Tag Archives: coupe

Daimler Dart Prototype

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1960 Daimler SP250 AHC Retractable Hardtop Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Goodwood, U.K. | September 10, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

The Daimler SP250 “Dart” was a sports car built by the British Daimler company between 1959 and 1964. It was a weird thing for Daimler to build, as they specialized in big sedans and limousines. Obviously, as this is a 1960, it is not one of the original SP250 prototypes. Instead, it is a one-off prototype car built by the Antony H Croucher Precision & Prototype Engineering Company to showcase their novel retractable hardtop system.

The car was also slightly enlarged – it features four seats and a larger trunk. The work was completed in 1963 and the car is still powered by the SP250’s 2.5-liter V-8 that puts out 140 horsepower. A hardtop was an available option on the SP250, but this car’s can disappear into the trunk. Amazingly, the hardtop can be raised or lowered while driving.

The car has recently been freshened and is operable – roof included. Originally orange, it was repainted this silver that looks great when wet. Only 2,654 Darts were produced in total and this is the only one with a retractable hardtop. It has been owned by the same family since it was built and should bring between $65,000-$92,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Monteverdi 375/L

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1971 Monteverdi 375/L High Speed Coupe by Fissore

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | London, U.K. | September 7, 2016

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Peter Monteverdi’s Swiss car company never built models in huge numbers. In fact, only a handful of the cars he built ever made it to the production stage. Among them is the High Speed 375 line of cars that was built between 1967 and 1970 (with a few sedans built after that).

The 375/L was the second car in the High Speed line and it was a 2+2 four-seater on a slightly longer wheelbase than the preceding 375S two-seat coupe (there was also a 375C convertible and a 375/4 sedan). The engine is a Chrysler 440 (7.2-liter) V-8 making 375 horsepower. The body on this car is by Fissore of Italy.

A car with an American engine and an Italian body made for instant success. This particular example is being sold by its original owner. Monteverdis don’t trade hands often and that’s probably because they are awesome cars – on par with the other big Italian muscle car/tourers of the day (think Ghia SS and Maserati Ghibli). Production numbers are unknown, but it wasn’t many. You can read more here and see more from RM Sotheby’s here.

Update: Sold $210,112.

1948 Maserati A6 Coupe

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1948 Maserati A6/1500 Coupe by Pinin Farina

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 20-21, 2016

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

Remember when we said that Pinin Farina’s Coupe on the A6G 2000 was sort of the prototypical design for this car? Well here’s proof we aren’t crazy. This car is a little earlier, as the A6 1500 was the predecessor of the A6G 2000 having been built between 1947 and 1950. Believe it or not, it was Maserati’s first production road car.

The engine is a 1.5-liter straight-six making 85 horsepower. Only 61 were built and 59 of those carry Pinin Farina coachwork. This example, a long time Texas resident, was restored in 1998 and the engine was redone in 2005. It’s never been shown, but was raced back in 1949 and 1950. As an important piece of Maserati history, it could bring between $800,000-$1,100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Gooding & Company in Pebble Beach.

Update: Sold $852,500.

Update: Sold, Gooding & Company, Pebble Beach 2018, $797,500.

Maserati A6G/2000

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1951 Maserati A6G 2000 Coupe by Pinin Farina

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 19-20, 2016

Photo Courtesty of RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesty of RM Sotheby’s

The A6G 2000 was the second iteration of the Maserati A6. Produced in 1950 and 1951 only, the cars saw increased displacement in the straight-six engine (to 2.0-liters) which makes 100 horsepower.

This example was sold new in Italy and has been in the U.S. since 1970. The handsome Pinin Farina body is the sort of typical body you could expect to see on one of these chassis. Except that you should never expect to see one as this is the second of just nine built by Pinin Farina (of about 15 cars built in total). It has been restored twice since 2000 and should bring between $400,000-$500,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

Maseratis in Monterey

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1957 Maserati A6G/54 Spider by Frua

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 20-21, 2016

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

It seems like each year there is a theme among auction houses as to a certain type of car that is, for whatever reason, more prevalent at the Pebble Beach sales than usual. Two years ago it was open-wheeled race cars. This year it’s Maseratis. Both Gooding & Company and RM Sotheby’s are offering difference collections of Maseratis. The car you see here is probably the best one available.

The A6G/54 was introduced in 1954 (and built through 1956) and was the final version of the A6G, a car that dated back to 1947. It is powered by a 160 horsepower 2.0-liter straight-six and four body styles were offered, though none were built by Maserati themselves. Frua offered a Coupe and Spider, while Zagato and Allemano also offered a style each.

