Tag Archives: 2015

Touring Sciadipersia Cabriolet

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2015 Touring Sciadipersia Cabriolet

Offered by Bonhams | Monaco | May 2024

Photo – Bonhams

Much like the coupe version of this car, you can really see the Maserati influence in this car. Well, not really influence, I guess. The car is based on a Maserati GranCabriolet. A 2015 example, specifically.

But the conversion performed by Carrozzeria Touring was not performed until 2020. The car retains the underlying Maserati 4.7-liter V8 that was rated at 454 horsepower. The Touring conversion was mostly limited to exterior styling inspired by the three Touring-bodied Maserati 3500 GTs built for the Shah of Iran (Persia).

Just 14 of these convertibles were produced, with this Belgium-based car having covered just 135 miles since completion. It now has an estimate of $380,000-$490,000. Click here for more info.

Touring Aero 3

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2015 Touring Aero 3 Coupe

Offered by Bonhams | Monaco | May 2024

Photo – Bonhams

Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera has been around since the 1920s and became quite famous in the 1930s and ’40s with their coachbuilt bodies. Touring would later body some of the most famous Ferraris, Aston Martins, Maseratis, and Lamborghinis of the 1950s and 1960s. They closed up shop in 1966.

In 2006, the company was resurrected under new ownership and started producing limited-run vehicles based on existing cars. One such vehicle is this, the Aero 3. It’s based on the Ferrari F12berlinetta. It shares the F12’s 730-horsepower, 6.3-liter V12. This particular car utilized a 2015 F12 as a starting point and was converted by Touring to Aero 3 spec in 2020.

These are limited-run cars. A maximum of 15 Aero 3s will be built, but it’s unclear how many have been completed thus far (or if they will ever even get to 15). It has an estimate of $640,000-$960,000. Click here for more info.

Force India VJM08

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2015 Force India VJM08B

Offered by Bonhams | Chichester, U.K. | September 17, 2022

Photo – Bonhams

Another Bonhams sale in England and another car from the former Force India reserves. The VJM08 was the car used by the Sahara Force India F1 Team during the 2015 season, during which the team employed drivers Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg. They upgraded the car to VJM08B spec after the first eight races. That upgrade was just revised aerodynamics.

Mercedes engines were used in conjunction with the VJM08 chassis. Mercedes, naturally, also used that power source, as did Williams and Lotus. This car no longer has an engine. It is chassis #2, and its competition history includes:

  • 2015 Australian Grand Prix – 10th (with Sergio Perez)
  • 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix – 13th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Chinese Grand Prix – 11th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Bahrain Grand Prix – 8th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Spanish Grand Prix – 13th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Monaco Grand Prix – 7th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Canadian Grand Prix – 11th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Austrian Grand Prix – 9th (with Perez)
  • 2015 British Grand Prix – 9th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Hungarian Grand Prix – 13th, DNF (with Perez)
  • 2015 Belgian Grand Prix – 5th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Italian Grand Prix – 6th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Singapore Grand Prix – 7th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Japanese Grand Prix – 12th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Russian Grand Prix – 3rd (with Perez)
  • 2015 United States Grand Prix – 5th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Mexican Grand Prix – 8th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Brazilian Grand Prix – 12th (with Perez)
  • 2015 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – 5th (with Perez)

It can now be yours, as a roller of course. The estimate is $60,000-$82,500. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $89,919.

Ruf Rt 12 R

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2015 Ruf Rt 12 R

Offered by Mecum | Indianapolis, Indiana | May 13-21, 2022

Photo – Mecum

The most famous Rufs are based on the Porsche 930, 3.2 Carrera, and the 993. Porsche’s 997 generation of the 911 was produced for the 2005 through 2013 model years, and that’s what this Rt 12 R is based on. Okay, not based on. Don’t forget Rufs are most certainly their own thing and not at all tweaked Porsches. No way.

The Rt 12 was offered between 2004 and 2012. Trim levels included “S” and “R”, with the R being more hardcore. In this spec, the twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter flat-six makes 720 horsepower and 693 lb-ft of torque. The bodywork is also revised and includes a GT3-esque rear wing and attractive center-lock Ruf wheels. Top speed was about 230 mph.

All 997 Turbos had all-wheel drive. The Rt 12 offered rear-wheel drive as an option. Just 13 R-spec Rt 12s were built, and this is one of only two in RWD configuration. This is a pretty crazy yet completely unassuming supercar. Read more about it here.

Update: Not sold, high bid of $1,100,000.

GTO Spano

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2015 Spania GTA Spano

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Paris, France | February 13, 2021

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

I am unclear if the company name here is Spania GTA, or if the model name is GTA Spano. That is, I’m not sure if “GTA” is part of the marque or model. In any event, the company was founded by Domingo Ochoa, team principal of GTA Motor Competición, a Spanish racing team.

This was the only model the company produced, and it debuted in 2010. The production version went on sale in 2013, and apparently, only 10 of the “first generation” cars were constructed. The company stated that 99 were to be built, but only 12 made it out of the factory, including this, the only “Series 2” example remaining. Three Spanos were destroyed for crash testing.

Power is from a twin-turbocharged 7.9-liter V10. That engine is an Ilmor-modified version of the Dodge Viper‘s, and it produces 925 horsepower. That monster motor is mounted behind the seats and is covered by carbon fiber and Kevlar bodywork. Sixty is gone in 2.9 seconds, and the top speed is said to be 230 mph.

This is a hardcore supercar, despite its cottage-industry looks. Apparently, the Spano is still available, but this is the most recent one, and it was built in 2015…. sooo…

I love European auctions that feature cars that we can’t get in the U.S. Cars just like this. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Withdrawn from sale.

