We take a look at what's been happening at the auction houses around the world
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1949 Aston Marton DB Team car – sold $1.15 million
Goodwood UK
THE ONLY Aston Martin works car to finish the 1949 Le Mans 24h, this vehicle also placed fifth in the 24h of Spa the same year. ‘UMC 65’ was acquired in 1965 by Christopher Angell with the intention of restoration, but as Angell’s health failed, the car was neglected, eventually being stolen and resold. Angell’s family members eventually reclaimed the car and it was sold. The progenitor to the production DB2, this car was supplied for sale with the regulation Le Mans seals on the radiator cap and oil filler, a spare engine, three cylinder heads, a set of brake drums, and both SU and later Weber carb setups.
1987 Lynx Eventer Gucci (Jaguar XJS) – sold $148,000
Bonhams Goodwood UK
SELLING for around ten times the typical price of an ’87 Jaguar XJS coupe, the Eventer was conceived as an elegant shooting brake by Hastings coachbuilder Lynx. In all, 67 were built and this might be the most special of the lot, commissioned by Paolo Gucci, with an outrageously pimpy interior featuring burr elm, calfskin, lapis lazuli insets and crocodile-effect armrests. Displayed at the 1990 Geneva Motor Show, it instantly fell foul of legal eagles, the Gucci company lawyers claiming that Paolo had no right to use the family name.
1997 Mitsubishi Pajero Evo – sold $19,500
Silverstone UK
MITSUBISHI tried to pull a sneaky move back in 1997, effectively building a rally-raid homologation special to blitz the Paris Dakar rally’s production T2 class. With a 280hp turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 capable of much, much more with a bit of light fettling, custom double wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension, Recaro seats, a full skidplate protected underbody and Torsen diffs front and rear, this thing is a weapon. It not only won its class in the ’98 Dakar, it took a 1-2-3 outright, humiliating cars from the next class up.
1974 Ford Capri RS3100 – sold $90,000
Silverstone UK
EARLY Capris were wholly unconvincing sporting cars. ‘The car you always promised yourself’ eventually came good though and these RS3100s represent the zenith of Capri ownership. Only 248 were ever built, with Australia getting the final 50 units. It sports a Cosworth-developed 3091cc Essex V6 that would do 60mph in 7.3 seconds. Not bad for 1974, when an entry-level Lambo, the Urraco P300, would get there in 8.7s.
1974 Volkswagen Beetle – sold $56,500
Aarhus Denmark
YES, this car really has covered 90km from new. It was originally supplied by G. Terragni Volkswagen, Genova on the 23rd January 1974 to one Armando Sgroi. Now Mr Sgroi didn’t much care for driving, preferring to walk to church, and the last time this Bug turned a wheel under its own steam was in 1978. It’s since been lightly recommissioned. A true time warp example of an iconic car.
1959 Edsel Ranger – sold $13,000
Mecum, Harrisburg USA
THE somewhat depressing thing about this 1959 Edsel Ranger is that had the original owner left the $2683.50 it cost in the bank, they’d be sitting on $22,227, more than double what the car sells for today. What’s more, they wouldn’t have opened their curtains in the morning and seen this thing’s distorted fizzog gurning back at them every day. But hey, not every car can look like a Miura.
1974 Ford XB Fairmont – sold $17,700
Ebay Australia
IN THE hands of a Ford employee since new, this beautiful XB Fairmont was advertised as requiring nothing to spend. Still registered with the original issue black and white Victorian number plates and with a roadworthy, this tropic Gold employee’s car (Code 3992) looks like it’s just rolled off the line. You wouldn’t lose on this one, that’s for sure.
1981 Porsche 924 Carrera GTR – sold $863,000
Silverstone UK
THE BEST part of a million clams for a Porsche 924? You’d better believe it. This is one of 17 Carrera GTRs built, packs 375hp, weighs just 930kg and, most amazingly of all, has just 109km on the odo. Delivered new to Japan and used on a couple of track days, this time warp car is one of the most desirable Neckarsulm ‘transaxle’ models.
1947 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon – sold $80,000
RM Sotheby’s Michigan USA
DESIGNED for the country homes of the wealthy, the Roadmaster Estate Wagon was Buick’s most expensive offering in 1947. Fitted with a 320ci Fireball inline eight, this coachbuilt special had a limited production run of 300 cars and only four fully restored examples exist today. The $80,000 sale price for this Royal Maroon over maple and mahogany car therefore looked more than reasonable.
Movers & shakers – the cars to watch
MITSUBISHI LANCER EVO VI TOMMI MAKINEN
With prices starting from $20k rising to $35k for a minter, the Tommi Makinen version is the most desirable version of the most desirable generation of Evos. It’s also one of the standout cars from the golden era for all-wheel drive rally reps and finding a good ‘un and keeping it fresh looks like a very shrewd move indeed.