Tag Archives: porsche

May 2013 Auction Highlights

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May had a number of sales in it, first among them was Bonhams’ Collector’s Motor Cars and Automobilia sale in Hendon. The top sale was this 1956 Bentley S1 Continental by Mulliner for $426,066.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Our featured Ansaldo and Bianchi failed to sell. Our featured OSI-Ford brought $29,029 and the Ferrari 612 Sessanta $153,309. The coolest non-feature car was this 1949 Bentley Mk VI Countryman Shooting Brake by Harold Radford. It sold for $89,836. Check out full results here.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Worldwide Auctioneers held their annual Houston sale in April and our featured Hupmobile brought $66,000. Top sale was a 1971 Plymouth Hemi Cuda for a very strong $489,500. You’ll have to check out full results on your own.

Next up was RM’s Monaco sale, where our featured Ferrari 275 GTB/C for $7,860,283. All five of the classic F1 cars we featured ended up selling, with the Brabham-Repco topping this list at $1,502,701. The Ferrari F1-89 brought $847,678. The Renault beat its estimate for $315,953. The Hesketh missed its estimate for $385,308. And the Tyrrell went for $246,597. The Bentley R-Type Fastback sold for $963,270. Ferraris dominated, the second-biggest sale was this 1969 250 GT Cabriolet Series I by Pinin Farina for $6,473,174.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Our other featured Ferraris all fared fairly well, except the 575 GTZ, which failed to sell. The 599 SA Aperta killed it, selling for $955,564. And the 575 Superamerica brought $300,540. The Maserati 450S failed to sell, as did the Aston Martin AMR1. Our featured Bizzarrini brought $755,204. The Porsche 959 Prototype sold for $655,024 while this 1956 Porsche 356 A Carrera 1500 GS Speedster by Reutter went for what, if it isn’t, has to to be close to a record for a 356: $1,155,924.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The Mirage M12 sold for way below its estimate: $115,592. The Lister-Jaguar “Knobbly” went for $1,618,294. And last but not least, the Alpine M64 sold for $431,545. Whew. We featured a lot of cars from this sale, but it was pretty awesome. You should check out the full results here.

Now onto another Bonhams sale: the estate of Ralph W.E. Cox Jr. in Cape May, New Jersey. The top sale was our featured Premier Racebout for $143,000 – way more than the top end of the estimate. The Ford Model AC sold for $88,000 and the Waltham Buckboard $12,320. Those are essentially the highlights, car-wise, but this 1929 Savoia-Marchetti S-56 is pretty cool and it brought $100,000. Check out full results here.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Motostalgia’s sale in Houston in conjunction with the Keels & Wheels Concours d’Elegance featured a Duesenberg that we had featured previously. But it failed to sell. The top sale there was this 1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A Cabriolet Continental for $335,500. You can check out full results here.

Photo - Motostalgia

Photo – Motostalgia

Coys’ Monaco sale saw all four of our feature cars sell. The Autobianchi Jolly brought $72,730. And the MCA’s went a follows: Rascasse V12 – $114,560; ALA50 –  $135,500; Centenaire – $211,200. See complete results here.

Next up, Auctions America’s annual Auburn Spring sale at their headquarters in Indiana. The top sale here was this awesome 1934 Chrysler Custom Imperial Airflow for $213,400.

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Our featured Frazer Manhattan sold for $27,500. “Biggest Boat” award goes to this beautiful 1957 Mercury Monarch Turnpike Cruiser Two-Door Hardtop for $51,700. Check out full results here.

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

And back to Bonhams: their amazing all-Aston Martin (and Lagonda) sale. This thing is crazy lucrative for Bonhams with nearly everything selling (of course, our featured Lagonda Prototype didn’t). And selling for a lot. In total, 43 cars sold and all but five of those were six-figure dollar amounts. Four sold for less than $100,000 and the top seller was this 1970 Aston Martin DB6 Mk 2 Volante for $1,273,284. What an event. Click here for full results.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

And then more from Bonhams, who had a very active month. Their Spa Classic sale featured some really nice cars – the most expensive of which turned out to be our featured Ferrari 308 rally car for $835,163. The Hommell we featured did not sell. Check out full results here.

The biggest seller at  Mecum’s annual Spring Classic in Indianapolis was a 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 for $885,000.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

We featured three cars from this sale and somehow they all ended up being drag cars from the 1960s. Neither of the Mercurys sold, but the Pontiac Catalina was this sale’s #2 seller at $530,000. Interesting vehicles were topped by this beautiful 1937 Diamond T Model 201 Deluxe Cab pickup for $58,000. Check out full results on Mecum’s website.