VLF Force 1

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2015 VLF Force 1

Offered by Gooding & Company | Online | August 3-7, 2020

Photo – Gooding & Company

Yes, this is a Dodge Viper. Buuut, it’s Dodge Viper with Henrik Fisker-penned bodywork produced by VLF Automotive, a company originally founded by Bob Lutz to stuff V8s into formerly-electric Fisker Karmas.

VLF said, “Hey, we’re gonna build 50 of these things at $286,500 a pop.” Well, we all know how start-up supercar companies go. This car is the first of just five completed. It shares the Viper’s 8.4-liter V10, but it’s been cranked up to 745 horsepower. It’s said to hit 60 mph in three seconds and top out at 218 mph.

The design isn’t bad, but it looses some of that Viper meanness in an attempt to beautify it. Actually, it kind of looks like a Viper that is halfway finished eating a Jaguar F-Type. This car is expected to bring between $275,000-$325,000. Good luck finding another one. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold. Price lamely not disclosed.

FXX-K

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2015 Ferrari FXX-K

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. | November 30, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

The “XX” series of Ferrari cars began with the Ferrari FXX, which was an Enzo-based track day car offered to select clients. It was later Evolution-ized and followed up with a 599-based XX car. Then the LaFerrari came about, giving Ferrari an entirely new canvas to create a monster track car.

And that’s what the FXX-K is. Power is from a 6.3-liter V12 paired with an F1-style KERS electric motor, all of which is good for a combined system output of 1,036 horsepower. It’ll top out at 217 mph. An Evo version was introduced in late 2017 and is even quicker.

Only 40 were built between 2015 and 2017. When they were introduced, like the other XX cars before it, they were “owned” by an owner, but retained by Ferrari for the owner’s use at tracks all over the world. It’s unclear if that is still the case or if you get to take this home with you. Regardless, it is expected to fetch between $4,000,000-$4,500,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this auction.

Update: Sold $4,281,250.

Koenigsegg One:1

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2015 Koenigsegg One:1

Offered by Bonhams | Cheserex, Switzerland | September 29, 2019

Photo – Bonhams

Koenigsegg does this thing where they design a car and then keep iterating on it and giving each new version a distinct name. The Agera was introduced in 2011 as the successor to the CC/CCX line of cars. And the Agera kind of just looked like a development of the earlier car.

The Agera and its associated line of spin-off models lasted through 2018 and included this, the One:1, which is so-named due to its remarkable power-to-weight ratio of one metric horsepower per kilogram. The twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 makes 1,341 horsepower. Only six were built between 2014 and 2016.

This particular car – as with many of the other exotics in this sale – was owned by the vice-president of Equatorial Guinea (who also happened to be the son of the sitting president). His cars were seized by the Swiss government after he was found guilty of embezzlement. He has a pretty terrible rap sheet of financial crimes and sounds like a real, great overall dude. This car cost $2,850,000 when new and now is expected to bring $1,800,000-$2,300,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale. Proceeds go toward social programs in Equatorial Guinea, where perhaps the money should’ve been spent in the first place.

Update: Sold $4,627,820.

Morgan Aero SuperSports

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2015 Morgan Aero SuperSports

Offered by RM Sotheby’s | Paris, France | February 6, 2019

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Morgans are weird cars. They’ve been pretty much producing the same models for more than half a century, so when they introduce something brand new, it’s kind of a big deal. In 2000, they introduced the Aero 8, a convertible that had kind of retro looks but actually looked pretty fresh compared to their other models.

In 2008, the AeroMax was introduced and it was the coupe version of the Aero 8 – and it had a boattail rear end which made it look even better. Then, in 2009, came the Aero SuperSports – the Targa version. It was produced through 2015.

Power is from a 4.8-liter BMW V8 making 362 horsepower. These are light cars, which makes them rocketships when you get on it. This car is essentially brand new and looks great in Lapis Blue. Easily my favorite Morgan, it should bring between $170,000-$225,000. Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Not sold.

Update: Sold, RM Sotheby’s Essen 2019, $99,853.

Volkswagen XL1

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2015 Volkswagen XL1

Offered by Silverstone Auctions | Birmingham, U.K. | November 10-11, 2018

Photo – Silverstone Auctions

Well, this isn’t a classic car – or some crazy new exotic. It’s a plug-in hybrid, hardly the fodder for enthusiasts’ dreams. But the other thing that it happens to be is an extremely rare, almost sci-fi-like car of the future… and until this cropped up in Silverstone Auctions’ catalog, it was a car I wasn’t sure even really existed.

Why? Because limited-run cars like this don’t usually make it stateside. They aren’t tested by major automotive news outlets in the U.S. Carmakers say they’re building them, and then plans go awry and sometimes they never see the light of day again. You have to scour weird internet blogs to find any sort of information.

Take for instance the history of this car. Volkswagen first showed a 1-liter concept car in 2002. It was roughly the same shape as this car. In 2007, the head of VW said the car would go on sale before 2010. In 2009, they showed another, more advanced concept dubbed the L1. It looked a lot more like this, and VW said it would go on sale in 2013.

Then, in 2011, they debuted the XL1 concept car. In 2012, VW said that this model would go on sale instead, starting in 2013. Guess what happened in 2013? Who knows? Everyone got caught up in the whole diesel scandal in 2015 when these evidently debuted, and they forgot all about it. In all, 200 copies were made. Supposedly.

They are powered by an 800cc turbodiesel twin-cylinder engine coupled with an electric motor for a combined output of 74 horsepower. The drag coefficient is incredible, and the car gets over 310 miles per gallon. Imagine a car like this on a grand scale. This example is still owned by Volkswagen UK and shows 79 miles. It’s an instant collector’s item and should sell for between $125,000-$150,000 (they were pretty expensive when new, too). Click here for more info and here for more from this sale.

Update: Sold $132,465.