Tag Archives: auctions

BMW 1600 GT

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1968 BMW 1600 GT

Offered by Dorotheum | Vosendorf, Austria | July 3, 2021

Photo – Dorotheum

Aside from the 507, BMW didn’t do sporty cars very well back in the day. So how did they up their game? Well, in 1966, they purchased Hans Glas GmbH, a company that, among other things, produced the Goggomobil and sports cars like 1300 GT and 1700 GT.

After BMW bought out Glas, they decided to drop the 1.6-liter M10 inline-four from the Neue Klasse 1600 into the sporty, Frua-bodied Glas 1700 GT. Output was rated at 103 horsepower. Styling changes were more or less limited to lighting revisions and the addition of the corporate kidney grilles.

Only 1,255 coupe examples of the 1600 GT were produced between 1967 and 1968. This car has known ownership history from new, having spent its early years in Italy. It carries a pre-sale estimate of $55,000-$73,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $64,978.

Ford Shelby Cobra Concept

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2004 Ford Shelby Cobra Concept

Offered by Mecum | Monterey, California | August 12-14, 2021

Photo – Mecum

This is a pretty iconic concept car from the 2000s. Or really from any time period. In 2004, retro-inspired design was all the rage, and Ford was hitting it hard with the likes of the 2005 Mustang and the GT revival. Although Ford was not the original manufacturer of the Shelby Cobra, they decided to reimagine the Cobra for the 21st century anyway. And that said, it did supply the engines and had a close relationship with Carroll Shelby himself.

Carroll Shelby was also involved with this project, although to what degree I do not know. The styling does look vaguely Cobra-ish. The aluminum chassis was derived from that of the GT, and power is from a 6.4-liter V10 rated at 645 horsepower. Ford only produced four of these engines. So don’t break it.

The car is said to be capable of 207 mph but is limited to 100 mph. It was 100% intended for production. In fact, this car was so ready to go that this, the only prototype built, is plated for the street. It was purchased by its current owner, a former Ford VP of product development, in 2017. No pre-sale estimate is available, but this should be one of the stars of the show at Mecum Monterey. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $2,640,000.

Alvis TD 21 Saloon

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1961 Alvis TD 21 Saloon

Offered by Brightwells | Leominster, U.K. | June 19-23, 2021

Photo – Brightwells

Post-war two-door Alvis cars are very attractive. The TD/E/F range were all good-looking cars. The TD was produced in two series between 1958 and 1963, and this Series I car features two-door saloon coachwork. A drophead coupe version was also available.

This car features a 120-horsepower, 3.0-liter inline-six and a four-speed manual transmission, the latter of which was sourced from Austin-Healey. Top speed was about 103 mph.

There were 784 examples of the Series I TD 21 produced, but I have no info to present on the breakout between coupes/saloons versus convertibles. Common sense would say that the saloon was more popular, but the drophead coupes seem to pop up for sale more often. This one carries an estimate of $15,000-$20,000. Bidding ends tomorrow. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold (I think?) $10,021.

Byers SR-100

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1956 Byers SR-100

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Online | June 23-30, 2021

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The 1950s was the golden era of fiberglass. And Jim Byers took full advantage of it in El Segundo, California, in 1955 when he designed the SR-100. This body was constructed of fiberglass and was meant to fit over a 100-inch wheelbase. He sold the molds to Victress in 1960.

Approximately 25 bodies were produced in that time, and only 10 are known to still exist. This one is fitted on a modified 1949 Ford chassis and features independent suspension. Power is from a 4.3-liter Chevrolet V8 that is mounted behind the front suspension, which technically, I guess, makes this car mid-engined.

It’s a pretty great example of a rare, cool, old sports car. The pre-sale estimate is $60,000-$70,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Duesenberg J-566

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1935 Duesenberg Model JN Convertible Sedan by Rollston

Offered by Bring a Trailer Auctions | Online | June 2021

Photo – Bring a Trailer Auctions

It seems like it’s been a while since we’ve featured a Model J. This Duesenberg is a late one, and it’s one of 10 “JN” models built in 1935. All 10 were bodied by Rollston, and this car is one of three that was built as a convertible sedan. It was restored in the late 1990s and has spent the last two decades in the collection of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.

Power comes from a 420ci Lycoming straight-eight that made 265 horsepower when new. There were a number of four-door convertible body styles on Duesenbergs. The “convertible sedan” features folding B-pillars and a single front windshield. The top boot out back sticks up like a big spoiler in the air.

This is the fifth JN we’ve featured. I believe all still exist, meaning half of them have come up for public sale since 2012. This one has a week left to bid on, and you can find out more about it here.

Update: Sold $1,341,000.

Delahaye 148L Coupe

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1949 Delahaye 148L Panoramic Coach by Letourneur & Marchand

Offered by Aguttes | Neuilly, France | June 20, 2021

Photo – Aguttes

Delahaye’s 135-series of cars was one of the very few cars that looked as fresh after WWII as it did before. The 135 was introduced in 1935, and the production of various related models lasted until 1954. Part of the reason this was able to be accomplished is that many of the cars were bodied by coachbuilders, so they continued to look fresh after nearly 20 years.

