Buying or selling a Jaguar?

September 24 2020

Salon Prive Concours

Once again Salon Prive produced some unique, rare and very interesting cars set in the outstanding venue of Blenheim Palace.

The mouth-watering selection included the best from Alfa-Romeo, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lancia, McLaren, Porsche and Rolls-Royce.

Italian manufacturers featured heavily in the prize winners with Ferrari taking top spot with eight awards. Other Italian makes included Alfa-Romeo, Lamborghini, Lancia, Maserati and Pagani.

Anniversaries were celebrated with 110 years of Alfa Romeo with coachwork from the Italian specialists featuring heavily amongst the winners.

The Lancia Astura Pininfarina ‘Bocca’ Cabriolet 1936 with coachwork by Pininfarina collected two awards. more

August 26 2020

London Classic Car Show

The historic halls of Olympia played host to the London Classic Car Show and there can be few buildings that provide such a suitable venue for the classics.more

March 6 2020

The diamonds are shining in Antwerp again

Once again the Antwerp Classic Salon produced some classic gems.

Special features included Abarth and Alvis

The selection of Abarths included some very rare racecars.

more...

November 29 2019

52nd Essen Motor Show

Once again for its fifty-second show the Essen Motor Show provided an outstanding selection of interesting automobiles.

Over the years the cars on display and those for sale show such a variety that is only restricted by the imagination of the exhibitor.

The manufacturers have large display stands showing their latest models which this year included a number of electric powered cars.

The classic section of course provided a selction of more traditionally powered cars. Here the selection included gems from the thirties to the nineties.

One of the earliest being an MG for sale for thirty thousand Euros.

Just put on the flat cap and driving gloves and away you go!

more...

July 22 2018

Silverstone Classic

The Silverstone circuit hosted the 28th annual historic race and welcomed more than 100,000 enthusiasts to see more than 1,000 racing cars covering eight decades of motorsport history. This year the 21-race program delivered huge grids, often totaling over 50 cars. Including Formula One, GT, sports and touring cars from the golden eras of racing.

With the circuit celebrating the 70th anniversary of the very first Grand Prix to be held at Silverstone, the Classic featured a number of Grand Prix cars that had run at the original circuit all those years ago, including a trio of ERAs plus a pair of Maseratis. The outstanding number of Formula Junior cars on the track totalled over 100 including U2, Lotus and Terrier.

more

Bruce Willis & Steve McQueen Items Sold by Bonhams for Nearly $2-Million on Saturday

Hollywood leading man Bruce Willis sold his collection of American muscle cars through Bonhams in Los Angeles on Saturday, 25th October. These no-expense-spared performance cars, personally upgraded, owned and driven by a legend of the silver screen were offered at Bonhams' annual Classic California sale held, fittingly, at the Petersen Automotive Museum along LA's Miracle Mile.

The selection of American muscle cars from the personal collection of movie action hero Bruce Willis included a 1957 Corvette convertible gifted to him by Demi Moore while they were married. The car sold for $79,560 against a pre-sale estimate of $70,000 to $90,000).

Bonhams & Butterfields celebrated the sixth year of its famed auctions of exceptional motorcycles, motorcars and automobilia on Saturday, during California Bike Week, the kick-off to Love Ride Weekend. The auction was held at the prestigious Petersen Automotive Museum. An international crowd of collectors competed for the Bruce Willis Collection, for Steve McQueen memorabilia from his first wife's collection, and for vintage motorbikes -- with strong prices realized.

Led by a '68 Shelby Mustang from the Willis car collection, the sale featured a guest appearance by Neile McQueen Toffel (a.k.a. Neile Adams), Steve McQueen's first wife. An at-capacity crowd of collectors and motoring aficionados from around the world paid nearly $2-million for an exciting and diverse line-up of cars, motorbikes and the never-before-offered collection of personal effects from silver screen icon Steve McQueen. The illustrated online catalog with sold prices remains online at www.bonhams.com/us <http://www.bonhams.com/us> .

