Tag Archives: cars

Jaguar XJR-15

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1991 Jaguar XJR-15

Offered by RM Auctions | London, U.K. | September 8, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Everyone talks about the Jaguar XJ220 and how amazing it was (and how it was kind of a flop). It was one of the most well-known supercars of the 1990s. But no one ever mentions the XJR-15, the XJ220s direct predecessor and equal-in-awesomeness.

The droopy-eyed front end was styled by the same guy who went on to do the McLaren F1. The car is based around Jaguar’s Group C-dominating XJR-9 and XJR-12. The XJR-15 was a road car from the get-go, becoming the first street-legal vehicle that is fully made of carbon fiber. The engine is a Group-C spec 6.0-liter V-12 making 450 horsepower. The top speed was 191 mph (although 215 is listed – which would make it faster than the XJ220 that replaced it and the XJ220 was widely known as the “world’s fastest production car.”)

The cars were assembled by Tom Walkinshaw Racing and they sold new for approximately $1 million. 50 were scheduled to be built, but only 27 were turned out as road cars (there were 16 race versions built for a one-make racing series that ran three events in 1991 alongside the F1 calendar). It’s far rarer than an XJ220

This is an legitimate early-90s supercar and one that doesn’t get much respect today. If I were a supercar collector (I mean, when I become a supercar collector) this will definitely be on my list of “must-haves.” You can buy it for between $300,000-$425,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $363,964 (outselling XJ220 at same sale)

August 2014 Auction Recap

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August was a record-setting month for the classic car industry. The first sale of the month was Auctions America’s California sale where this 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster topped the numbers at $1,155,000.

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Our featured Chrysler Plainsman sold for an impressive $176,000. You can check out full results here.

We didn’t feature anything from Barrett-Jackson’s Reno sale, and frankly I don’t have the time to sift through their site looking for highlights as the process there is just too clunky. So we’ll move on.

Auctions in August of course means Monterey and Pebble Beach. We’ll start with the star of the weekend: Bonhams and their Ferrari 250 GTO which ended up bringing $38,115,000, an all-time record price for any car at auction. It’s an appropriate price for the car, and not the stratospheric number many predicted. It’s a good sign. We featured a number of cars from Bonhams, including this Kissel Kar, which sold for $140,800. The other Ferrari we featured, the 1978 321 T3 F1 car sold for $2,310,000. And the other F1 car, the Brabham-Cosworth, sold for $1,034,000.

Our featured Porsche 908/03 failed to sell. Our pick for the most interesting non-feature car that sold goes to this 1913 Pope-Hartford Model 31 Portola Roadster for $192,500.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Our other feature cars both sold: the Speedwell brought $869,000 and the 1908 Napier $1,034,000. Check out full results here. Next up, Mecum in Monterey, where this 1961 Ferrari 250 Series II Cabriolet was the top seller for $2,250,000.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

None of our feature cars broke the million dollar mark, although the Kremer-Porsche was close at $930,000. A Duesenberg we featured a long time ago and failed to sell a couple of times before, finally sold here for $1,425,000. The Shelby Turbine car failed to sell, as did the Lester-MG.

Two cars we featured a long time ago that failed to sell also turned up at this sale and failed to sell again. They were the Delage Aerosport and a 1910 Locomobile. The Avia III race car we featured from a dealership was offered here, but it too failed to meet its reserve. The one-off Lazzarrino did sell, for $135,000. Check out full results here.

RM’s Monterey sale was just as impressive as Bonhams. The top seller was the #2 of the weekend, the 1964 Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale, at $26,400,000. The Ferrari 250 GT N.A.R.T. Spider brought $1,017,500. The Ferrari F1-2000 sold for $1,804,000. But the Ferrari 333 failed to sell, as did the March-Cosworth. The AAR Eagle-Santa Ana sold for $104,500. What a choppy paragraph.

Cool, non-feature cars were topped by this 1962 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder by Vignale for $764,500. RM also sold the prototype of this model for considerably more, making this seem like a deal.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The Ford GT40 Roadster Prototype brought $6,930,000 and the Lancia PF200 C sold for $1,100,000. This 1965 Shelby Mustang GT350 Paxton Prototype was a car I wanted to feature but didn’t get a chance to. It sold for $572,000.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Our other three feature cars were all much older. The amazing 1926 Rickenbacker sold for $946,000. The Stevens-Duryea went for $302,500 and the 1911 Mercer Raceabout, $2,530,000. Check out full results here.

