Tag Archives: classic cars

Uhlenhaut Coupe

Posted on by
Reply

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe

Sold by RM Sotheby’s | Stuttgart, Germany | May 5, 2022

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

We rarely feature a car after it sells, but this one sort of snuck up on everybody. The Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart owned both examples of the “Uhlenhaut” coupe until recently, when they decided to part with one of the two. Why? Who knows. Maybe Daimler is cash-strapped. It’s kind of a weird situation when a well-funded museum decides to do a quick cash grab for a priceless piece of automotive history. Supposedly there were conditions on this private auction, like that the new owner isn’t allowed to re-sell it.

Anyway, a little history. This is not a 300SL Gullwing coupe. The 300 SLR was a full-fendered open-cockpit racing car based on the W196 Formula One car. The SLR was the company’s entry into the World Sportscar Championship. The cars won the Mille Miglia and Targa Florio before the program was quickly shuttered after the 1955 Le Mans disaster.

Meanwhile, motorsport chief Rudolf Uhlenhaut designed a road-going coupe version of the SLR, later dubbed the Uhlhenhaut coupes. Two were built. The engine was a 3.0-liter straight-eight that made about 305 horsepower. This coupe could do 180 mph. In 1955.

This one was the second one built and has been owned by Mercedes-Benz since new. It was restored in the 1980s and has been displayed and demonstrated on various occasions over the years. So how did it fare?

Sold: $142,000,000.

Alfa 2000 Spider Touring

Posted on by
Reply

1960 Alfa Romeo 2000 Spider by Touring

Offered by Oldtimer Galerie | Lucerne, Switzerland | May 28, 2022

Photo – Oldtimer Galerie

The Tipo 102 Alfa Romeo 2000 was the follow up to Alfa’s 1900 model, which dated back to 1950. The 1900 had its moments, but it wasn’t as pretty as this. The 2000 was offered as a two-door Bertone-styled Sprint, a two-door Touring-bodied Spider, and a four-door Berlina, all between 1958 and 1962.

This Spider features a body penned by Carrozzeria Touring and is definitely the best-looking of the bunch. Power is (typically) from a 2.0-liter inline-four that was rated at 113 horsepower in Spider form. Top speed was 110 mph.

Only 3,443 examples of the Spider were built, and this one received a replacement 2.3-liter inline-four good for 140 horsepower sometime in its past. It was restored some time ago and is estimated to bring $75,000-$85,000. Click here for more info.

Lola T70

Posted on by
Reply

1965 Lola T70 Mk I Spyder

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | June 24, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

The T70 was a popular Can-Am car for privateers in the 1960s with over 100 examples produced. Built by Lola in a few different variations (Mk I, Mk II spyder, and Mk III coupe), the T70 was often found fitted with a big American V8. It was a race-winning formula, with drivers like Dan Gurney, Walt Hansgen, and 1966 series champion John Surtees all driving them in period

This chassis, SL70/3, was the first T70 built and was sold new to John Mecom, whose team livery is still on the car today. It ran a number of races that season, including:

  • 1965 12 Hours of Sebring – 52nd, DNF (with John Cannon and Jack Saunders)

Walt Hansgen crashed it at Mosport, and the original Ford engine was removed. It was later restored and part of Mac McClendon’s collection until the 2000s. It currently has a 5.7-liter Chevrolet V8 fitted out back, and that monster is rated at 573 horsepower. The pre-sale estimate is $310,000-$430,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

365 GT4 BB

Posted on by
1

1974 Ferrari 365 GT4 BB

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Sywell Aerodrome, U.K. | June 4, 2022

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

“Berlinetta Boxer” describes a series of Ferrari near-supercars produced from the early 1970s through the early 1980s. It was the first mid-engined Ferrari-branded road car, and it used a why-the-hell-not flat-12 engine. There were essentially three models over the run: the famed and loved 512 BB, its injected twin the 512 BBi, and this, the sort of odd duck 365 GT4.

The 365 GT4 was the first of the series and was replacement for the 365 GTB/4 Daytona. Manufactured from 1973 through 1976, it is the rarest of the BBs, with just 387 examples produced. Power is provided by a 4.4-liter flat-12 that made 375 horsepower. The engine would get bigger for the 512 – though less powerful.

This car is one of 88 right-hand-drive examples, and it has a replacement drivetrain. The pre-sale estimate is $215,000-$285,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

Alvis TF 21

Posted on by
Reply

1966 Alvis TF 21 Drophead Coupe

Offered by Historics Auctioneers | Ascot Racecourse, U.K. | May 21, 2022

Photo – Historics Auctioneers

This car represents the end of the line for Alvis. It was launched in March 1966, and the final cars rolled off the line in August 1967. Interesting tidbit, the similarly styled TE 21 was available by special order through 1967 as well.

Power is by the same 3.0-liter inline-six that powered this entire line of cars, which basically covered the entirely of Alvis’ post-war production (well, since the 1950 TA 21 anyway). Output increased to 150 horsepower in the TF, which was offered both as a two-door sedan or a two-door drophead coupe. The bodies were by Park Ward.

Only 106 examples of the TF 21 were produced, and only seven of those were convertibles with a manual gearbox like this one. It now has a pre-sale estimate of $92,500-$117,500. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

3500 GTI Vignale

Posted on by
Reply

1962 Maserati 3500 GTI Spyder by Vignale

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Northamptonshire, U.K. | May 28, 2022

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

The 3500 GT was Maserati’s big grand tourer of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Both 2+2 coupes and two-seat convertibles were offered, with styling by a select few Italian carrozzeria, including Vignale, who bodied this example and most of the model’s convertibles.

