Tag Archives: classic cars

NSU Sport Prinz

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1963 NSU Sport Prinz

Offered by Artcurial | Monaco | July 19, 2021

Photo – Artcurial

NSU started out as a knitting machine manufacturer in 1873 and was acquired by Volkswagen in 1969. The company was then merged with Auto Union, which would later just become Audi.

The Prinz first went on sale in 1957 as a homely two-door sedan with a rear-mounted inline-twin. They were not powerful. They were slow. But they were meant as a “people’s car.” John Glenn famously drove one while his fellow astronauts had Corvettes. In 1958, NSU introduced the Sport Prinz, which was, as the name implies, a sporty version of the Prinz. It was powered by a, in this case, 598cc inline-twin.

The 598cc engine was only available from 1962 until the end of Sport Prinz production in 1968. In all, 20,831 were produced. This one remained with its original owner in Saint-Tropez until 2011, and it’s now expected to sell for between $12,000-$18,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $9,153.

Cadillac 30 Roadster

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1910 Cadillac Model 30 Roadster

Offered by Historics Auctioneers | Slough, U.K. | July 17, 2021

Photo – Historics Auctioneers

Cadillac’s Model 30 was produced from 1909 through 1911. It was their only model those three years and was based on a design stemming from 1906 (although it was called by different names then, including the Model G). The four-cylinder model would continue one essentially unchanged through 1914.

The engine is a 4.2-liter inline-four that was rated at 33 horsepower when new. In 1909 and early 1910, you could only get the 30 as an open car. Limousines and coupes didn’t come until mid-1910. Two roadsters were available at $1,600 each. This is the two-seat roadster.

It was restored over time, and the body is said to have been fitted about 100 years ago. So I guess that makes it close enough to being “original.” It is expected to fetch between $37,000-$55,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $46,194.

Jensen 541R

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1959 Jensen 541R

Bonhams | Bicester, U.K. | July 17, 2021

The Jensen 541 was a GT car produced by Jensen Motors between 1954 and 1959. In 1957, Jensen added a 541R to the range, and upgrades included four-wheel disc brakes and rack-and-pinion steering.

In 1960, both the base car and the R were replaced by the 541S, which was a luxury version. The S was in turn replaced by the C-V8 in 1963. The 541R was powered by the same 4.0-liter Austin inline-six as the base car, but it was fitted with twin carburetors for a rating of 150 horsepower.

The body is fiberglass, and this car features a two-tone paint scheme with the wheels being the same color as the roof. Only 193 examples of the 541R were built. This one should bring between $62,000-$76,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $54,564.

Bentley Corniche

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1974 Bentley Corniche Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | July 9, 2021

Photo – Bonhams

The Rolls-Royce Corniche, as a model, was around from 1971 through 1995. The name reappeared in 2000 for a few years as well. The convertible versions made from the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s are the epitome of South Florida old lady-ness in my mind.

But what we have here is from the first generation of Corniche production, which lasted from 1971-1987. And it’s not a Rolls-Royce. No, this is an example of some high-end badge engineering. The Bentley Corniche was produced as a coupe and convertible, and the coupe was discontinued alongside the Roller coupe in 1981.

Somehow, in 10 years, there were only 69 Bentley Corniche two-door sedans built. The Bentley convertible version lasted until 1984, and only 77 of those were made. They are extremely rare, even when compared to the Rolls-Royce version (which totaled over 4,000 in the same period). The car is powered by a 6.75-liter V8 making 237 horsepower. Top speed was about 118 mph.

So why did they sell so few? Well, Bentley was kind of faltering at the time, and it was just considered a “cheaper” version of the Rolls. Not so much anymore. The rarity factor makes these sought after, and this one carries an estimate of $55,000-$69,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $56,948.

Maserati Tipo 26B

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1928 Maserati Tipo 26B

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | July 9, 2021

Photo – Bonhams

Maserati’s first car was the Tipo 26, and it was introduced in 1926. It was an evolution of a Diatto racing car that Alfieri Maserati had designed, and it won its class at its debut race: the 1926 Targa Florio.

The following year, the company introduced the Tipo 26B. They would build six examples of this open-cockpit racing car through 1930. A 26B finished third overall at its debut race: the 1927 Targa Florio. Maserati would also be represented by the 26B at the 1930 Indianapolis 500. Power is from a supercharged 2.1-liter inline-eight good for 150 horsepower and 118 mph. (This car’s restored engine now displaces 2.0 liters).

This example was purchased new by a privateer racing driver from Argentina, who had it shipped to his home country. The car competed in races in Argentina and Uruguay. It was purchased from the original owner’s family in the late 1980s and later restored in Italy.