Next up, Gooding & Company: $15,180,000 took home this top-selling 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider.

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

Our top feature car was the Maserati 250F for $4,620,000 and the Alfa Tipo 256 was right behind it at an even $4,000,000. Our featured Duesenberg and Ferrari 330 GT Speciale both failed to meet their reserves. The AAR-Toyota Eagle GTP brought $1,045,000. Check out full results here.

Last but not least on the Monterey peninsula, Russo & Steele. Our only feature car was the Lola-Mazda from the 80s – it brought $132,000. The top sale was this 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL for $1,320,000. Check out full results here.

Photo - Russo & Steele

Photo – Russo & Steele

Ford Explorer Sportsman

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2001 Ford Explorer Sportsman Concept

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | August 30, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Looks pretty manly, doesn’t it? I remember concept cars of this era – seeing auto show highlights in AutoWeek or some such publication (the internet still wasn’t my main source for news) and seeing these somewhat outrageous show cars. Many from the late-90s through the early-00s have a similar look about them.

This one is based on a standard Ford Explorer. The Sportsman was designed for fishermen. It comes with fishing rods and the self-deploying running boards offer storage for said rods (really a good idea that I’m surprised we don’t actually see on production cars). The roof rack is removable. There’s actually even a built-in fish tank in the rear. *Fish not included.

The engine is a 4.6-liter V-8 making 240 horsepower and it does run and drive (although you can’t register it, unfortunately). It’s the only one like it ever built and sold four years ago for $49,500. This time around it carries an estimate of $40,000-$60,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $15,675.

1925 Star Sedan

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1925 Star Model F-25 Sedan

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | August 29, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

There have been quite a few car companies going by the name “Star,” but only one was founded by Billy Durant after he left GM. It was an assembled car, built using pieces made by other manufacturers. The Star was the affordable line of Durant Motors, built to compete against the Model T.

Production started in 1922 and the company was phased out in 1928. The four-cylinder model was dubbed “F-25” for 1925 only and it was the last year Star built only four-cylinder cars (a six was introduced alongside it for 1926).

This car has an older restoration, but it is simple and attractive. And usable. I saw a similar car for sale a few years ago for about $8,000 and not buying it remains one of my biggest automotive regrets. This one is nicer and should bring between $20,000-$30,000. Click here for more info and here for more from AA’s Auburn sale.

Update: Sold $8,250.

Duesenberg II

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1983 Duesenberg II Dual Cowl Phaeton

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | August 30, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Replicas. Some people love them, just as many people loathe them. Shelby Cobra replicas outnumber original Cobras by what has to be at least 100-1. All of E.L. Cord’s highlights from the 1930s were re-produced years later. Auburn Speedsters, Cord 812s, and the legendary Duesenberg Model J.

The Auburns and Cords look similar, but they aren’t convincing as originals. I think what holds them back is that they have modern tires on them. Not so here – these are correct 19-inch wire wheels with whitewalls. And they sell the whole package. Nothing here seems out of the ordinary until you look under the hood where a 7.5-liter Ford V-8 sits.

There have been a couple of attempts to revive Duesenberg, one of America’s most prestigious manufacturers. August Duesenberg’s son attempted it in the 1960s (and the car sort of became the 1970s Stutz Bearcat). There were a few awkward sedans built in the 70s called Duesenbergs. The Duesenberg II was the most successful, produced between 1978 and as late as 2000 by Elite Heritage Motors Corp. of Elroy, Wisconsin. They offered five different bodies that you could’ve gotten back in the 30s – this Dual Cowl Phaeton one of them.

When they were built, prices for these “new Duesenbergs” went up to $225,000. That’s pretty expensive for a replica. But these cars have modern conveniences and look absolutely stunning and authentic. Very few people can afford a real Model J, but you can get the same feeling for a lot less with this thing. Replicas aren’t something we’ll normally feature here, but this seems more legitimate than most. Plus, they’re far rarer than the real thing, with less than 100 built.

You can buy this one for an estimated $200,000-$240,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $147,500.

Maxwell Model LC

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1908 Maxwell Model LC

Offered by Mecum | Dallas, Texas | September 3-6, 2014

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Maxwell is an interesting (and important) early American automobile manufacturer. It was founded in 1904 by Jonathan Maxwell and Benjamin Briscoe (who had another car company named after himself). Maxwell was independent until 1910, when Briscoe formed the United States Motor Company, which brought 11 car companies under one umbrella (much like General Motors).