Spirited bidding was seen from the assembled motoring fans, pop culture enthusiasts and collectors, while international competition came via telephone. Several lots sold to collectors across the US, in the UK, Germany and other parts of the world, resulting in the following highlights:

· The Bruce Willis cars inspired great interest among collectors, particularly the actor's 1968 Shelby Mustang GT500 Convertible, selling for $161,000. His 1969 Dodge Charger Coupe sold for $86,580, and the 1957 Chevy Corvette given to him by Demi Moore sold for $79,500.

· A 1974 Ducati 750SS, ranking on collectors' "Top Ten Most-Desirable Bikes" lists for 20-years, sold for $81,900. A 1915 Indian 8-valve Boardtrack racer sold for $64,350 and a 1914 Indian 8-valve racing bike brought $57,330.

· The diamond-studded Hot Wheels® car, designed to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the brand and the production of their four billionth Hot Wheels® car, brought $60,000, proceeds benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles and the Inland Empire.

· The passion and interest for Steve McQueen proved strong -- with competitive bidding on various items: McQueen's hardstone Asian seal, well-carved with a depiction of a dragon, sold for $27,600. His 12-gauge shotgun, featured in the film "The Getaway," sold for $22,800, and his US Passport brought $9,000.

Mark Osborne, VP of the Motoring Department at Bonhams & Butterfields, said: "With our unique offerings of entire collections and individual items from the likes of Steve McQueen, Bruce Willis, Clark Gable, Charles Bronson and Von Dutch over recent years -- not to mention outstanding performance cars and bikes -- our annual "Classic California" auction is consistently the best of its kind anywhere in the world. Needless to say, we are very pleased with the results."

Having become a must-attend event in Hollywood for custom culture and motoring aficionados of all genres, the Bonhams' autumn "Classic California" sale demonstrated once again why the 214-year-old auction house is a leader in the domain of collector cars, motorcycles, art and antiques. Just last week at the Classic Motorcycle Mechanics Show in Stafford, England, Bonhams set another new world auction record for a British motorcycle with its sale of the 1949 ex-Reg Dearden Supercharged Vincent Black Lightning for US$370,000.

Bruce Willis Car Collection, Steve McQueen Memorabilia, Diamond-Studded Hot Wheels® Car on view for press

A multi-million dollar auction preview of incredible motoring collectibles opens for press on Friday, Oct. 24, 2008 -- Bonhams & Butterfields' annual Los Angeles auction of vintage bikes, classic American muscle cars, racing art and rare collectibles kicks off Love Ride weekend. Press are invited to view never-before-seen Steve McQueen memorabilia from the collection of his first wife - signed contracts, photos, racing awards, firearms and more; American muscle cars from the Bruce Willis Collection, including the convertible 1957 Chevy Corvette gifted to the superstar actor by (now ex-wife) Demi Moore; the "Blue Bike," Marty Dickerson's record-breaking 1948 Vincent, expected to bring as much as $500,000; a one-of-a-kind 18K gold Hot Wheels® car displays 23-carats of diamonds with rubies in a custom diamond-adorned case.

Special VIP Guests will be onsite for press from 10am-2pm - including: Neile McQueen Toffel (aka Neile Adams), the first wife of the "King of Cool" Steve McQueen, and others.

Rare, Early American Motorcars Sold at Annual Brookline, MA Event

(Brookline, MA) Bonhams international auctioneers once again enthralled the crowds gathered at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum in Brookline, MA on Saturday, Oct. 4th for the firm's seventh annual collector motorcar auction known as "Vintage New England," realizing nearly $2.9-Million during the one-day event. Very early motorcars culled from an important museum deaccession of the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago drew the day's top lot prices at $196,200 for the Ex- D. Cameron Peck 1913 National Series V Roadster, and $194,000 for the 1936 Cadillac Series 90 V-16 Convertible Sedan.

