Monterey, California | August 16-19, 2017

Photo – Mecum

This is a slightly sexier Veyron than the base model. Actually, this was sort of the magnum opus of the entire Veyron line. Basically, Bugatti built the base Veyron from 2005-2011, and the Veyron Grand Sport (the convertible) from 2009-2015. They offered a hopped-up coupe (the Super Sport) from 2010-2011 and this, the Grand Sport Vitesse (a convertible with the more powerful Super Sport engine) from 2011-2015. This is one of the last Grand Sport Vitesses brought to the U.S. They also built a bunch of special editions and one-offs as part of these models.

The engine is the same: an 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W-16, but in Super Sport (or Vitesse) trim, it makes 1,184 horsepower. While the Super Sport could hit 258 mph, you have to settle for 254 in this open-top version. Toupee or not, that kind of wind will suck your hair right off (to be fair, once you remove the top the car is electronically limited to a downright wimpy 229 mph).

Only 150 Grand Sports were built of all types. This one has an awesome color combo of matte black and orange. It’ll bring big bucks – more than the base coupe. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Mecum’s lineup.

Update: Sold $2,350,000.