USMC failed in 1912 and Maxwell was the only company to come out if it alive. But by 1920, things were dire and a man named Walter P. Chrysler took control of Maxwell. Shortly thereafter, it essentially became the Chrysler we know today.

This Model LC was the entry-level Maxwell for 1908 and it was only called the “LC” for this model year. It uses a two-cylinder engine making 14 horsepower and was one of the first cars made primarily of steel. The car came in one body style, but it was reliable and a major success (Maxwell was #3 in sales for 1908, behind Ford and Buick).

This car sold in June, 2012 for $19,000. The market has gone up a little, but it shouldn’t break the bank for anyone looking to acquire a 100+ year old car to have a little fun with. Click here for more info and here for more from Mecum in Dallas.

Update: Sold $13,500.

Ford EX Concept

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2001 Ford EX Concept

Offered by Auctions America | Auburn, Indiana | August 27-31, 2014

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Well this is pretty cool, isn’t it? It’s a true concept car – you don’t recall Ford selling anything like this in the past 15 years, do you? It’s cool. It’s wild. It’s extreme.

This is actually a working, drivable concept car. It’s powered by a 4.0-liter V-6 making 375 horsepower and lots of torque. It’s four-wheel drive, obviously, and although they don’t quite look it, those are 33-inch tires. It resembles more of the modern side-by-side ATV than it does a production truck.

If Ford would’ve built this, they would have been off-road legends. Instead, there is just this one example. If go-anywhere is your thing, then this is your ute. It has to be massively entertaining with all that power, no real weight, and extreme off-road capability (although it’s a little rare to be thrashing it on the trails). In any event, it should sell for between $75,000-$100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $96,250.

Update: Sold, Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale 2017, $110,000.

Update: Sold, Mecum Phoenix 2019, $99,000.

Alfa Romeo Tipo 256

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1939 Alfa Romeo Tipo 256 Cabriolet Sportivo by Pinin Farina

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 16-17, 2014

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

The Alfa Romeo Tipo 256 was actually a racing car, despite the svelte body you see here. It was developed as a racing version of the 6C 2500 by Scuderia Ferrari. It has a shortened frame, huge fuel tank, and stiffer suspension.

The engine is a 2.5-liter straight-six making 125 horsepower – 35 more than the standard 6C 2500. Alfa raced these cars in the Mille Miglia and at Le Mans. It was the last race car Alfa built before WWII.

This car began life as a racing car, but when war broke out, most racing was suspended and many of the Tipo 256s were re-bodied. This one went to Pinin Farina in 1940. Later that year, this very car was sold to Piero Dusio – race car driver and future founder of Cisitalia.

It was restored (or refinished, depending on how you see it) in 2008 which consisted mostly of a new top and new paint. The interior is original. This is one of between eight and 20 Tipo 256s built and it is the only one that looks like this wonderful Cabriolet Sportivo by Pinin Farina. It will likely sell for between $5,000,000-$7,000,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Gooding & Company’s lineup.

Update: Sold $4,000,000.

AAR-Toyota Eagle GTP

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1992 AAR-Toyota Eagle Mk III GTP

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 15-17, 2014

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

We’ve featured some of Dan Gurney’s Eagles – mostly open-wheel cars. Well here is a GTP prototype AAR Eagle. It’s powered by a turbocharged Toyota 2.1-liter straight-four making 700-750 horsepower, depending on configuration. AAR and Toyota teamed up in the 80s for sports car racing and the Eagle Mk III dominated the 1992 IMSA GTP season. Between 1991 and 1993, they won 21 of 27 races. This is chassis #004 and its major wins are:

  • 1992 12 Hours of Sebring – 1st (with Juan Manuel Fangio II and Andy Wallace)
  • 1993 12 Hours of Sebring – 1st (with Fangio II and Wallace)

It also had 12 other victories and has been owned by Fangio II since it stopped racing. It is being offered for sale for the first time and should sell for between $700,000-$1,000,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $1,045,000.

