Veritas RS

1948 Veritas RS

Offered by Coys | Ascot Racecourse, U.K. | May 16, 2015

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

Veritas was a short-lived sports and race car manufacturer from West Germany that set up shop in 1948. The company was started by a few ex-BMW employees (Ernst Loof, Georg Meier, and Lorenz Dietrich) who wanted to build cars based on the BMW 328 (that BMW built before the war). They closed in 1950 but reformed for a few short years before the marque disappeared after 1953.

The RS was the sports racing car (there was also an open-wheeler and a road car, which was based on the RS). The RS is powered by a BMW 328 2.0-liter straight-six making about 125 horsepower. Only about 20-25 of the RS model were built, with about 15 known to still be in existence.

This car was owned by a BMW and Veritas collector until 2001. After he passed, the car was sold, restored and campaigned in vintage races throughout Europe. It is for sale now in ready-to-run condition. It will cost you between $225,000-$270,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $263,700.

April 2015 Auction Highlights, Pt. II

First up is Coys Techno Classica sale in Essen, Germany. The top sale was a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing for $1,183,640. Our featured ZiL 114 sold for $44,856 while the EMW 327 failed to sell. Click here for full results.

Moving on, we head to Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach sale where a 2006 Ford GT was the top sale at $319,000. Ford GT’s are almost no-brainer top sale cars at many auctions today. It’s crazy how quickly they’ve doubled in price.

Photo - Barrett-Jackson

Photo – Barrett-Jackson

Our featured International R100 Pickup sold for $22,000. Find full results here. Mecum’s Kansas City sale had a similar result with, you guessed it, a 2005 Ford GT being the top sale, at $255,000. Our featured Crosley Fire Truck failed to meet its reserve. Click here for full results.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Now we’re off to RM Sotheby’s sale of the Andrews Collection in Texas. There were some amazing American cars from the 1930s in this sale, namely Packards and Cadillacs. Our featured Packard, the beautiful Sport Coupe sold for $2,200,000. We also featured a Cadillac, a ’58 Eldorado Prototype. It sold for $324,500. Both Duesenbergs brought big money – the Bohman & Schwartz Town Car sold for $3,630,000 and the Disappearing-Top Roadster $3,520,000.

The top sale was this 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica SWB Cabriolet by Pininfarina for $7,645,000.

Photo - RM Sotheby's

Photo – RM Sotheby’s

The Buick Blackhawk brought $363,000. The Kurtis 500 by Allied sold for $220,000. With Kurtis, another Indy Car builder from the 1950s/1960s, Watson, was represented at this sale, too. Their 1960 Roadster brought $577,500. A previously featured Lincoln design study sold for $1,210,000. Click here for full results.

Finally, Worldwide Auctioneers held their Houston Classic on April 25th. Our featured Moretti failed to sell, which paved the way for a silver 1969 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 to be the top sale at $715,000. Our three featured barn finds sold for way below their estimates, with the Rattler coming in at only $9,900. The Imperial did a bit better, bringing $13,750. And the Flint Touring went for $12,100.

EMW 327

1953 EMW 327 Drophead Coupe

Offered by Coys | Essen, Germany | April 18, 2015

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

The history of the automobile in the immediate aftermath of World War II is pretty interesting. In the United States, many car manufacturers resumed production of their pre-war models, but in Europe, the widespread destruction threw everything into chaos. BMW’s pre-war manufacturing activities took place in Eisenach. But the Soviet Union held the territory when production resumed in 1946.

And BMW was headquartered in Munich. So the Soviet Eisenach factory was producing BMWs without BMWs consent. When the Eisenach factory came under control of the East German government and BMW sued to get their name (and badge) back. So the Eisenach factory changed its name to EMW (Eisenach Motor Works) and continued producing pre-war BMWs, like the 327 you see here.

The 327 was first introduced in 1937 and was built through 1941. Production resumed in 1946 with all 1946 through 1951 cars being badged as BMWs (although they were not sold, officially, by BMW). Cars built from 1952 through the end of production in 1955 were badged as EMWs. EMW would later go on to become Wartburg.