Photo - Mecum

Photo – Mecum

Finally, the biggest sale Silverstone’s May Sale was this 1971 Ferrari Dino 246 GT for $421,000-ish.

Photo - Silverstone Auctions

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

We didn’t get to feature a car from this sale, but you can check out full results here.

Porsche 959 Prototype

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1985 Porsche 959 Prototype

Offered by RM Auctions | Monaco | May 10, 2014

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

As supercars go, the Porsche 959 was the pinnacle of them when it debuted for public sale in 1987. It was the first of its kind in many ways, utilizing technology over pure power and force. Its advanced all-wheel drive system would set the tone for 4WD supercars to come. And its composite body was a benchmark for lightness and strength.

The engine is a 450 horsepower 2.9-liter twin-turbo flat-6. This car is actually one of 37 pre-production cars (prototypes included) built. This was one of seven prototypes used for ABS development (it’s crazy that they built seven cars just to test anti-lock brakes – and that we know which of those were which). It was sold to a private owner in 1989. It spent most of its life in collections in Japan before coming stateside a few years back.

This is one of about 10 surviving 959 Prototypes and it still wears its original tires. Only 337 of these cars were producing in total, so they’re rare to begin with and adding the fact that this is a Porsche-factory tester only makes it more special. It can be yours for between $600,000-$700,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Monaco.

Update: Sold $655,024.

March 2014 Auction Highlights Part II

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Here we are with our second March 2014 auction recap. The first part was all Amelia Island stuff (mostly). Now we have a couple more sales, first of which is Auctions America’s Ft. Lauderdale sale. Our featured car from this sale was a Heritage Edition Ford GT which brought an impressive $412,500. The top sale was this 1963 Shelby Cobra 289 for $825,000. It was the 23rd Cobra built.

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

Interesting cars were easily topped by this 1973 Intermeccanica Squire SS 100. It’s an SS 100 replica powered by a Ford straight-six. Only about 50 were built. This one sold for $13,475. Check out full results here.

Photo - Auctions America

Photo – Auctions America

The other half of this post covers Osenat’s March sale. Our two feature cars (the Rene Bonnet Le Mans and the 1902 Ache Freres) both failed to sell. The top sale was this 1971 Porsche 911 2.4S for $109,710.

Photo - Osenat

Photo – Osenat

Interesting sales were topped by this 1966 Innocenti 1100S for only $9,600. Check out full results here.

Photo - Osenat

Photo – Osenat

March 2014 Auction Highlights Part I

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The first weekend in March was an eventful one for car auctions – and shows, with the Amelia Island Concours going on. But before we get to Amelia Island, let’s cross the pond and check out Bonhams’ Oxford sale highlights. The top sale there was this 1964 Bentley S3 Continental Coupe by Mulliner, Park Ward. It sold for $124,601.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Our featured MG NB Cresta Tourer failed to sell. And our featured BSA Scout doubled the lower-end of its estimate, selling for $20,249. Style-wise, I think the coolest non-feature car was this 1962 Ford Consul Capri Coupe which sold for $14,464. Check out full results here.

Photo - Bonhams

Photo – Bonhams

Now we get to Amelia Island and first up is Gooding & Company, where our featured Porsche 907 Longtail was the top sale at $3,630,000. The other 24 Hours of Daytona-winning Porsche, the 1983 March 83G, failed to sell. Cool cars were topped by this 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster once raced by Pedro Rodriguez. I’ve seen this car in person before and it is cool. It sold for $462,000.

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

Another cool featured Porsche was our 356 Carrera 2 that sold for $550,000. This 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS Lightweight brought an eye-popping $1,402,500.

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

Another great German car was this stunning green 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster. This was as cheap as I’ve seen a 300SL in some time and the color combo makes it an even better deal at $946,000.

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

Our featured Voisin failed to sell. The Madame X V-16 Cadillac brought $264,000. And the 1909 Alco Runabout sold for $280,500. This sale also featured a very nice BMW collection. One of the lesser-seen modes was this 1958 BMW 501 A. It sold for $121,000. Check out full results here.

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

And finally, on to RM’s Amelia Island sale. The top selling car was easy to spot beforehand – our featured Figoni et Falaschi Delahaye sold for $6,600,000. The deal of the sale was our featured Kissel White Eagle Tourster which sold for only $60,500! Somebody made off like a thief with that car. Congratulations.

