Collectors’ sports and competition cars, children’s model cars, registration numbers, a plane and even a wartime half-tracked motorcycle changed hands at the weekend (19 September 2008). An impressive 84% by value was sold in the £3.6-million annual Bonhams’ sale at the Goodwood Revival in West Sussex.
Interest was strong for the two cars from the collection of five-times ‘Tour de France’ winner Bernard Consten. The1964 Porsche 904 GTS - chassis 021 – made top price of £485,500. Delivered new to Robert Buchet, a well-known privateer racer and French Porsche distributor in the 1960s, the car had competed in period at the 1965 Le Mans, 1965 Coupe des Alps and numerous other French rallies. Bought by Consten in 1994, it had continuous history from new and had been fully restored. Also in superb condition with period competition history, the 1965 Alfa Romeo TZ1 from the Consten Collection sold for £254,500.
The 1970 Aston Martin DB6 Mk2 Volante, one of the most desirable of all David Brown Astons, sold to only its third owner from new for £287,500. Just 38 Mk2 Volantes were built, making this luxurious convertible extremely rare.
‘S1’, the first registration number plate to be issued in Edinburgh sold for a staggering £397,500 – a new world record price at auction, (separate press release available).
This year’s sale offered opportunities for rather more unusual ways to travel. Lot 318, the 1945 NSU Kettenkrad, was an ingenious half motorcycle, half tracked vehicle, built for the German Wehrmacht during World War II. Capable of coping with all sorts of terrain, the Kettenkrad can also be registered for use on the public highway. It sold for double the estimate at £67,500.
A beautifully detailed Austin Healey 3000 Mk II child’s car also doubled the estimate – no doubt thanks to its competition history: the electric-powered Healey competed in the 2008 Little Big Le Mans and completed one lap of the 14km circuit trouble free! With a fibreglass shell on a steel chassis, forward and reverse gears and working headlights, the car sold for £17,250 – the price of many a full-scale Austin Healey.
Other key prices achieved included:
Ex-A J Lees 1931-Type Maserati Tipo 8C-2800 Two-Seat Sports/Formula Competition car sold for £243,500
1965 Aston Martin DB5 Saloon sold for £131,300
18,000 miles from new, 2001 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible sold for £111,500
1967 Lamborghini 400GT Coupe sold for £109,300
1972 Ferrari Dino 246GTS Targa Coupe sold for £84,000
1976-77 Broadspeed Jaguar XJ12 Competition Saloon sold for £80,700
The ultimate winter project, a 1941 Hawker Sea Hurricane in need of total restoration sold for £8,050
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