The engine is a 2.0-liter straight-six making 55 horsepower. This car was in a museum for the last five years and was recently restored. It is a numbers matching car. Only 505 327s were built after the war, with an unknown split between BMW and EMW. This one should sell for between $140,000-$185,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

ZiL 114

1977 ZiL 114

Offered by Coys | Essen, Germany | April 18, 2015

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

This was the biggest Soviet limousine you couldn’t buy in the 1970s. That’s right, it was reserved for top members of the communist party only. The ZiL-114 was a development of the 111, which was introduced in 1958. Designing began in 1962 but production copies didn’t appear until 1970 and production lasted through 1977 before being replaced by the 115.

The engine is a big 7.0-liter V-8 making 300 horsepower. It could do 120 mph. These old Russian cars are super interesting because they were produced in low numbers and were reserved for special people. It’s rare to see them today – especially outside of Russia.

This car is purported to have been Leonid Brezhnev’s, although there is no proof of this other than a hand-written note found in the car years ago. It is completely functional and is currently in Belgium. Only about 150 of these were ever built. You can read more here and see more from this sale here.

Update: Sold $44,856.

February 2015 Auction Highlights Pt. II

First up in this rundown is Silverstone Auctions’ Race Retro sale where this 1993 Jaguar XJ220 was the to sale at $287,595.

Photo - Silverstone Auctions

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

Our feature car from this sale, the Alfa Romeo SZ, sold for a strong $130,805. Click here for full results.

Up next is H&H Auctions’ Pavilion Gardens sale. The top sale was this 1967 Mercedes-Benz 250SL for $84,950.

Photo - H&H Auctions

Photo – H&H Auctions

We didn’t get to feature a car from this sale, but this 1956 Armstrong-Siddeley Sapphire 346 is kinda pretty. It sold for only $9,660. Check out full results here.

Photo - H&H Auctions

Photo – H&H Auctions

The next auction we’re covering is Mecum’s sale of the Rogers’ Classic Car Museum. The top sale here was this 1962 Rolls-Royce Phantom V Mulliner Drophead Coupe for $320,000. Our featured Nash Special Six sold for $17,000. Click here for complete results of some very interesting and rare pre-and-post-war American convertibles.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Now we have something a little different. Bonhams held an auction in Oxford that consisted largely of Victorian carriages. It was all from a single private collection and the big seller was this c.1835 Traveling Landau by Adams & Hooper. It went for $376,416.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

There were three early motorized horseless carriages also on offer. The top seller among those was this 1911 Sears Model P for $31,431. Check out full results here.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Finally, Coys’ Spring Classics sale was held March 11th. The top sale was this 1913 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. It sold for $236,800.

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

Our featured Lotus 59 did not sell. Check out full results here.

Lotus 59

1970 Lotus 59

Offered by Coys | London, U.K. | March 10, 2015

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

The Lotus 59 was a successful Formula 2 racing car built by Lotus for the 1969 and 1970 seasons (although it was replaced mid-1970). The 59 chassis was actually used in Formula 3 as well as Formula B and Formula Ford in addition to F2. The only thing that changed on the car between the series was the engine.

This is an ex-Team Lotus car that competed in the European Formula 3 championship. It was a pay-to-drive ride for up-and-coming drivers looking to make an impression and attract a chance in a Formula One car. This car was raced by Bev Bond and was the winning car at the 1970 Oulton Park British Empire Trophy race.

Later, this car would be used in the Ron Howard movie Rush, where it stared as James Hunt’s F3 car. As an F3 car, this car would be powered by a 1.0-liter Cosworth straight-four making about 100-110 horsepower. You can read more here and see more from Coys here.

Update: Not sold.

February 2015 Auction Highlights

The first auction we’re covering in our February rundown is actually Mecum’s Kissimmee sale held in January. Our featured 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona (with a Hemi) was the top sale for $900,000. On the other end of the spectrum, another of our feature cars, the International Scout, sold for $14,750. There were a lot of interesting cars, but we’ll call out this sweet 1971 Dodge Super Bee Hemi that brought $190,000.

Photo - Mecum Auctions

Photo – Mecum Auctions

Our featured highly-optioned ’71 Charger R/T Hemi failed to sell. Check out full results here.

And we’ll jump back to the first major sale of the year, Coys’ same-day doubleheader. We featured three cars from their sale in the Netherlands, with the 1956 Gaz 12 blowing it’s pre-sale estimate out of the water, more than quadrupling the low end of its estimate by selling for $107,890. The 1986 ZiL 115 brought $97,890. And the Cadillac Model B went for $54,440. Check out full results here.

