Tag Archives: Bonhams

A Pair of Stunning 500Ks

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A Pair of Stunning 500Ks

Offered by Bonhams | Stuttgart, Germany | March 19, 2016

1935 Mercedes-Benz 500K Cabriolet by Saoutchik

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The fact that this car looks so fresh as if the body was constructed during a restoration – but wasn’t – signifies that it is something special: it is entirely unique to this model. Jacques Saoutchik is responsible for some of the most beautiful designs of his era. And to have one of those stylish bodies on one of the greatest chassis of the era is quite a feat.

The Mercedes-Benz 500K is one of their most sought-after models with only 354 built. They are powered by a 5.0-liter straight-eight making 100 horsepower or 160 with the supercharger engaged. This particular chassis was displayed as a bare chassis at the 1935 Paris Salon.

It was sold new to California and remained there until the current owner acquired it in 1989. It has been restored but it hasn’t really done the show circuit. It’s quite the ticket and should bring between $6,600,000-$7,700,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K Sports Roadster by Sindelfingen

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

This is a slightly more “standard” 500K – even though it is so beyond most of its 1936-era contemporaries. Most of the 354 500Ks built fall into specific categories such as Cabriolet A, Cabriolet B, Cabriolet C, Special Roadster, etc. This is a Sports Roadster and is one of somewhere between seven and 12 such examples built. There is a category of “other open cars” with regards to 500K body styles and this would fall in there.

The engine is the standard supercharged 5.0-liter straight-eight making 100 horsepower or 160 with the kompressor engaged when the throttle is held wide open. This car was delivered new to London and later ended up in Florida. In 1989, it returned to Europe – this time Sweden. It’s a wonderful example of one of MB’s all-time great models. It should bring between $3,900,000-$5,000,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Thomas Flyer Flyabout

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1910 Thomas Flyer Model K 6-70 Flyabout

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 10, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Thomas Flyer was one of America’s greatest pre-WWI automobiles. There were a number of different models with varying engine sizes and power ratings, but this… this was the big one. The six-cylinder Thomas was introduced in 1908 and continued until the end of the marque.

This, the Model K 6-70, was their largest car offered in 1910. It is powered by an absolutely monstrous 12.3-liter (!) straight-six. Power is rated at 70 horsepower and five body styles were offered with this, the Flyabout, priced at $6,000 new. It wasn’t cheap. But it was worth it.

Only a few 70 horsepower Thomas cars survive intact (there are others that were pieced together much later). This one has known ownership from new (when it was originally a fire vehicle). When it was restored in the 1970s, an exacting replica of an actual Flyabout was constructed. It’s an impressive and imposing tourer that can be yours for between $900,000-$1,200,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Sold $825,000.

Cunningham C-3

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1952 Cunningham C-3

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 10, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

We’ve actually featured another one of Briggs Cunningham’s C-3 cars, but that one was a coupe. This car, although a 1952 Cunningham, wasn’t bodied for the first time until about 2012. In order for Cunningham to race the C-3, he had to build copies for the road. Those 25 cars were Vignale-bodied. There were 14 other chassis built.

The chassis and engine – a 5.4-liter Chrysler Hemi V-8 making 235 horsepower – were sold as a bare chassis/engine combo to someone in Indiana. The car later made its way to Wisconsin where it was driven (on a farm), sans-body.

While the body was applied during the restoration that ended in 2012, the rest of the car is largely original – the brakes, suspension, even the paint on the chassis. The body resembles the C-2R race car and really doesn’t look like other C-3s. So here is your chance to get one of America’s best sports cars from the 1950s as, essentially, a brand new car. It should cost between $275,000-$325,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $275,000.

57SC by Vanden Plas

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1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Sports Tourer by Vanden Plas

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 10, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Bugatti Type 57 was introduced in 1934 and lasted in some form or another until WWII broke out. The Type 57S – which was a lowered version of the Type 57 – was more like a race car for the street than anything else. Then Bugatti took it a step further with the Type 57SC – it was supercharged and the fastest car money could buy.