"These Museum quality offerings were very enthusiastically received here in Brookline today," said Malcolm Barber, Bonhams CEO and Chief Auctioneer, after the auction. "Their scarcity, provenance and place in history are well understood, and we're pleased to, once again, bring this caliber of offerings to such an appreciative audience. We've developed a loyal following for this annual event, and it was great to see our old friends, meet new clients, and focus the interest of collectors from around the world on the Larz Anderson Auto Museum."

A special 1908 Isotta Fraschini Tipo FENC Semi Racer, formerly on display at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum, drew competitive bidding from the telephones and collectors under the tent to surpass its pre-sale estimate, bringing $166,500. A bidder at the event acquired a special 1918 Locomobile Model 48-2 Sportif Touring Car, manufactured in Bridgeport, CT for the ex-General of the Armies John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, (sold for $161,000).

A new at auction world record for a Jaguar Mk V was set at $152,200 for an award-winning 1950 Jaguar Mk V Drop Head Coupe. A bidder in the standing-room-only crowd snapped up a 1986 Pontiac Fiero GT Pace Car Prototype at $57,330, three-times the pre-sale estimated value. The 1904 Stevens-Duryea Model L Runabout, acquired for the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry by automotive pioneer Charles E. Dureya and manufactured in Chicopee Falls, MA, sold for $139,000, while another lot from the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, the 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Sport Saloon, sold for $99,450.

A unique selection of early alternative fuel vehicles, such as the 1916 Rauch & Lang Model BX6 Electric Brougham, and a circa 1900 steam car, the Locomobile Model 5 Locosurrey, were sold for $70,200 and $32,760 respectively, illustrating an interest in the long history of alternative fuel vehicle technology which has become so popular today.

The crowd also engaged in spirited bidding for the automotive accessories offered: scale models, books, art work, mascots and collectibles -- known collectively as "automobilia," with many of the 208 lots selling for over their pre-sale estimates. An exceptionally fine traveling vanity set by Drew & Sons of London, circa 1913-1914, fitted with combs, manicure tools, sewing sets and other things fine ladies of the time could not travel without, sold for $9,360 (its pre-sale estimate in the $4/5,000 range). Mascots and sculptures were desired by the bidders, with a 1920s 'Victoire' mascot by Rene Lalique selling for $7,605, and a signed Art Deco motoring sculpture 'The Herald of Speed' by Pierre Le Faguays, fetching $6,435. Full sales results are available on line at www.bonhams.com/us.

The Bonhams motorcar team is heading back to the West Coast, after enjoying fall auctions in New England with the $8.4-Million Paine Collection's sale held September 26-27 at the Owl's Head Transportation Museum in Maine, and the October 4th Vintage New England auction in Massachusetts. Next is a sale in Los Angeles, "Classic California"(see related press releases at www.bonhams.com/press). This annual vintage motorbike, custom car and sports-racing collectibles auction at the Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles will be held on Saturday, October 25th, featuring a wonderful assemblage of desirable early Steve McQueen memorabilia, as well as property from noted private and institutional collections culled from across the globe.

Bonhams Motorcar Auction Draws International Collectors to Maine in September

Bonhams, international auctioneers, attracted the attention of collectors from around the world September 25-26, 2008 to the Owls Head Transportation Museum in Owls Head, Maine as the Richard C. Paine, Jr. collection of more than 60 motorcars, selected motorcycles and automobilia achieved exceptional prices, totaling nearly $8,500,000. Two collector motorcars drew prices near the million-dollar level, while nearly a half-dozen others were sold for more than a quarter of a million each. The standing-room only crowd, estimated at 500, enthusiastically bid against international telephone bidders, driving prices for some lots well above their pre-sale estimates.