This is the fifth of 10 Frua Spiders and one of only 60 A6G/54s built in total. It was sold new in the U.S. and has spent a majority of its life on the west coast. Restored in the 1990s, this beautiful car does not come with a pre-sale estimate, which should tell you what you need to know regarding affordability. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $3,300,000.

1951 Maserati A6G 2000 Coupe by Pinin Farina

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 19-20, 2016

Photo Courtesty of RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesty of RM Sotheby’s

The A6G 2000 was the second iteration of the Maserati A6. Produced in 1950 and 1951 only, the cars saw increased displacement in the straight-six engine (to 2.0-liters) which makes 100 horsepower.

This example was sold new in Italy and has been in the U.S. since 1970. The handsome Pinin Farina body is the sort of typical body you could expect to see on one of these chassis. Except that you should never expect to see one as this is the second of just nine built by Pinin Farina (of about 15 cars built in total). It has been restored twice since 2000 and should bring between $400,000-$500,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Not sold.

1971 Maserati Ghibli SS Spider

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 20-21, 2016

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

There have been three Maserati Ghiblis: the current sedan, a largely forgotten coupe of the 1990s, and this, a beautiful Ghia-styled Grand Tourer from the 1960s and 70s. A Coupe and Spider were available and in 1969, to partner with the base Ghibli, an SS was released.

The difference was that the SS came with a 4.9-liter V-8 making 335 horsepower. Think of what was going on in America at the time – this engine put it smack dab in the middle of muscle car territory. The difference is in the gearing: this car tops out at 170 mph (while most muscle cars were geared for the ¼ mile). This example was restored in 2009 and is noted in the lot description as “the best Ghibli out there.”

Only 128 Ghibli Spiders were built and only 30 of those were of the 4.9-liter SS variety. The estimate on this car is between $1,750,000-$2,250,000. You get what you pay for. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $1,500,000.

1971 Maserati Quattroporte Prototipo by Frua

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Monterey, California | August 19-20, 2016

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The original Maserati Quattroporte was a sedan built between 1963 and 1969. Maserati was out of the sedan game until 1976. But in those years between, something strange occurred. And it resulted in two amazing cars.

The story is that Frua designed this prototype Quattroporte sedan and showed it at the 1971 Paris Auto Salon. A second was built for Aga Khan IV and that was it. This is one of the rarest Maseratis outside of cars like the Boomerang. It is powered by a 4.7-liter V-8 making 290 horsepower (from the Maserati Indy). This car is rumored to have been owned and used by the Spanish royal family. Most recently, it’s been in the Riverside Automotive Museum and should sell for between $175,000-$225,000, which seems like a steal. Click here for more info and here for more from RM.

Update: Sold $88,000.

1948 Maserati A6/1500 Coupe by Pinin Farina

Offered by Gooding & Company | Pebble Beach, California | August 20-21, 2016

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

Remember when we said that Pinin Farina’s Coupe on the A6G 2000 was sort of the prototypical design for this car? Well here’s proof we aren’t crazy. This car is a little earlier, as the A6 1500 was the predecessor of the A6G 2000 having been built between 1947 and 1950. Believe it or not, it was Maserati’s first production road car.

The engine is a 1.5-liter straight-six making 85 horsepower. Only 61 were built and 59 of those carry Pinin Farina coachwork. This example, a long time Texas resident, was restored in 1998 and the engine was redone in 2005. It’s never been shown, but was raced back in 1949 and 1950. As an important piece of Maserati history, it could bring between $800,000-$1,100,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Gooding & Company in Pebble Beach.

Update: Sold $852,500.

Cheetah GT

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1964 Cheetah GT Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Monterey, California | August 19, 2016

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Shortly after the sporty Corvette went on sale, tuners got their hands on it and began modifying it for racing. Bill Thomas was one of those tuners and he began his career in 1956. GM was impressed and paid him to help with the Corvair and Chevy II.

Thomas also opened Bill Thomas Race Cars in 1960 in Southern California. When Ford partnered with Shelby, General Motors felt a little left out and went to Thomas to see what could be done about it. Thing was, GM had a ban on factory racing so they had to support the program covertly.

So Bill Thomas and Don Edmunds designed the Cheetah. Chevrolet supplied the 400+ horsepower 5.5-liter V-8 and a bunch of other parts. The first two cars were bodied in aluminium by California Metal Shaping. After GM gave the thumbs up, the rest of the cars were fiberglass, done by Contemporary Fiberglass. GM wanted 100 cars to homologate it for FIA competition but they cancelled their support after only 11 cars were made between 1963 and 1965.