Cool cars were topped by this beefy 1974 Iso Grifo 7-Liter coupe for $440,000.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Our featured Locomobile Speedster sold for $126,500. There was another Locomobile at this sale, this sporty 1919 Model 48 Roadster by Merrimac. It brought $143,000.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Our featured American De Dion sold for $115,500 and the all-original B.N.C. race car $181,500. This 1965 Shelby GT350 R race car is the “winningest” Shelby race car of all time, notching 17 straight wins in the late-60s. It sold for $984,500.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

The only featured Duesenberg from the Amelia Island weekend sold for $1,567,500. And finally, there was this 1937 Packard 120 Pickup. It was custom built well after 1937 but it’s been around for a while and looks like the trucks Packard dealers used to use. It sold for $93,500. Check out full results here.

Photo - RM Auctions

Photo – RM Auctions

Porsche 356 Carrera 2

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1963 Porsche 356 Carrera 2 Coupe

Offered by Gooding & Company | Amelia Island, Florida | March 7, 2014

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

The first Porsche road car was the 356. It became available to the public in 1948 and it lasted through 1965 via a number of different series and limited edition models. The Carrera 2 was one such limited edition model that was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1961.

The engine is a 2.0-liter (thus the “2” in Carrera 2. And Carrera, of course, refers to the Carrera Panamericana road race) flat-4 making an impressive 130 horsepower (that’s 15 more horsepower than the next-most-powerful 356). This was the fastest 356 road car ever built. The car you see here has a factory-installed electric power sunroof and an expanded 70-liter fuel tank.

This car has had many owners of the years and the mechanicals were freshened in 2011. Only 436 examples of the super quick 356 Carrera 2 were built and this is one of the nicest, best-optioned examples in the world. It should sell for between $550,000-$650,000. Click here for more info and here for the rest of Gooding & Company’s Amelia Island auction lineup.

Update: Sold $550,000.

The 1984 24 Hours of Daytona Winner

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1983 March-Porsche 83G GTP

Offered by Gooding & Company | Amelia Island, Florida | March 7, 2014

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

March Engineering was founded in 1969. The name March comes from the names of its founders: Max Mosley, Alan Rees, Graham Coaker, and Robin Herd. They were an F1 team until they built an Indy Car in 1981. In 1983 they entered the arena of Group C prototype racing cars and the 83G you see here was part of that effort.

The car was designed by the now-very-famous Adrian Newey and it is powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged flat-six making between 650 and 800 horsepower depending on configuration. In any case, it is fast. This car competed in the U.S. IMSA GTP championship. And, in 1983, it won it. The competition of this car includes:

  • 1983 Charlotte 500km – 1st (with Al Holbert and Jim Trueman)
  • 1983 Lime Rock IMSA GTP – 9th (with Holbert)
  • 1983 Brainerd IMSA GTP – 1st (with Holbert and Trueman)
  • 1983 Sears Point 3 Hours – 1st (with Holbert and Trueman)
  • 1983 Portland 3 Hours – 1st (with Holbert)
  • 1983 Mosport 6 Hours – 7th (with Holbert)
  • 1983 Road America IMSA GTP – 15th (with Holbert)
  • 1983 Pocono IMSA GTP – 36th, DNF (with Holbert)
  • 1983 3 Hours of Daytona – 1st (with Holbert and Trueman)
  • 1983 IMSA GTP Champhionship – 1st (with Holbert)
  • 1984 24 Hours of Daytona – 1st (with Sarel van der Merwe, Tony Martin, and Graham Duxbury)
  • 1984 Grand Prix of Miami – 8th (with van der Merwe and Martin)
  • 1984 12 Hours of Sebring – DNF (with van der Merwe, Martin, and Duxbury)
  • 1984 Lime Rock IMSA GTP – 1st (with van der Merwe)

It raced more than that but I’m not running down every race in multiple IMSA seasons. The car’s racing career ended after 1986. In 2003 the car was restored and was acquired by the present owner in 2005. It’s been used in several historic events including the Rennsport Reunion in 2004 and has been repainted to its 24 Hours of Daytona-winning livery. You can buy it for between $750,000-$1,000,000. Click here for more and here for more from Gooding at Amelia Island.

Update: Not sold.