Validating the phrase last but not least - the final lot of the sale, the 1910 Mercedes 45hp 4-Seat Tourabout, drew the highest bids, selling for $887,000, while "The Hordern Ghost," a 1913 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 40/50hp Roi-des-Belges tourer, sold for $832,000 to a bidder in the room competing against multiple phone bidders from around the world. The Ex-Dr. Samuel L. Scher 1906 American Tourist Roi-des-Belges touring car 1783, which graced the cover of the auction catalog, sold for $612,000 after a slow volley between international telephone bidders.

Owls Head Transportation Museum Executive Director Charles Chiarchiaro said, "This is a great day - not only for the museum, but for the State of Maine," during his opening remarks. "Maine was Richard Paine's home, and we are proud to be the location of this legendary collection's sale."

"Richard would be so proud of the caliber of collectors that participated in this auction and helped perpetuate his vision of preserving the automobile's position as industrial art and the national treasure -- on display at the Seal Cove Auto Museum," said John J. Sanford, trustee of the Richard C. Paine, Jr. Trust. "Bonhams and The Owls Head Transportation Museum demonstrated extraordinary professionalism and cooperation. We're thrilled that their international network of followers were part of this historic event."

Rupert Banner, Bonhams Director of Business Development within its New York-based Motorcar Dept., spearheaded the event and remarked, "This was an euphoric auction event which captivated local, regional, national and even international interest for the 'Aladdin's Cave' of collector automobiles, motorcycles and motoring accessories assembled by Richard Paine - a man whose myth was well-fabled within the collector car hobby. The results showed collectors' passion for supporting his legacy and for his taste -- as they competed to secure the items on the auction block, many of which had not been offered for sale for over 50 years."

Other top lots of the Friday/Saturday sale include: the ex-Dr. Samuel L. Scher 1910 Peerless Victoria (selling at $469,000); the 1913 Pierce-Arrow 48-B 7-Passenger touring car (sold for $315,000); and the Ex John Scheve, Matt and Barbara Browning and Tom Lester1923 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Pall Mall Dual Cowl Phaeton (brought $315,000).

"With bidders and buyers from throughout the United States, the U.K., continental Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle and Far East, the Richard C. Paine, Jr. auction results demonstrate the international reach of Bonhams' motoring department. These exceptional prices are a direct result of our ability to promote consigner's property to the widest possible audience," said Malcolm Barber, Chief Auctioneer and CEO of Bonhams.

The motorcar accessories, known as automobilia, were auctioned on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, achieving exceptional results. A 1905 Gabriel ten note exhaust whistle sold for $16,380 - well above the presale estimate of $1,200; a painted tin advertising sign for Fogg's Drug Store, a local Maine business, reached $7,020; and 24 assorted embossed tin Maine motorcycle license plates achieved $4,095.

The full auction results are available online at: www.bonhams.com/us <http://www.bonhams.com/us> . The Bonhams team are now moving south along the Eastern US Coast to their "Vintage New England Sale" at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum, in Brookline, MA on October 4th, where enthusiasm is already building for a collection of exceptional early automobiles formerly on exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry.

Vintage Motorbikes & Custom Cars Offered by Bonhams & Butterfields in Los Angeles October 25

Auction features Steve McQueen memorabilia & personal effects

Bonhams & Butterfields' annual vintage motorbike, custom car and sports-racing collectibles auction at LA's Petersen Auto Museum - now referred to as the "Classic California" sale -- features a wonderful assemblage of desirable early Steve McQueen memorabilia from the collection of his first wife, as well as property from noted private and institutional collections culled from across the globe. The eagerly anticipated auction takes place in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 25, 2008.

To Steve McQueen fans and motorbike and car collectors, the Bonhams & Butterfields Fall sale is a must-attend event. Each of the last three annual auctions has featured select McQueen-owned and raced motorbikes, cars and collectibles - and each multi-million dollar sale has set world auction records and generated international interest. The Saturday afternoon auction is the traditional kick-off for the Love Ride, the world's largest one-day motorcycle charity fundraiser, celebrating its 25th year on Sunday, October 26th, 2008 -- part of California Bike Week.