The 148 was a more boring version of the 135 set on a longer wheelbase. It still featured the same 3.6-liter inline-six that, in this triple-carbureted car, would’ve been rated at 115 horsepower when new.

The body is by Letourneur & Marchand and is of the “Panoramic Coach” variety. Which I think just means it has two doors and a lot of glass. It’s been restored in a very nice two-tone scheme that makes the profile view look like a mid-50s Buick. There were 2,592 examples of the 135 car line built, but the breakout to 148 is unknown. This one should bring between $60,000-$100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $67,630.

Antony Bergamot Race Car

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1929 Antony Bergamot Race Car

Offered by Aguttes | Neuilly, France | June 20, 2021

Photo – Aguttes

Automobiles Antony was founded by Louis-Auguste Antony and was based in Douai, France, between 1921 and 1932. Antony’s money came from a family cycle-dealing business, and he was an avid racing driver after the turn of the century.

The company’s road cars were not very popular, but they did find some success on the track. This one-off race car features a lowered chassis, front-wheel-only brakes, and a chain-driven rear end. The original engine was changed based on race regulations and rotated between one (or two) Harrisard 350cc two-stroke twins or a 500cc JAP single. It now has a 500cc Triumph twin.

The Bol d’Or is an endurance race that was open to cars in the 1920s, 30s, 40s, and 50s. This car competed there in 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1947, and 1948, usually with Mr. Antony himself (in his 60s by ’48) behind the wheel. It had four class victories among those entries. Antony only built about 60 cars, three of which were pretty competitive race cars that he kept hidden away for long after his death. This one is expected to bring between $42,000-$66,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $49,429.

Lamborghini Diablo GTR

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2000 Lamborghini Diablo GTR

Offered by Bonhams | Cheserex, Switzerland | June 20, 2021

Photo – Bonhams

The Diablo is the ultimate 90s supercar, and the model received a facelift in 1998 when the pop-up headlights were replaced. In 2000, the car also got a mechanical overhaul and some styling tweaks for the end-of-the-line Diablo 6.0.

But what we have here is a super rare track variant. Lamborghini sold 80 examples of the track-oriented Diablo GT road car between 1999 and 2000. Then they also built 40 GTR full-race variants. It was the last of a short line of Diablo race cars. It was basically a stripped GT with pneumatic air jacks, a big rear wing, and magnesium center-lock wheels.

The 6.0-liter V12 was also revised to produce 590 horsepower. The car was rear-wheel drive and featured a five-speed manual transmission. This is car #11 and it won the 2001 Lamborghini GTR Supertrophy series. It also competed in the 2003 French GT Championship. It’s now ready for some historic stuff, at a price of $890,000-$1,100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Moretti Alger-Le Cap

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1954 Moretti 750 Alger-Le Cap

Offered by Finarte | Online | June 14-28, 2021

Photo – Finarte

Moretti S.p.A. was technically an automobile manufacturer. But maybe they could be better described as a boutique automobile manufacturer. It’s unclear if they built more cars of their own design, or modified more cars built by others.

That said, in the beginning, the company offered a couple of homegrown models, each powered by a Moretti-developed inline-four engine. The 71-horsepower, 750cc variant powers this car, which is named for its displacement. The 750 was available in limited numbers in a variety of body styles. This Alger-Le Cap is a two-door fastback.

The auction catalog states this is one of five known surviving examples of 200 built. It’s unclear if that’s of this body style or 750 production in total. Anyway, it’s rare. And the estimate is $73,000-$91,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Benetton B193B

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1993 Benetton-Ford B193B

Offered by Bonhams | Cheserex, Switzerland | June 20, 2021

Photo – Bonhams

Benetton Formula arrived on the grid in 1986, taking over the Toleman team. They later gave Michael Schumacher his first two titles before being purchased by Renault in 2000. The B193 was their car for the 1993 season, and it was updated to B193B spec beginning at the third race of the season at Donington Park.

The cars were powered by a 3.5-liter Ford V8 that made about 700 horsepower. Unfortunately, this chassis (#02) has been converted to show car spec, so it is currently engineless. It started the season as a spare car before being used for testing. Its actual competition history consists of:

  • 1993 German Grand Prix – 5th (with Riccardo Patrese)
  • 1993 Hungarian Grand Prix – 2nd (with Patrese)
  • 1993 Belgian Grand Prix – 6th (with Patrese)
  • 1993 Italian Grand Prix – 5th (with Patrese)
  • 1993 Portuguese Grand Prix – 16th, DNF (with Patrese)

Not too shabby. The car has been refinished in a later livery (it would’ve had a yellow and green Camel livery in ’93). At any rate, it’s a pure roller. Yet, it is still expected to bring between $89,000-$130,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $100,622.