In 1960, Maserati introduced the GTI variant, making it Italy’s first fuel-injected production car. The 3.5-liter inline-six got Lucas fuel injection and a power bump to 232 horsepower. Because fuel injection was still relatively new, it could be somewhat troublesome, and more than a few GTI examples were converted back to Weber carburetors later in life. Not this one.

This car was delivered new in London, and from the 80s onward, it spent time in France and Italy before returning within the last decade to London with its current owner. Only 245 Vignale convertibles were built out of a total 3500 production run of 2,226 examples between 1957 and 1964. The pre-sale estimate here is $470,000-$550,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $523,210.

Talbot Sunbeam Lotus

Posted on by
Reply

1983 Talbot Sunbeam Lotus Limited Edition

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Northamptonshire, U.K. | May 28, 2022

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

We’ve covered the history of the Talbot marque before, and it’s very confusing. We’ll pick up the trail in 1935 when the Rootes Group had both Talbot and Sunbeam under their ownership. Sunbeam-Talbot was a marque that existed from 1935 through 1954, when the cars just became Sunbeams. This was because Talbot-Lago was operating in France and it was confusing. Still is.

Well Talbot-Lago only lasted five more years after that. The dormant Talbot name was then sold to Simca, which became part of Chrysler Europe in 1970. In 1977, Chrysler introduced the Chrysler Sunbeam model. It was a three-door hatchback. It was not very exciting.

However, Chrysler dumped Chrysler Europe on PSA (Peugeot/Citroen) in 1978 for $1. PSA in turn dumped the Chrysler name, rebranding all Chryslers in Europe as Talbots. So now, a few decades removed from Sunbeam-Talbot, there was a Talbot Sunbeam on sale in Europe. Around this time, they also wanted to make the Sunbeam (the model) more exciting.

The hot-hatch Ti variant was introduced in 1978. Chrysler had already been in talks with Lotus to build a rally version of the Sunbeam to take on the Ford Escort RS. Thus, the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus was born, and it went on sale in 1979. It was one of the best hot hatches of the ’70s/’80s.

Power is from a 2.2-liter high-compression version of the Lotus 907 inline-four. Road cars were rated at 150 horsepower. Rally cars were able to get up to 250 horsepower out of the engine. There were also suspension and exhaust tweaks. The car was responsible for Talbot winning the WRC manufacturer’s championship in 1981.

Only 1,184 right-hand-drive examples were made before production ceased due to the fact that they were more expensive to make than they could sell them for. Fifty-six of them were taken by Ladbroke Avon Coachworks to be turned into “Limited Edition” cars that featured the paint scheme seen here.

This limited-edition Sunbeam Lotus carries a pre-sale estimate of $30,000-$37,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $28,914.

’63 Consul Capri

Posted on by
Reply

1963 Ford Consul Capri

Offered by Historics Auctioneers | Ascot Racecourse, U.K. | May 21, 2022

Photo – Historics Auctioneers

The Consul was Ford of Britain’s family car when it went on sale in 1951 as the base model in the Zephyr range. A sedan, a two-door wagon, and a convertible were offered. The second generation ended production in 1962.

In 1961, Ford launched the Consul Classic, which overlapped the second-gen Consul production and that of the Cortina. The Classic was available as a four-door sedan, a two-door sedan, or as a two-door Capri coupe, which is what we have here. The big factory engine option on the Capri was 1.5-liter four, however this car has been hot-rodded with a 2.0-liter Pinto inline-four, a five-speed manual gearbox, and Minilite-style wheels.

It looks good, especially in green. This car was one of the styling highpoints for Ford of Britain. Only 19,421 Consul Capris were produced in two and a half years. This one has a pre-sale estimate of $20,000-$24,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $23,302.

BACI Neoclassic

Posted on by
Reply

1994 BACI Roadster

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 15, 2022

Photo – Mecum

It’s been a while since we’ve featured an obscure neoclassic. So obscure, this one is, that even Mecum didn’t know what they were dealing with at first, labeling it an Excalibur. It’s a BACI, a roadster produced by the Besasie Automotive Company Inc. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Just 14 of these were built between 1993 and 1995, and they were based on the Ford Thunderbird of the era. This car is powered by a fuel-injected 5.0-liter V8 and features Bose audio, a power-retractable soft top, and air conditioning.

Parts of the styling are supposed to be reminiscent of the Mercedes-Benz Special Roadster. Maybe from the back? You can read more about this one here, and check out more angles via the photos.

Update: Sold $29,700.

Renault 20/30 Landaulette

Posted on by
Reply

1908 Renault Type V-1 20/30 Landaulette

Offered by Historics Auctioneers | Ascot Racecourse, U.K. | May 21, 2022

Photo – Historics Auctioneers

This one is a little confusing, as is Renault’s early model line. Their first cars debuted in 1899 with simple voiturettes, though they carried more than half a dozen model names in their first few years. Prior to WWI, the company offered dozens of different models, many of which based on the same powertrains.

In this case, I think, we have a 20/30hp chassis in model V-1 form (not VI as the auction catalog labels it). This was a large car for the company, and it’s powered by a 4.4-liter inline-four rated at 20/30 horsepower. No clue how long this model was offered, but it was at least 1908 and 1909.

The body here is by Stareys & Woolleys of Nottingham. The pre-sale estimate here is listed as $115,000-$135,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $101,136.