For 2008, bidders will vie for Steve McQueen's first racing trophy (an engraved tankard expected to bring $2,000 to $4,000) and other early racing awards. The poster noting McQueen being honored by the Porsche Club of America could bring as much as $2,000, and several firearms used by the inveterate hunter should attract interest. Original signed contracts and documents for Bullitt (1968), Papillion (1973) and other early McQueen movies and productions will be offered along with signed letters and notes written to the McQueens by their famous friends - from Barbra Streisand and Sammy Davis Jr., racing legend Sir Stirling Moss, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson, and fellow thespians Paul Newman, Janet Leigh, Debbie Reynolds and Rock Hudson, to name just a few.

McQueen's Buddha figure gold cufflinks were a gift from the legendary Bob Hope (est. $1,000/2,000) and never-before seen photographs depict the McQueens poolside, at home and on location. The actor's Chinese visa, which displays his passport-sized photo and signature, was carried by McQueen while he filmed The Sand Pebbles in 1965 (est. $2/4,000). Additional lots include personal and household items, some of which were featured in select McQueen films.

These desirable Steve McQueen items stem from the collection of Neile McQueen Toffel (known on stage as Neile Adams), McQueen's first wife. Ms. Adams, a talented and sought after Broadway performer, met the man who'd become "The King of Cool" while she appeared on Broadway in The Pajama Game in 1956. McQueen was acting on Broadway too and the couple quickly fell in love and wed on November 2nd, 1956. They relocated to the West Coast and had two children together, a daughter Terry and a son Chad. Adams elected to put her own career on hold (she'd signed with MGM in 1957) to raise their children. The McQueens were one of the "Royal Couples of Hollywood" until their divorce in 1972. In 1986, Adams wrote her best seller My Husband, My Friend (AuthorHouse), re-released in 2006, about her life with Steve McQueen. She has recorded four albums and continues to perform in live cabaret shows in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago. She's performing in early October 2008, at The Metropolitan Room at Gotham in New York City with her new show, appropriately titled Something Cool!

Other auction highlights on the block for the "Classic California" sale include vintage advertising signage on tin and modern marketing devices designed with neon lighting. Original artworks depicting famous races and marques will attract collectors, and custom cars and vintage motorbikes will be the focus of competitive bidding throughout the auction.

Last year, in its fifth annual offering, Bonhams & Butterfields sold more than $2.2-million to collectors and motoring aficionados assembled at the Petersen Automotive Museum, with highlights including McQueen motorbikes, Von Dutch memorabilia, a bike from the collection of Clark Gable and several from the Estate of Charles Bronson, among many others.

Vintage New England sale highlights early American motorcars, offered with no reserve

International auctioneer Bonhams is honored to offer a collection of exceptional early automobiles formerly on exhibit at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry on October 4, 2008 at its annual vintage motorcar sale at the Larz Andersen Auto Museum in Brookline, MA. The auction will feature 15 cars from that Chicago institution, many with exceptional provenance and several formerly owned by pioneers of the old car movement.

The Museum of Science and Industry opened its doors on June 19, 1933, the first interactive museum in North America. Important to the Museum's mission was the lavish collection of automobiles assembled during its earliest days by museum president Major Lenox Lohr. With legendary collector D. Cameron Peck, a team of enthusiasts and the museum's many corporate supporters put together a thoughtful and coordinated collection of important automobiles, carriages, wagons, trains and trolleys which contributed to Chicago's position at the center of North America's lifelines of transportation.

Over the years the transportation exhibits have been among the Museum of Science and Industry's most successful and educational exhibits, attracting millions of visitors to the institution. In 2007 the Museum began the process of evaluating its car collection, some of which had been off display since 2001. In keeping with their original intention to advance the understanding and appreciation of automotive technology, it was decided that some of the cars were not likely to go on display in the foreseeable future and that these cars should be placed in the hands of those who will take full advantage of their intrinsic value. The resources realized from this sale will be used to modernize the car collection and inspire the next generation of car engineers, designers and enthusiasts.