This is the fourth fiberglass Cheetah built. It was one of three purchased by Alan Green Chevrolet in Seattle and the only one of those to see action on the track, competing in the SCCA. A subsequent owner converted it for street use, which included stamping his own serial number on the chassis and replacing the body. In 2012, the original body was put back on the car.

There were extra chassis and bodies completed, but only 11 actual cars were ever built, turn-key, by the factory. These are legendary American performance machines that are much rarer than Shelby’s counterpart (and also like the Cobra, originals are way outnumbered by replicas). They rarely change hands and this fully restored example should bring between $300,000-$500,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Glas Isard

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1960 Glas Isard 400 Coupe

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Plymouth, Michigan | July 30, 2016

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Does this look like another famous microcar to you? Specifically, the Goggomobil? Well, essentially, it is. Hans Glas (whose company ultimately became part of BMW) would start selling cars in 1955. They were originally branded as “Goggomobil” – a marque that existed between 1955 and 1969.

The Glas brand first appeared on a car in 1958. Here’s where it gets really interesting: between 1958 and 1965, Glas produced a car, larger than what you see here, called the Isar. Then there is this, the Isard, with a “d.” The story is that “goggo” was negative French slang, so Glas had to sell the Goggomobil TS in France as the Glas Isard.

So this is technically the same car as a Goggomobil TS400 but with a much more interesting backstory. It’s powered by a rear-engined 20 horsepower, 395cc straight-twin. For comparison, the car we featured yesterday had 800 more horsepower. Fun comes in all shapes and sizes – and in this case, it’s pint sized. Click here for more info and here for more from RM Sotheby’s.

Update: Sold $24,200.

Porsche 912 Prototype

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1965 Porsche 356B/912 Coupe Prototype

Offered by Mecum | Monterey, California | August 18-20, 2016

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Porsche really hasn’t produced that many different models over the years (by name, at least). So imagine trying to restore one and you go out and buy a parts car only to discover that it is one of six original factory prototypes for the car you are restoring. Guess what: you change the focus on the car you are restoring. That’s what happened to the discoverer of this car.

Anyway, the Porsche 911 was introduced to replace the 356 in 1963. Porsche 356 production continued through 1965 and to hedge its bet on the new six-cylinder 911, Porsche introduced the four-cylinder 912 as they phased out the 356. It was basically a 911 body with a 356 engine in it. This car carries an engine from a 1964 model year 356SC. That means it is a 1.6-liter flat-four making 95 horsepower.

The 912 isn’t nearly as collectible as the 911 (and never will be). They are still in the price realm of mere mortals, but they won’t be forever. But what will always be high-priced and collectible are numbers-matching factory prototypes of legendary sports cars. This fits that bill. Only two of these survive, so here’s your chance. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $600,000.

Duesenberg J-119

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1929 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing Top Convertible Coupe by Murphy

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Plymouth, Michigan | July 30, 2016

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

This is one of the earliest Model J Duesenberg’s we’ve yet featured. The car that took the world by storm in late 1929 still gets people’s attention today. The Model J is undoubtedly one of America’s greatest automotive achievements.

This is a “Disappearing Top” Convertible Coupe, built by the Walter M. Murphy Company of Pasadena, California. They built 60 Convertible Coupes, with only 25 of those being of the Disappearing Top variety. As a Model J, it is powered by a 265 horsepower, 6.9-liter straight-eight engine.

This car was sold new with a Derham Sedan body attached to it. The original owner in Chicago sent it back to Duesenberg to have this body installed. This happened in 1934 and then it was resold. It has had many owners, but the current owner has had it for many years and used it often. In fact, he has driven this car round trip from Florida to Auburn, Indiana. The car’s second restoration was completed under his care and is being sold to benefit a liberal arts college. Read more about it here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $1,540,000.

Kellison J5R

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1959 Kellison J5R Coupe

For sale at Vintage Motors of Sarasota | Sarasota, Florida

Photo - Vintage Motors Sarasota

Photo – Vintage Motors Sarasota

This thing doesn’t like it was designed in the 1950s, but it was. Jim Kellison founded the Kellison Car Company in the 1950s in California to produce fiberglass kit cars. The company was around into the 1960s and offered at least eight models during their existence.

While the J5 was the most produced model in the company’s history, the J5R variant is much rarer. The “R” denotes a lightweight body compared to the original. Not sure how you take a lightweight fiberglass body and make it lighter. Make it thinner? It is powered by a 4.6-liter Chevrolet V-8.

This example has been professionally restored and shown at the Amelia Island Concours. Between 350 and 400 J5s were built, all coupes. Can’t say I’ve ever seen one come up for sale… especially not this nice. It doesn’t even register as real and, frankly, reminds us of this. But it is pretty cool. And can be yours for $45,000. Click here for more info.