Armstrong-Siddeley Hurricane

1948 Armstrong-Siddeley Hurricane 16

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster U.K. | March 27-April 1, 2021

Photo – Brightwells

Armstrong-Siddeley, which I guess never officially had a hyphen but I’m hyphenating anyway because that’s how I did it last time, was founded via a merger in 1919 and existed as a motorcar manufacturer until 1960.

The Hurricane drophead coupe was launched alongside the Lancaster sedan at the end of WWII. The Hurricane remained in production until 1953 in two different forms. This, the 16, is the less-powerful of the two. It’s equipped with a 2.0-liter inline-six that was rated at 70 horsepower when new. There was a larger Hurricane 18 model with a 2.3-liter six as well.

Combined production between the two engine options was just 2,606, all of which convertibles. It was the first Armstrong-Siddeley with an independent front suspension and was boded in-house, unlike the Lancaster. The pre-sale estimate is $15,000-$18,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $17,195.

March 2017 Auction Highlights, Pt. III

We’ll kick this one off with Bonhams’ Goodwood Members’ Meeting sale in March. The top sale was this 1961 Aston Martin DP214 Replica GT Competition Coupe that brought $683,409 – that’s some serious replica money.

Photo – Bonhams

Both of our feature cars sold, with the 1903 Gladiator bringing $175,291 and the super cool NSU Kettenkrad $64,108. For the rest of the results, check out Bonhams’ site here.

Osenat held two sales in March, the second of which saw this 1932 Chrysler Imperial Custom Convertible by de Villars take top sale honors at $350,245.

Photo – Osenat

Our two feature cars both sold, with the Salmson race car bringing the most: $168,636. At the other end of the spectrum was the Georges Irat Roadster which sold for $32,430. You can see the rest of the results here.

Mecum’s Kansas City sale held in March saw this 2005 Ford GT go to a new home as the top seller at $300,000.

Photo – Mecum

The Pontiac Tojan we featured from this sale brought $13,500. You can see more from Mecum in Kansas City here.

Leclere held a sale in Avignon in their native France. This one popped on my radar too late to feature anything, but a weak sell-through rate had this 1966 Ferrari 330 GTC go as the top seller for $838,800. Click here for full results. There were some interesting cars in this sale and we’ll be sure to feature more from their upcoming auctions.

Photo – Leclere Maison de Ventes

The final sale from March is the Imperial War Museum sale held by H&H Classics. The top sale was the long-ago featured Ferrari Nembo Spyder for $744,015. The Armstrong-Siddeley Special we featured sold for $28,777 and we’ll give Most Interesting to a similar car, this 1928 Armstrong-Siddeley 20HP Long Ascot Tourer that went for $22,811.

Photo – H&H Classics

And the Bitter CD we featured sold for a healthy $84,228. Click here to see the rest of the results from this sale.

Armstrong Siddeley Special

1935 Armstrong Siddeley Special Mk II Touring Limousine

Offered by H&H Classics | Duxford, U.K. | March 29, 2017

Photo – H&H Classics

Armstrong Siddeley was a company that came together when two other companies merged. Those companies were Armstrong Whitworth and Siddeley-Deasy. Each of those companies were the result of a merger of two other companies. Basically Armstrong Siddeley was the culmination of four different, earlier, automotive companies.

Armstrong Siddeley began in 1919 and produced cars until 1960. From that point on, they focused on aircraft and aircraft engines. Through a series of mergers, they are now part of Rolls-Royce (the aircraft company).

This Special is one of the rarest Armstrong Siddeleys ever built. It was introduced in 1932 and went on sale for 1933, being sold through 1937. Only 253 were built. It’s powered by a 5.0-liter straight-six that offered pretty good performance for its day. This would’ve been their attempt to compete with the likes of Rolls-Royce.

This particular car was a factory demonstrator and is one of about 30 cars that are still in existence. Recently, it was owned by the a trustee of the National Motor Museum and the head of the Armstrong Siddeley Heritage Trust. It runs and drives, but needs a little work to be roadworthy. It will sell at no reserve and you can find more about it here (and more from H&H Classics here).

Update: Sold $28,777.

Sapphire 346

1955 Armstrong-Siddeley Sapphire 346

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Silverstone, England | May 20, 2016

Photo - Silverstone Auctions

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

The history of Armstrong-Siddeley begins with the production of the short-lived Armstrong in 1902. From 1904, the cars were known as Armstrong-Whitworth and in 1919, they bought Siddeley-Deasy and started building cars as Armstrong-Siddeley. Production lasted through 1960 when the company merged again and focused on its other specialty: aircraft engines.

The Sapphire was actually a line of cars built between 1952 and 1960. There were different lines and the 346 was offered in sedan or limousine form between 1953 and 1958. The engine is a 3.4-liter straight-six making 125 horsepower –  or 150 with twin Strombergs on it. Top speed was a solid 95 mph.

The production total for this model was 7,697. This example is very nice and was brought back to the U.K. from Romania. It hasn’t been used a lot recently, so it could take a little love to get it back and road ready. You can read more here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $7,834.

February 2015 Auction Highlights Pt. II

First up in this rundown is Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro sale where this 1993 Jaguar XJ220 was the to sale at $287,595.