Prototype Race Cars in Monterey

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Prototype Race Car Rundown

Offered during the Pebble Beach auction weekend | August 15-17, 2014

1995 Kremer-Porsche 962 K8 Spyder

Offered by Mecum

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

The K8 was an evolution of the Porsche 962. Porsche withdrew from the 1995 24 Hours of Daytona due to last minute rule changes. The Kremer brothers of Germany had been producing Porsche race cars since 1962 and they entered this “K8 Spyder” – which had been a Porsche 962 in a previous life. It uses a twin turbo 3.0-liter flat-six and only four were built. This car won the 1995 24 Hours of Daytona with drivers Jurgen Lassig, Christophe Bouchut, Giovanni Lavaggi, and Marco Werner. It also raced at Sebring and Le Mans that year without victory. It maintains its race-winning livery today. It should sell for between $900,000-$1,500,000. Click here for more.

Update: Sold $930,000.

1992 AAR-Toyota Eagle Mk III GTP

Offered by Gooding & Company

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

We’ve featured some of Dan Gurney’s Eagles – mostly open-wheel cars. Well here is a GTP prototype AAR Eagle. It’s powered by a turbocharged Toyota 2.1-liter straight-four making 700-750 horsepower, depending on configuration. AAR and Toyota teamed up in the 80s for sports car racing and the Eagle Mk III dominated the 1992 IMSA GTP season. Between 1991 and 1993, they won 21 of 27 races. This is chassis #004 and its major wins are:

  • 1992 12 Hours of Sebring – 1st (with Juan Manuel Fangio II and Andy Wallace)
  • 1993 12 Hours of Sebring – 1st (with Fangio II and Wallace)

It also had 12 other victories and has been owned by Fangio II since it stopped racing. It is being offered for sale for the first time and should sell for between $700,000-$1,000,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $1,045,000.

1984 Lola-Mazda T616

Offered by Russo & Steele

Photo - Russo & Steele

Photo – Russo & Steele

The Lola T600 was new for the Group C category in 1981. For 1984, it was updated to the T616. They teamed with BF Goodrich racing and Mazda to run these cars for the 1984 season. Russo & Steele is also offering the sister car for sale, too. The engine is a 300 horsepower 1.3-liter twin-rotor Wankel. Here’s a brief rundown of its competition highlights:

  • 1984 24 Hours of Daytona – 31st (with Jim Busby, Rick Knoop and Boy Hayje)
  • 1984 1000km Monza – 1st in class (with Busby and Knoop)
  • 1984 24 Hours of Le Mans – 12th, 1st in class (with Busby, Knoop and Hayje)
  • 1984 1000km Nurburgring – 2nd in class (with Busby and Peter Halsmer)
  • 1984 1000km Fuji – 3rd in class (with Busby and Halsmer)

The pair of cars were stored after 1984 until original drivers Knoop and Busby found them and restored them. You can buy them now and read more here (and check out the rest of Russo & Steele’s lineup here).

Update: Sold $132,000.

1998 Ferrari 333 SP

Offered by RM Auctions

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The 333 SP is an interesting Ferrari. The Scuderia hadn’t gone sports prototype racing in a long time and with this car, they kind of still didn’t. Dallara designed the chassis (and built nine of the cars) and Ferrari never fielded a factory effort with the cars, instead selling them to privateers so they could campaign them.

The engine is a 4.0-liter V-12 making 650 horsepower. This is the most-successful 333 SP built, with the following achievements:

  • 1998 24 Hours of Daytona – 1st (with Arie Luyendyk, Mauro Baldi, Giampiero Moretti and Didier Theys)
  • 1998 12 Hours of Sebring – 1st (with Theys, Moretti and Baldi)
  • 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans – 14th (with Theys, Moretti and Baldi)

The car still has its MOMO livery (MOMO being the company Daytona winner Giampiero Moretti founded). It is one of 40 ultimately built (Ferrari built five in addition to Dallara’s nine. Michelotto built the rest). RM didn’t publish an estimate, but you can read more here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $3,400,000.

 1970 Porsche 908/03 Spyder

Offered by Bonhams

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Porsche 908 was their prototype racer from 1968 through 1971. It replaced the 907 and preceded the 936. It’s basically a little wedge with two Batmobile-like fins out back. The engine is a 3.0-liter flat-eight making about 370 horsepower. It could top out around 180 mph. The /03 was the third evolution of the 908 and was made for 1970 and 1971 only. This car was never raced, instead used for extensive testing by the Porsche factory team. It is one of 13 908/03s built. This car, chassis #002, should sell for between $1,800,000-$2,300,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.