The Winner of the 1968 24 Hours of Daytona

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1968 Porsche 907 Longtail

Offered by Gooding & Company | Amelia Island, Florida | March 7, 2014

Photo - Gooding & Company

Photo – Gooding & Company

The Porsche 907 was, you guessed it, the successor to the 906 and the predecessor to the 908. (Well okay, the 910 was technically slotted between the 906 and 907, but that doesn’t make any numerical sense, now does it?).

Anyway, in 1967 Porsche introduced the 907 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans gunning for a head start on the rule changes coming for 1968 that mandated smaller engines. The car you see here uses a screaming 278 horsepower 2.2-liter flat-eight. The 907 would bring Porsche it’s first 24 hour endurance victory – setting off a streak unlike any other in motorsports history (although corporate cousin Audi is trying its damnedest to top it).

The competition history for this car includes the following:

  • 1968 24 Hours of Daytona – 1st (with Vic Elford, Jochen Neerpasch, Rolf Stommelen, Jo Siffert, and Hans Herrmann)
  • 1968 1000km Monza – 2nd (with Neerpasch and Stommelen)
  • 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans – 29th, DNF (with Alex Soler-Roig and Rudi Lins)
  • 1969 24 Hours of Daytona – DNF (with Soler-Roig and Lins)
  • 1969 12 Hours of Sebring – 4th (with Soler-Roig and Lins)
  • 1970 1000km Monza – 15th, 1st in class (with Andre Wicky and Mario Cabral)
  • 1970 1000km Nurburgring – 9th, 1st in class (with Wicky and Cabral)
  • 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans – 23rd, DNF (with Wicky and Jean-Pierre Hanrioud)
  • 1971 1000km Monza – DNF (with Wicky and Peter Mattli)
  • 1971 24 Hours of Le Mans – 7th, 1st in class (with Mattli and Walter Brun)
  • 1972 1000km Monza – 4th, 1st in class (with Mattli and Herve Bayard)
  • 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans – 18th, 2nd in class (with Mattli, Brun, and Bayard)

What is most awesome about this car is that a later American owner tried to enter it in the 1998 24 Hours of Daytona because its performance from 1968 was on par with current cars. How cool would that have been?

This car was meticulously restored to 1968 race-ready condition and one of eight 907 Longtails built and one of only two that remain. It’s a very important racing Porsche that can be yours for between $3,500,000-$5,000,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

S/N: 907-005

Update: Sold $3,630,000.

904 Carrera GTS

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1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS

Offered by RM Auctions | Paris, France | February 5, 2014

1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS

The Porsche RS 61 race car was the final version of the 718 series and it went out of production in 1961. It remained competitive for another year or so, but by the end of 1963, Porsche had to have something else representing it on racetracks. Enter the Carrera GTS.

Designed to compete in the FIA GT class, the Carrera GTS (they couldn’t officially call it the 904 for legal reasons – thanks, Peugeot) was new for the 1964 model year (and made through 1965). The car would win its class at Sebring and Le Mans that year alone. This car was the first 904 delivered new to the U.K. and likely the only one painted in this color. It raced in privateer hands in races held all over the U.K. In 1968 it was sold to an owner in the U.S. and the current owner acquired it in 1997.

It has been restored and uses Porsche’s 185 horsepower 2.0-liter flat-four. The body is fiberglass and it is a quick car, topping out at 160 mph. This is the last Porsche race car that I’m pretty sure you can get away with driving on the road. That makes it more or less an early supercar and the last one like it Porsche built for quite some time.

Only 120 of these cars were built. This one should sell for between $1,360,000-$1,900,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Paris.

S/N: 904-045.

Update: Sold $1,724,246.

Porsche RS 61

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1961 Porsche RS 61

Offered by RM Auctions | Phoenix, Arizona | January 16-17, 2014

1961 Porsche RS 61

We’ve featured a Porsche RS60 on this site before – so why am I featuring an RS 61, knowing full well that they are nearly identical cars? Because they are different, even if it is only in name. And they are both very, very rare.

The RS 61 began as the 718/RSK race car in 1957. For 1960 that car was crafted into the RS60. And for 1961, the name was changed to reflect the new year, and the RS 61 was born. The engine is a 1.6-liter flat-four making 178 horsepower. Also: it weighs practically nothing so it scoots along rather well. The competition history for this car includes:

  • 1961 12 Hours of Sebring – 7th, 2nd in class (with Bob Donner, Don Sesslar and Ernie Erickson)

The RS61 would be the final iteration of the 718 as the 904 would replace it the following year. Porsche only built 14 of these little race cars making them exceptionally rare and valuable. The pre-sale estimate on this car is $2,800,000-$3,200,000. Click here for more info and here for more from RM in Arizona.