Topping the museum's offered motorcars, each to be sold with no reserve, is an ultra rare Cadillac Series 90 V-16 convertible sedan (est. $300/400,000). Just six of these were built in 1936, its believed only four remain today. This car was bequeathed to the museum in 1949 by a wealthy Minneapolis industrialist when it was just 13-years old, its 17,000 miles on the odometer are all that it has ever covered. That same year, 1949, Chicagoland car collector D. Cameron Peck, a pioneer of the hobby, sold his circa 1900 Locomobile Locosurrey and his 1913 National Model 40 to the museum. The earliest car of the group, the historic 108-year old steam powered antique, is rarely found in such complete and correct order. The evocative National (est. $150/200,000), an example of an early American high-performance sports car, echoes the finest speedsters of its day.

Strong collector interest is expected for the 1904 Stevens-Duryea Model L Runabout, which was secured for the museum in 1932 by automotive pioneer Charles E. Duryea after having only two owners. Manufactured in Chicopee Falls, Mass., this original condition motorcar was discovered by Duryea in Maine and could bring as much as $160,000. Equally exciting is a 1901 Oldsmobile Model R 'Curved Dash' Runabout (est. $50/60,000). Records indicate that the museum's curator wrote to Ransom E. Olds in 1931 asking for information and leads on the model. The automaker responded: "These cars are getting quite scarce, and the day is coming when they probably will be quite a curiosity..." A year later the museum acquired the model from the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors.

Alongside the museum consignment -- also featuring a 1929 Ford Model A Mailtruck, a 1924 Marmon Model 34 and a 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Continental Sport Saloon, among others, are additional important early cars. General John Joseph 'Black Jack' Pershing's 1918 Locomobile could bring as much as $225,000, considered desirable and exceedingly rare, the model was specifically built for him. Also on offer are a 1904 Knox Tourabout, a 1910 Packard Model 18 (est. $225/250,000), a sporting 1908 Isotta Fraschini Model FENC (est. $100/140,000) and an unusual custom built V-8 Cadillac Model 51 dating from 1915 (est. $120/150,000).

This October auction also features automobilia, with rare mascots and ephemera, vintage parts and scale models. A 1920s "Victoire" mascot by Rene Lalique could bring as much as $12,000 while a rare double-sided 1930s French Goodrich Tires enamel advertising sign could sell for as much as $7,500.

The illustrated auction catalog is online for review and purchase at www.bonhams.com/us <http://www.bonhams.com/us>. Additional sale information is available online at: www.bonhams.com/motoring <http://www.bonhams.com/motoring>. Previews open in the appropriate setting of the Larz Anderson Auto Museum near Boston on October 3, promising to be a true celebration of vintage automobiles.

AUCTION at QUAIL LODGE ACHIEVES THREE WORLD RECORDS

& BRINGS IN NEARLY $22M

Carmel, Calif. - 19 August 2008 - Bonhams & Butterfields celebrated the 11th year of its famed sale of exceptional motorcars and automobilia at Quail Lodge on Friday, August 15th, with resounding success - setting new sales records only weeks after establishing the highest price ever paid at auction for a Jaguar.

An at-capacity crowd of collectors and motoring aficionados from around the world paid more than $21.7-million for a stunning and diverse line-up of cars that included extremely rare and historic competition machines from noted private and institutional collections.

Spirited bidding was seen from assembled enthusiasts, sports racing fans and collectors, with international competition via telephones, resulting in the following highlights:

· 1960 Jaguar E2A Prototype "Missing Link" Le Mans racer was sold for $5,067,500, setting a new world record.
· The astoundingly original ex-Pierre Boncompagni, Ecurie Nice, 1939 Talbot-Lago T150 CSS made $4,845,000, establishing a new world record for the marque.