Bugatti only built two Type 57SC examples, but many of the 46 other Type 57S examples were later upgraded by Bugatti (or their owners, as is the case here) to SC specification. This car began life as a 57S and when it traded hands in the 1950s it had a supercharger from a Type 35B affixed to the engine. When it was restored in 1985, a correct Type 57 supercharger was fitted, so now the car was fully brought up to Type 57SC spec – which means it is powered by a 200 horsepower 3.3-liter supercharged straight-eight engine.

The beautiful one-of-a-kind body was created by Vanden Plas of Belgium. Very few Type 57 Bugattis were bodied outside of Bugatti’s favored coachbuilders. This car is very Vanden Plas – it sort of looks like a windswept Jaguar SS. It’s fantastic – and that color is gorgeous.

This car is extremely rare – one of only 46 built. No pre-sale estimate has been made available… so if you have to ask, as the saying goes, you can’t afford it. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams.

Update: Sold $9,735,000.

Sabra GT

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1964 Sabra GT Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 10, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Autocars Co. Ltd. was an Israeli automobile manufacturer – Israel’s first – that set up shop in Haifa in the 1950s. They built a couple of different models, but the most remembered is the Sabra.

The Sabra GT’s design is actually by the kit car maker Ashley. British company Reliant built the fiberglass bodies, and, in fact, built the first run of Sabras in house (and then copied the car as the Reliant Sabre). This car is powered by a 1.7-liter straight-four making 61 horsepower.

Sabras were very popular in Belgium – a quarter of them were sold new there. Some were exported to the U.S. and they were available as a coupe or convertible. Production lasted from 1964 through 1968. At least 100 Sabras still exist, but you never see them. This one should bring between $80,000-$100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $93,500.

Maserati 8C 3000

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1933 Maserati 8C 3000 Biposto

Offered by Bonhams | Amelia Island, Florida | March 10, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Well here is a serious race car. Pre-war Maserati racers were some of the best in their day, competing head-to-head against the likes of Alfa Romeo and Bugatti. The Maserati Tipo 26M gave way to the 8C 2800. When their eight-cylinder engine was upped in capacity, the 8C 3000 was born in 1931. This is the fourth 8C 3000 built and it was built in 1932 for the 1933 season. The 8C 3000 was the final two-seater Grand Prix car Maserati built.

It’s powered by a 2.8-liter straight-eight engine, supercharged to make 220 horsepower. The crankcase for this car was discovered in the 1960s and later an axle was found (along with some other parts). The car is reconstructed of parts but is faithful to the original. There are two existing 8C 3000s that are more complete, but this is still a special car.

It’s one you can use in historic racing – or even on the road. It’s fast, powerful, light and it probably sounds glorious. No pre-sale estimate is being provided so it should be expensive. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $1,001,000.

1924 La Buire

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1924 La Buire Type 12A Saloon by Hollingdrake

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | March 20, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

La Buire, of Lyon, was an automobile company founded in 1905 as an offshoot of an existing engineering company who had dabbled in steam-powered vehicles in the late 1800s. The car business went bankrupt by 1909 but was saved and re-introduced in 1911. This company lasted until 1930.

The Type 12A was built for 1924 and 1925. It uses a 2.8-liter straight-four making 14 horsepower. Though built in France, La Buire cars were available for sale in England by way of Hollingdrake, their official importer. 1924 may have been the final year that Hollingdrake bodied the La Buires they sold.

This example began a restoration in 2007 and the body and engine are complete, save for a starter that should be fitted. The car also needs an interior, but it should still bring between $27,000-$31,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $13,328.

January 2016 Auction Results

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January means Scottsdale and first up in this rundown is RM Sotheby’s sale. The top sale was the beautiful 540K Special Roadster we featured for $9,900,000. Other feature cars include the Apal-Porsche for $88,000. The Torpedo-bodied Duesenberg sold for $3,000,000 (the Town Car failed to sell). Other million dollar sales included the Porsche 918 for $1,595,000, the SS 100 for $1,402,500, and the Cadillac Ghia for $1,430,000.

Interesting cars included this striking 1931 Buick Series 90 Sport Roadster for $154,000.

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

A few previously-featured cars made an appearance here, including a 1913 Pathfinder that found a new home for $121,000. Others were a 1911 Lozier and a Dragonsnake Cobra that both brought $990,000 and a Roamer at a much-less $66,000. The Jensen-Ford went for $247,500 and Cadillac Town Car $79,750. The Phantom II failed to sell.