Next up we have Bonhams’ sale in Paris where this 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Cabriolet was the top sale at $2,172,068.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Of our feature cars, a few failed to sell: the Renault 40CV, Excelsior, Alfa Romeo RL, and the Alfa Romeo Pescara. The Borgward Rennsport brought $256,698 and the Isotta 8A SS sold for $1,066,288. Check out full results here.

Artcurial’s Paris sale featured the fascinating Baillon Collection of barn find French classics. There were some Italians in there too, and this buried-under-newspapers, garage fresh 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder sold for a world record $21,980,656.

1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder

Photo – Artcurial

Of our feature cars, the Croizemarie and the Renault Coupe-Chauffeur failed to sell. The Gregoire brought $152,817 while the Fouillaron Type G brought $120,645. The Footwork F1 car sold for $209,119. And the Bugatti Profile Aerodynamique went for $450,409. This sale had some pretty incredible results for some of the barn find cars. Check out full results here.

And finally, from Paris, RM’s auction where one of the best Ferraris ever was the top sale. This 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso sold for $1,859,480.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

We featured a pair of cars that RM had left over (or, more appropriately, held onto until they had the perfect venue) from the John Moir collection: the Lancia Belna and Voisin C3. Strangely, they both brought the same amount: $243,656.

Another Lancia we featured, an 037 Stradale, sold for $384,720. The Honeymoon Express Bentley went for $769,440 and the Iso Grifo Stradale brought $1,186,220. Check out full results here.

Cadillac Model B

1904 Cadillac Model B Runabout

Offered by Coys |  Maastricht, Netherlands | January 10, 2015

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

This Lithuanian collection has a fairly impressive amount of old Cadillacs and Lincolns. And those two marques pretty much make up the entire collection. This is the earliest car in the sale and it’s a rare Cadillac Model B.

1904 was the second year of Cadillac production and two models were offered, the A and the B, both in a variety of body styles. The Model B was only available for 1904 and 1905 only. It uses a rear-mounted 1.6-liter single-cylinder making eight-ish horsepower. Prices were $900 – except for this Runabout, which came in at $800. The difference between the A and B was slight – this car’s slightly longer wheelbase is one giveaway.

Cadillac production for 1904 totaled 2,319 split between the A and B, making this very nice Model B quite rare. It should sell for between $75,000-$90,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Coys’ lineup.

Update: Sold $54,440.

GAZ-12

1956 GAZ 12

Offered by Coys | Maastricht, Netherlands | January 10, 2015

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

Here’s another obscure Soviet sedan. This one was built by GAZ, one of the more well-known old, Russian automotive factories. The car is sometimes called the ZIM-12, which is the name under which it was originally built, but when the namesake for ZIM fell out of favor, the Russians changed the name of the car.

It is powered by a 3.5-liter straight-six making 95 horsepower. The styling is eerily reminiscent of a 1948 Cadillac and 1947 Buick. I guess GM would’ve been really popular in Russia back in the day had they the opportunity to market their cars.

What’s interesting about the GAZ-12 is that it is the only executive, full-size car available for purchase by regular citizens – but it was priced exorbitantly, leaving it out of reach for most. But they still managed to sell 21,527 between 1950 and 1960. This one looks pretty nice and is expected to bring between $25,000-$35,000. Click here for more info and here for more from Coys.

Update: Sold $107,890.

ZiL Limousine

1986 ZiL 115

Offered by Coys | Maastricht, Netherlands | January 10, 2015

Photo - Coys

Photo – Coys

Here we go. I love when private collections are divvied up and auctioned off. Especially when it’s some obscure collection full of interesting things. In this case, it is the Stasys Brundza Collection from Lithuania. That’s right, an Eastern European collection is going under a western hammer.

What we have here is a Soviet ZiL-115 armored limousine. We’ve featured a ZiL before, but it was a military vehicle. The factory is still around, building trucks and buses today, but they previously built big limousines (either under the ZiL or, earlier, ZiS, names). The 115 was new for 1972 and this example is one of the later ones (even if it only wears chassis #57).

The engine is a 7.7-liter V-8 making 300 horsepower. Because it was armor-plated and mine-resistant, top speed was limited to a still-impressive 119 mph. They were never offered for sale to the general public – you had to be a high-ranking military or government official. Some are still in use, but this is a rare chance to acquire one for between $100,000-$125,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $97,890.