· 1913 Isotta Fraschini Torpedo Tourer, one of three in existence, sold for $1,523,750.
· The highly important 1936 Lagonda EPE 97, known as the most famous Lagonda of all, went for $1,380,000, smashing the previous world record.

Says Mark Osborne, VP and Director of the Motoring Department at Bonhams & Butterfields, "This year's stellar sale was another great effort put forth by our International Motorcar Dept. We've proven again that cars of provenance, the best of the best, continue to attract strong interest. With more than three world records established at this sale, the collector car market is alive and well."

Just weeks ago, Bonhams set a new world record for any Jaguar sold at auction with its July sale at The Goodwood Festival of Speed of the 1955 Jaguar D-Type Sports Racer "XKD509" for £2,201,500 (US$4.1-million).

Representing the finest of the motoring world, Bonhams' auction, held in conjunction with the prestigious and perennially sold-out Quail Motorsports Gathering, will once again be remembered as an anchor and highlight of the world-famous Monterey Car Week.

to be Auctioned in August

"Call for consignments" announced as extraordinary racecar heads Bonhams & Butterfields' auction roster

20 May 2008 - San Francisco - It's that time of year again when the automotive world gears up for the "mother" of all events: the Monterey Peninsula Car Week held each August. One of the foremost celebrations of automotive design and performance that week is the Quail Motorsports Gathering, and with that, the seminal Bonhams & Butterfields auction of important collectors' cars.

This year, Bonhams will attempt to make history once again by offering what is perhaps one of the most important cars to ever straddle both the competitive and popular culture worlds - Steve McQueen's 1969 Porsche raced at Sebring and used in the movie Le Mans.

The ex-Solar Productions Steve McQueen/Peter Revson race car is a 1969-70 Porsche 908/2 Pflunder, 3-litre air-cooled flat-8 Spyder in which McQueen and Revson finished second overall in the 1970 Sebring 12-Hours, just behind Mario Andretti. It was raced later that same year at Le Mans mounted with two cameras to produce footage for McQueen's classic film Le Mans, released in 1971. The car went on to become a five-time competitor in the Le Mans 24-Hour Grand Prix d'Endurance, the world's most charismatic sports car race.

As the story goes, McQueen purchased the Porsche specifically to compete at Sebring and teamed up with Formula One driver Peter Revson. The Sebring 12-Hours was a full factory contended points-earning race and the amateur McQueen/Revson team and their private car seemingly had no chance against the factory giants Ferrari, Ford and Porsche. Yet with only 25 laps remaining they were in the lead. This was an incredible upset for the big professional teams so Ferrari ordered Andretti to "win the race at all costs." Although the 5-liter Ferrari 512S was far more powerful than the 3-liter Porsche 508, Andretti couldn't pass until the second to last lap, winning by only 23 seconds! More amazingly, McQueen had raced with a broken foot still in a cast, duct taped to keep it from coming apart.

This incredibly historic and pedigreed car will be just one of the many highlights offered for sale by Bonhams & Butterfields on August 15th at Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley, California.

at Greenwich Concours d'Elegance

Sale - Sunday, June 8

Rare Racers from McLaren & Maserati, Grand Tourers from Bugatti & Rolls-Royce, 1950s & '60s American Classics at Auction

May 21, 2008 (New York, NY)... World-renowned auctioneers Bonhams have amassed an exceptional collection of rare motorcars to go on auction Sunday, June 8th, at 10:30 am, as part of its first offering at the annual Greenwich Concours d'Elegance. This important sale of motorcars features rare marques with impressive racing history, classically elegant Rolls-Royce and touring cars, and American classics such as a turquoise '54 Buick Skylark, in addition to a notable array of automobilia.

"Bonhams is delighted to be working with Bruce and Genia Wennerstrom, organizers of the Greenwich Concours, and enhancing our US auction schedule with a presence at one of the foremost events in the country," says Rupert Banner, Bonhams V.P. of Business Development.