This car should be eligible for just about any historic open-wheel race and just about every imaginable show. It should sell for between $1,300,000-$1,800,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Steyr Type II

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1920 Steyr Type II 12/40HP

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

Photo – Dorotheum

I’m pretty sure Dorotheum has now offered more Steyr automobiles in the last six months than every other major auction house has combined over the past five years. Steyr made their money with munitions, and with the end of WWI on the horizon, they realized they needed a product to fill the gaping hole they were about to see on their books.

So cars it was. Steyr brought in Hans Ludwinka – the guy who would later be responsible for the Tatras – to design their first car, which they called the Type II (The Type I was their initial test car). It went on sale in 1920 and was powered by a 3.3-liter inline-six rated at 40 horsepower.

Steyr produced 2,150 examples of the Type II through 1924, most of which were touring cars or limousines. This car was sold new to the Egyptian ruling family and was purchased and returned to Austria in the late 1970s when it was restored. It is now expected to bring between $290,000-$380,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $372,685.

BMW 309

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1934 BMW 309

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

Photo – Dorotheum

Here’s another small car from BMW’s early era. The company launched the 303 in 1933. It was their first six-cylinder car and the first BMW with “kidney” grilles – two things the company continues to be known for. In 1934 they introduced the 309, which was essentially a 303 with two fewer cylinders. It was intended as a replacement for the 3/20.

The 309 is powered by an 845cc inline-four that made 22 horsepower when new. Rubber engine mounts were used to reduce vibration in the cabin, and the cars carried bodies from Ambi-Budd. You could choose from a two-door sedan (as shown here), a cabriolet, or a tourer.

Approximately 6,000 examples of the 309 were produced through 1936. This one has known history back only a few decades, and it was restored in Austria. Pre-war BMWs are rarely seen, and the fact that this was about as basic of an example as you could get in 1934 makes it even more impressive that it is still around. It should bring between $14,000-$22,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $22,336.

1902 Clement

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1902 Clement 9HP Four-Seater Rear-Entrance Tonneau

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

Photo – Dorotheum

Adolphe Clement-Bayard founded Clement Cycles in the 1870s and would later become an investor in the Gladiator Cycle Company. In 1895, Gladiator produced a motorized tricycle. By 1898, Clement-Gladiator was selling motorcars. These automobiles were offered under both the Clement-Gladiator and Clement marques until 1903 when the brand name shifted to Clement-Bayard (Gladiator went their own way).

This 1902 model is powered by a nine-horsepower inline-twin and features a four-seat body with a single rear door for entrance to the rear seats. It was restored in the mid-1970s and was part of the Michael Banfield collection for some time as well.

Calling a Clement rare is kind of dumb, as pretty much any model from 1902 is “rare” today. But if you are trying to collect “one of each” of the Clement-related marques, this would be a great start. It is expected to sell for between $110,000-$160,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $112,358.

Hanomag 15 K Rekord

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1935 Hanomag Type 15 K Rekord Convertible

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

Photo – Dorotheum

Hanomag was a producer of heavy machinery and motorcars that was essentially founded in 1871 by Georg Egestoff as a company with a different name that produced steam engines. Automobile production lasted from 1925 through 1940, although commercial vehicles remained available until the 1970s.

The Type 15 was introduced in 1933 and was offered as a few different submodels, including the Record 15 K, which was produced from 1934 through 1936. Power is from a 1.5-liter inline-four that made 32 horsepower. A few body styles were offered, including a sedan and a convertible with a body from Ambi-Budd. That is what this car has.

They were not very common when new, and they are about as rare as they come today, especially the convertible variant. This one was restored over many years and is expected to sell for between $32,000-$46,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $54,148.

250 GT Ellena

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1958 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe Ellena

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | July 9, 2021

Photo – Bonhams

Ferrari’s 250 GT line of cars spawned many sub-models, beginning with 1954’s GT Europa. In 1955, Ferrari introduced the 250 GT Coupe, which could initially be had as a Boano or Ellena variant. The cars were named after their respective coachbuilders, even though both were from the same family. Felice Mario Boano’s namesake company was only around from 1954 through 1957, at which time he renamed the company Carrozzeria Ellena after his son-in-law, who took over the business that would last through 1966.

The two coupes are distinct from each other, but both share the same 3.0-liter Colombo V12 good for 237 horsepower. Only 50 examples of the 250 GT Ellena were built between 1957 and 1958. This one, like others, features a wonderful two-tone paint scheme with a maroon lower body and a silver roof.

This car, #25, was first registered in Rome and made its way to the U.S. in the 1970s. It spent over two decades in a private New York collection and was restored in the U.K. in 2005. It now carries an estimate of $970,000-$1,200,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $707,269.