Moving across town, we have Barrett-Jackson’s gigantic sale where the top seller was a practically brand-new 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder for $1,760,000.

Photo - Barrett-Jackson

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

All four of our feature cars sold, with the Chevy El Morocco bringing $181,500. The Heine-Velox sold for $99,000, the Talbot-Lago $715,000, and the Saleen S7 $451,000. A previously-featured Renault failed to sell. Check out full results here.

The next big Scottsdale sale is that of Gooding & Company where a 1950 Ferrari 166 MM/195 S Berlinetta Le Mans was the top sale at $6,490,000.

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

Our featured Ferrari brought a little less, at $3,410,000 while our other feature car, the Fiat Mirafiori, brought $143,000. A previously-featured Duesenberg sold for $2,420,000. Full results can be found here.

The final Scottsdale sale we’ll be covering is that of Russo & Steele. The top sale here was a 1973 Ferrari 246 GTS Spyder for $374,000.

Photo - Russo & Steele

Photo – Russo & Steele

Our featured Dodge Charger brought $242,000. Click here for full results.

A week after all of the Arizona madness, Rétromobile in Paris rolls around. First up from there is Bonhams where a few of our feature cars failed to sell including the Adler, Veritas, and Newton-Ceirano. The top sale was this 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB for $2,319,642.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Other feature car sales were the Darmont for $20,619, the ASA for $146,910, and the Iso Rivolta for $103,095. Click here for full results. We’ll have more from Paris in a few weeks.

Vertias Meteor

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1950 Veritas Meteor

Offered by Bonhams | Paris, France | February 4, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The regulations for Formula One changed after the war, leaving a hole below it for smaller displacement cars. Enter Formula 2. It lasted up through 1984, when it was then replaced by Formula 3000. Veritas was a German manufacturer that hopped on the Formula 2 train early. The Meteor was their single-seater model.

Vertias cars were mainly powered by pre-war BMW 328 engines. Cars built after 1949 used a new 2.0-liter straight-four from Heinkel. This example was the final single-seater built by Veritas and it was only raced once, at the 1952 Chemnitz Grand Prix.

When Veritas shut down in 1953, this car was given to an employee instead of a paycheck. He kept it until the late 1970s, when it made its way to Las Vegas and stayed there until 2008. It was a runner-up in class at the 1992 Pebble Beach Concours and was most recently restored in 2010. Less than 50 Veritas competition cars were built and this one should bring between $230,000-$260,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Bonhams in Paris.

Update: Not sold.

December 2015 Auction Highlights, Pt. II

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Rounding out 2015, we have an all-Porsche sale from Auctionata. The top sale was this 1970 Porsche 911 2.3 ST Group IV for $1,167,800. Click here for the full rundown.

Photo - Auctionata

Photo – Auctionata

Bonhams held a special sale of the two millionth Land Rover – a 2015 Land Rover Defender 90 that brought $596,404.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

And to finish off 2015, Coys’ London sale. The top seller was this 1969 Mercedes-Benz SSK Count Trossi re-creation (based around the mechanical bits of a 1953 MB 300). It brought $502,625.

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

Both of our featured cars, the Delin and SLR Stirling Moss, failed to sell. Check here for complete results.

Now we move into January and that means Mecum’s Kissimmee sale. The top seller was our featured 1970 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible for $2,675,000. The next top seller was a 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda Convertible. For a one model year newer car you’re gonna pay $2,300,000.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

A 1970 Dodge Hemi Challenger Convertible we featured also broke the big money barrier, coming in at $1,650,000. And the Corphibian Prototype brought a relatively reasonable $70,000. Click here for full results.

With this post, we are getting into the Scottsdale sales, starting with Bonhams where our featured McLaren P1 was the top sale at $2,090,000. A previously-featured Buckmobile sold for $44,000. Interesting sales included this 1993 Porsche 911 Strosek Mega Speedster for $134,200.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The 1928 Mercedes-Benz La Baule brought $973,500 and the Fiat 8V failed to sell. More results can be found on Bonhams’ website.