Photo - Silverstone Auctions

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

Our feature car from this sale, the Alfa Romeo SZ, sold for a strong $130,805. Click here for full results.

Up next is H&H Auctions’ Pavilion Gardens sale. The top sale was this 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250SL for $84,950.

Photo - H&H Auctions

Photo – H&H Auctions

We didn’t get to feature a car from this sale, but this 1956 Armstrong-Siddeley Sapphire 346 is kinda pretty. It sold for only $9,660. Check out full results here.

Photo - H&H Auctions

Photo – H&H Auctions

The next auction we’re covering is Mecum’s sale of the Rogers’ Classic Car Museum. The top sale here was this 1962 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Mulliner Drophead Coupe for $320,000. Our featured Nash Special Six sold for $17,000. Click here for complete results of some very interesting and rare pre-and-post-war American convertibles.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Now we have something a little different. Bonhams held an auction in Oxford that consisted largely of Victorian carriages. It was all from a single private collection and the big seller was this c.1835 Traveling Landau by Adams & Hooper. It went for $376,416.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

There were three early motorized horseless carriages also on offer. The top seller among those was this 1911 Sears Model P for $31,431. Check out full results here.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Finally, Coys’ Spring Classics sale was held March 11th. The top sale was this 1913 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. It sold for $236,800.

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

Our featured Lotus 59 did not sell. Check out full results here.

December 2013 Auction Roundup

The first sale of December was Bonhams’ London Sale. Our featured Jaguar C-Type was the top seller at $4,762,011. The second top seller also came from the fabulous Ecurie Ecosse collection. It’s a 1956 Jaguar D-Type and it brought $4,212,831.

1956 Jaguar D-Type

The coolest car from this sale also came from that collection. It was the Ecurie Ecosse team transporter (technically it’s a 1960 Commer TS3) and it sold for a huge $2,931,441.

1960 Commer TS3

This 1934 Aston Martin Ulster Two-Seater looks awesome and downright mean. It sold for $2,125,947.

1934 Aston Martin Ulster Two-Seater

Our featured Frazer Nash Targa Florio sold for $441,795. The oldest car in the sale, our featured 1903 Clement brought $569,937. The other four Ecurie Ecosse team cars all sold. The 1951 Jaguar XK120 Roadster brought $1,155,729.

1951 Jaguar XK120 Roadster

Our featured Tojeiro EE-Buick Coupe brought $350,265. The other Tojeiro, this 1959 Tojeiro-Jaguar, sold for $624,855.

1959 Tojeiro-Jaguar

Another prototype race car was this 1960 Cooper Monaco-Climax Type 57 Mark II. It sold for $359,418.

1960 Cooper Monaco-Climax Type 57 Mark II

And finally, the cheapest car of the bunch – a 1961 Austin-Healey Sprite. It went for a downright budgetary $101,304. And Schumacher’s Benetton sold for $1,009,281. Check out complete results here.

1961 Austin-Healey Sprite

Next up was H&H’s Chateau Impney sale where this 1939 Lagonda V12 Drophead Coupe was the top seller at $328,600.

1939 Lagonda V12 Drophead Coupe

I didn’t get to feature any cars from this sale, but the first one I was going to feature was this beautiful 1938 Alvis 4.3-Litre Drophead Coupe. It sold for $125,900.

1938 Alvis 4.3-Litre Drophead Coupe

Other cars that were on my to-feature list included this 1919 Armstrong-Siddeley 30hp Open-Drive Limousine that ended up bringing $27,380.

919 Armstrong-Siddeley 30hp Open-Drive Limousine

I would’ve featured this 1928 Falcon-Knight Six-Cylinder Tourer but it’s not in the best of shape and I know there are other Falcon-Knight’s out there. But it’s still interesting. It sold for $18,400.

1928 Falcon-Knight Six-Cylinder Tourer

And finally, one of only two F2 cars built by Gerald Smith. It’s a 1957 Smith Formula Two Single Seater and it sold for $61,700. You can check out full results here.

1957 Smith Formula Two Single Seater

We featured one car from Mecum’s Kansas City sale: this 1918 Cadillac. And it was stolen at a bargain price of only $29,000. The top sale went to another Cadillac from the same consignor. It was this 1931 Cadillac V12 Series 370 Convertible Coupe by Fleetwood. It sold for $175,000. You can check out full results from this sale here.

1931 Cadillac V12 Series 370 Convertible Coupe by Fleetwood

Coys got their December results posted in time for this recap. Our featured Victor Electric Highwheeler did not sell, but the Mercedes-Simplex brought an auction high of $1,174,900. You can see full results here. And the final sale covered this year is Bonhams’ Oxford sale, where this 1960 Bentley S2 Continental Flying Spur sold for a sale-high $178,843.

1960 Bentley S2 Continental Flying Spur

Our featured Frazer Nash-BMW failed to sell and the Sunbeam Tourer brought $60,369. I thought this 1924 Crossley 19.6HP Sports Tourer was pretty cool for $31,127.

1924 Crossley 19.6HP Sports Tourer

And finally, our featured Vulcan Touring car brought an impressive $126,479 – bettering the upper end of its estimate. You can check our full results here.