Update: Sold $2,750,000.

Early October 2013 Auction Roundup

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I didn’t forget about Russo & Steele’s Las Vegas sale back in September. I just didn’t have time to squeeze their results into the last post (I write these as far in advance as possible). The top sale there was this 1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS for $321,750.

1974 Ferrari 246 Dino GTSInteresting cars were topped by this 1969 Ford Ranchero Rio Grande Special Edition which went for $18,700.

1969 Ford Ranchero Rio Grande Special Edition

Finally, there was this cool 1926 Cadillac Model 314 V-8 Four-Passenger Phaeton. It sold for $58,300. Our featured Ginetta failed to sell. Check out full sale results here.

1926 Cadillac Model 314 Four-Passenger Phaeton

Next up: Bonhams Zoute sale, held in Belgium. The top sale here was this nice 1957 Maserati A6C/54GT coupe by Allemano that sold for $686,439.

1957 Maserati A6C54GT

Our featured Austin Sheerline sold for $32,761. For interesting cars, I’m going to highlight two rare Porsches. First, a 1980 924 Carrera GT (one of 406 built). It sold for $49,922.

1980 Porsche 924 Carrera GT Coupe

And this 1994 Porsche 911 Carrera RS. It is one of only 55 built and is a pretty serious machine. It sold for an impressive $366,621. Our featured Cottin-Desgouttes sold for $70,204. Check out full results here.

1994 Porsche 911 Carrera RS

And finally (for this post, there will be at least one more October post), RM’s annual Hershey sale. I love this event because RM finds some really old cars and not necessarily the biggest money cars. Just interesting stuff. The top sale was this 1933 Chrysler CL Imperial Convertible Roadster by LeBaron. It sold for $704,000.

1933 Chrysler CL Imperial Convertible Roadster by LeBaron

The second-highest selling car was also one of the most interesting. It was this 1910 Pierce-Arrow 48-SS Seven-Passenger Touring from the golden era of Pierce-Arrows – when they were the greatest cars in the world. It brought $687,500. The picture does not do the size of this grand thing justice.

1910 Pierce-Arrow 48-SS Seven-Passenger Touring

I featured some of the most interesting cars of the sale. The Firestone-Columbus was apparently scratched from the catalog, as it didn’t even appear in the results. Both of the Schachts sold. The Model R went for a cheaper $19,800 while the earlier Model K sold for $41,250. The 1903 Stevens-Duryea brought $15,400. These two early GM cars were pretty cool: first a 1905 Cadillac Model E Runabout, which went for $71,500.

1905 Cadillac Model E Runabout

And second, this 1909 Buick Model G Roadster sold for $52,250.

1909 Buick Model G Roadster

Here’s a later Caddy. It’s one of two built and was originally owned by Bette Davis. It’s a 1940 Series 60 Special Town Car by Derham. It sold for $165,000.

1941 Cadillac Series 60 Special Town Car by Derham

While we’re on the coachbuilt theme, this 1933 Rolls-Royce 20/25 Enclosed Limousine Sedanca by Thrupp & Maberly is absolutely stunning. It sold for $159,500.

1933 Rolls-Royce 2025 Enclosed Limousine Sedanca by Thrupp & Maberly

The two “trucks” we featured both sold. The all-original Schmidt Prototype brought $18,700 and the International Harvester was hammered away right at the upper end of its estimate and sold for $44,000. This 1933 American Austin Station Wagon isn’t quite a truck, but it’s still cool for $30,800.

1933 American Austin Station Wagon

Our featured 1922 Liberty sold for $19,250. The Gardner Roadster brought $49,500. And finally, this 1912 Oakland Model 30 Touring. I love the look of this car from the big white wheels to the big whitewalls and low, folded-down windshield. It’s one I would absolutely love to own. It sold for $49,500. Check out full results here.

1912 Oakland Model 30 Touring

I lied. One more. This is from Mecum’s Chicago sale. The top sale (and far and away most interesting sale) was this 1963 Chevrolet Corvette. It was Harley Earl’s personal Corvette that was custom built for him. It is one of four Corvettes ever built with side exhaust like this. It’s one of a kind and sold for $1,500,000. Check out full results here.

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible