Tag Archives: rm sothebys

Vector Avtech Roadster

Posted on by
Reply

1993 Vector Avtech WX-3R Roadster Prototype

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 17, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

A week ago we featured the coupe version of this car, the Vector Avtech WX-3. This is the topless form, the WX-3R Roadster. Nothing says over-the-top supercar quite like a rear-engined V-12 roadster with no roof, scissor doors, and headrests that appear to be taller than the ridiculously-raked windshield.

This car debuted alongside the coupe at Geneva in 1993 and is powered by a twin-turbo 6.0-liter V8 and a GM automatic transmission that could take this thing to over 200 mph. Series production never occurred, and this remains a one-off, fantastically 90s, supercar prototype. I literally had a poster of this car on my bedroom wall as a kid.

This is the first time this car has ever been for sale publicly, as it is being sold from company founder Jerry Wiegert‘s personal collection. It should bring between $450,000-$550,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $500,000.

Vector Avtech WX-3

Posted on by
Reply

1993 Vector Avtech WX-3 Prototype

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 17, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

If my schoolgirl-like giddiness for this car becomes too distracting in the text that follows, please just bear with me. I love Vectors. They are outrageous. The company traces its roots back to the 1970s when founder Gerald Wiegert showed his first prototype, the W2, in 1978. The W8 was their first production car in 1989.

The Avtech WX-3 debuted in 1992 and was to go into production with three engine options. This, the coupe version (just wait until next week), is finished in a beautiful shade of Brilliant Aquamarine, though it was originally silver.

Wiegert lost control of the company shortly after this car debuted and the new owners, while barred from using this design, more or less did anyway with the very similar-looking M12 that used Lamborghini engines. This car is powered by a twin-turbocharged 7.0-liter V8 putting out 1,000 horsepower.

This is the only car like it in the world, and Wiegert has never parted with it, until now. It’s so over-the-top in a wonderfully 90s kind of way. I just love these cars. The details are just so extreme, to wit: its shark-like appearance and the fact that the fuel cap looks like it was ripped right off of a Cessna. It is expected to bring between $450,000-$550,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $615,500.

Lesovsky Indy Roadster

Posted on by
Reply

1949 Lesovsky-Offenhauser

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 17-18, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Classic race cars take a special breed of person. They’re high-maintenance cars and you can’t exactly take them to the local cruise-in. And the older they are, the crazier they can be. Before big money moved in, there were a lot of people with a lot of different ideas building cars that ran within inches of each other. They were individuals, not spec cars. And because of that, old race cars are awesome.

This car was built by Lujie Lesovsky’s L.A. Lesovsky Race Car Engineering, an open-wheel race car constructor active from the late-1940s through the early-1960s. It’s a short-wheelbase car powered by a Meyer-Drake Offenhauser inline-four making 300 horsepower. 

The racing history for this chassis includes:

  • 1948 Indianapolis 500 – DNQ
  • 1949 Indianapolis 500 – 3rd, with George Connor
  • 1950 Indianapolis 500 – 8th, with George Connor
  • 1951 Indianapolis 500 – 30th, with George Connor
  • 1952 Indianapolis 500 – DNQ, with Bill Taylor
  • 1953 Indianapolis 500 – DNQ, with Bill Taylor
  • 1954 Indianapolis 500 – DNQ, with Bob Christie

Well there you have it – three Indy 500 starts with a podium finish. The car was also raced in period by Bill Holland and Len Sutton, the latter of which wrecked the car in a race in 1955. After that, it never raced competitively again. It was preserved and later restored to its “Blue Crown Special” livery.

This Offy-powered Lesovsky is one of very few such cars that survive today. They don’t change hands often, but when they do the prices make you take note. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $201,600.

Apollo 3500 GT

Posted on by
Reply

1963 Apollo 3500 GT Coupe

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 17-18, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

This sleek Italian-styled sports car from the early 1960s was actually built in Oakland, California, by International Motor Cars. The body was technically built in Italy by Intermeccanica, then shipped to Oakland for final assembly, where it would be mated to an American engine.

In this case, that American engine is a 3.5-liter Buick V8 making 225 horsepower. A more powerful variant, the 5000 GT, would receive a larger 4.9-liter unit. It has the styling of a contemporary Ferrari, and it’s probably much cheaper to maintain.

Production numbers are really weird for these. Initially, Apollo only built 42 cars (combined between both engine options), and then the design was sold and the car was sold as the Vetta Ventura. After that venture ended, Apollo sprang back up and built a few more cars. RM says this is one of 90. I’ll take their word for it. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

S/N: 1004

Update: Sold $134,400.

Update: Not sold, Mecum Phoenix 2019, high bid of $130,000.

Lone Star Touring

Posted on by
Reply

1920 Lone Star Beauty Four 5-Passenger Touring

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 17-18, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Lone Star was a short-lived brand of automobile that was, in one very specific way, ahead of its time. Sold by the Lone Star Motor Truck and Tractor Association of San Antonio, Texas, the Lone Star was actually just a Piedmont (built in Virginia) with a different badge. You know, kind of like how the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon are the exact same truck with different badges and marketing?

The Lone Star was sold from 1919 through 1922, and it’s thought that only 12 examples were produced (maybe shoppers in 1920 were able to see through the “buy Texas-made stuff” B.S. that people today so readily jump at?).

The Beauty Four is powered by a Lycoming inline-four making 35 horsepower. The 5-Passenger Tourer was the only body style offered. Restored, this is the only Lone Star thought to survive. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $44,800.

1989 Rolls-Royce State Landaulette

Posted on by
Reply

1989 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit I Emporer State Landaulette by Hooper

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 17-18, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit was produced in four different series between 1980 and 1999. A related model, the Silver Spur was produced alongside it and was identical except for a lengthened wheelbase. Interestingly, this one-off creation is actually a Silver Spirit – the short wheelbase car – but features a lengthened chassis, thus the extremely long stance.

That extension was nearly three feet in added length. This remarkably stately creation is a one-off custom landaulette by the famed coachbuilder Hooper. It was commissioned by an Australian charity (some charity if this what they spent their money on… turns out they never finished paying for the $1 million+ build cost and Hooper took the car back). The car is right-hand-drive, and the interior looks like a place Gordon Gecko would be very comfortable hanging out.

Power is from a 6.75-liter V8, and the car has had two real owners since Hooper let it go in 2010. One of one, it is among the final coachbuilt Rolls-Royces and should command big bucks. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $190,400.

Bentley Empress II

Posted on by
Reply

1991 Bentley Turbo RL Empress II Coupe by Hooper

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Phoenix, Arizona | January 17-18, 2018

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Before we get into the coachbuilt rareness of this car, let’s start with a little model background. The Bentley Turbo R was a sedan introduced in 1985 and was produced in several iterations through 1999. It was sold in two wheelbases initially, long and short. An updated model went on sale in 1995, and the limited-edition Turbo S was sold in 1995.

In 1996, the short-wheelbase cars ended production. Prior to that, long-wheelbase cars were sold as the Bentley Turbo RL. After 1996, they were all long-wheelbase and the “L” was dropped. That’s a long-winded way to tell you that the car presented here is a long-wheelbase Turbo R. But (intrigue!) it’s a coupe. Bentley ever only sold it as a sedan.

That’s where Hooper comes in. The coachbuilder, with a longtime association with Bentley and favored car-crafting masters of the British Royal family, built this two-door aluminum-bodied coupe. Still powered by a 296 horsepower, 6.75-liter turbocharged V8, the car features streamlined coachwork and a bespoke interior. Only five were built, and this car – the fourth built – was used in Hooper’s advertising. It’s one of two left-hand-drive examples and is being sold from the Calumet Collection. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $128,800.

Mochet CM-125

Posted on by
Reply

1954 Mochet CM-125 Luxe

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Los Angles, California | December 8, 2018

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Georges Mochet built microcars in Puteaux between 1946 and 1958. Prior to that he built pedal-powered cars under the Velocar name. But when he started powering them (even in desperate, post-war Europe, people weren’t necessarily thrilled with having to pedal), sales took off.

Early cars were kind of bizarre, but the company hit their stride once the Mochet Type K gave way to the CM-125. Power in this little runabout is from a 125cc single-cylinder engine that made five horsepower. That may sound sad, but in France at the time that meant you didn’t even need a driver’s license to operate one (and they are street legal). It would even evolve a commercial variant.

This example was part of the Bruce Weiner collection, where it was restored. It is now offered with an estimate of $35,000-$45,000. Find out more here and see the rest of the RM Sotheby’s Petersen lineup here.

Update: Sold $25,200.

October 2018 Auction Highlights, Pt. III

Posted on by
Reply

Continuing in a busy October we come to RM’s Porsche 70th Anniversary sale held in Atlanta. The Rothmans-liveried 959 rally car was the top sale at $5,945,000. We will certainly have to award Most Interesting to this 1956 Porsche 356 A Training Chassis that sold for $112,000. Click here for more results.

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Mecum’s Chicago sale also had a Porsche bring the biggest money. In this case, it was a 1979 Porsche 911 Turbo (originally owned by Walter Payton) that sold for $324,500.

Photo – Mecum

The Ford Burma Jeep we featured sold for $8,800 – a steal. Final results can be found here.

Now we’ll jump back across the Atlantic, to Italy, and Bonhams’ Padua sale. The Alfa 155 GTA Stradale was withdrawn, and our featured Horch failed to sell. The top sale was $576,549 paid for this 1960 Ferrari 250 GT Series II Coupe, and more results can be found here.

Photo – Bonhams

Now we start with November’s sales, beginning with Artcurial. The Delaunay-Belleville we featured failed to sell, though the Ligier brought $91,897. Overall, the top seller was this 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster for $1,131,027. Click here for more results.

Photo – Artcurial

Finally, we have Silverstone Auctions’ NEC Classic Motor Show sale. The McLaren we featured failed to sell, and the VW XL1 brought $132,465. The top sale was this 1966 Aston Martin DB6 for $275,176. Click here for expanded results.

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

October 2018 Auction Highlights

Posted on by
Reply

Before we hop into October, we’ll finish off September. First, with Silverstone Auctions’ aptly-named September Sale. We featured a special edition Lambo that brought $205,616. And guess what? It was the overall top sale. We’ll give Most Interesting to this 2000 Lotus 340R that brought $88,121. Click here for full results.

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

Next, Bonhams’ Zoute Sale where this 1962 Aston Martin DB4 Series V Vantage was the top sale at $1,290,110. The Derby we featured failed to sell and the early Elva brought $165,398. Click here for complete results.

Photo – Bonhams

We didn’t get to feature anything from Mecum’s Dallas sale, but this 2017 Ford GT was the top sale at $1,320,000. This was the second time this particular GT has sold publicly in the last three months. It brought less this time than last. Four of the top 10 cars were variations of the Ford GT. Other results can be found here.

Photo – Mecum

Onward to RM in Hershey where our featured Post War convertibles both sold with the Playboy bringing $132,000 and the Monarch $60,500. The overall top sale was $495,000 for this 1930 Cadillac V-16 Roadster by Fleetwood.

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Electric car sales included the Milburn for $63,250 and the Baker at $192,500, while the touring cars both sold as well: the American Eagle went for $242,000 and the Everitt $55,000. The 1905 Northern sold for $52,250, the Buick truck $30,800, and a previously-featured Packard went for $71,500. A previously-featured Delahaye failed to sell. Complete results can be found here.

And finally, we backtrack to the final sale of September, Aguttes’ sale at Montlhery. The Matra we featured didn’t sell, but the 1959 AC Aceca Wide-Track Prototype we wanted to feature (but didn’t because, well, the photo below was the only one provided). It brought $252,689. Click here for all results.

Photo – Aguttes