"The quality of this offering is excellent," Mark Osborne Motoring Department Director, from the San Francisco gallery expounded. "A nice selection of extremely rare pre-war marques, with distinguished history and pedigree, combined with a selection of nearly 50 important motorcars, makes this a 'must-see' event for collectors world-wide."

Since 1995 the Greenwich Concours has brought together enthusiasts and collectors for two days of friendly competition in a garden party atmosphere at the Roger Sherman Baldwin Park, overlooking Greenwich Harbor in Connecticut. In addition to being an important date in the concours circuit for more than a decade, the early summer event has become known for its collector car auction that has seen millions of dollars change hands. This year the auction is being conducted by Bonhams, the world's largest all-encompassing auctioneer to hold scheduled sales of motorcars, motorcycles and related automobilia.

Highlights featured in this inaugural sale include:

The Ex-A.J. Lees circa 1931 Maserati Tipo 8C-2800 Two-Seat Sports/Formula Competition Car, a glorious-looking, exceptionally well-crafted replacement Maserati based upon the legendary Bologna-based family company's original 8C-2800 model. (est. $600,000/850,000).

Racing aficionados will also be thrilled to see The ex-Ralph Salyer 'Cro-Sal' Special 1965 McLaren-Elva M1A Sports Racer, renowned for its period race history and accomplishments (est. $250,000/300,000).

The 1934 Bugatti Type 57 Double Cabriolet Stelvio, with coachwork by Gangloff, a rare example of a largely unrestored Bugatti Type 57, emblematic of the very earliest series conceived and styled by Jean Bugatti, estimated in the $250,000/350,000 range. A 1928 Vauxhall 20/60 Hurlingham Speedster, a sixty-horsepower model, formerly from the famed Abba Kogan Collection, refurbished with new paint and fresh leather interior and thorough engine detailing, an uncommon offering, and anticipated to fetch $160,000/200,000.

The first internal combustion engine automobile that performed with any degree of success, was Karl Benz's Patent Motorwagen. Since the centenary of his invention, replicas of this historic car have been built and Bonhams offers one such car for sale. The Ex-Jacqueline de Rothschild and the late John Webb de Campi 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Convertible Sedan, with coachwork by Hibbard & Darrin, restored in 1998, with an enviable concours record including "Most Elegant Car" awards, and "Judges Choice" at several premier events, is anticipated to draw bidding in the $300,000/400,000 range.

American classics, including the 1956 Ford Thunderbird Convertible with hardtop, turquoise in color, with the 312 cubic inch Thunderbird Special engine, automatic transmission and power steering, seat and windows (est. $50,000/60,000), and the 1954 Buick Skylark Convertible, the rarest 1954 Buick, with only 836 built, estimated at $125,000/175,000 are well represented at the sale, along with a 1931 Ford Model A Roadster Pick-Up (est. $35,000/45,000), and several other examples.

Over 180 lots of Automobilia will open the sale, beginning at 10:30 EST, on June 8th, featuring vintage racing posters, sculpture, hood ornaments, books, motoring-themed movie posters, catalogs and publications. Top lots of Automobilia include: 'Le Petit Poucet' by Max Blondat, French, 1920, signed bronze, cire perdue cast by Valsuani, depicting a running boy with huge boots jumping over a ball, mounted on a turned marble base (est. $15/17,000). This rare mascot is believed to be the first example appearing at auction for 40-years. Max Blondat was a noted French sculptor, born at Crain, France on 30th November 1872. Several glass mascots by René Lalique are on offer, as well, a signed, watercolor and gouache on board, mounted, framed and glazed by artist Peter Helck (1893-1988) titled 1952 Le Mans, twenty-four hours: The Cunningham Challenge, estimated at $15/17,000.

July 25 2006

$5 Million Sports Cars at Christie’s New York, 20 Rockefeller Plaza

Wednesday, July 26 at 10am

Christie’s showcases four top cars from its flagship August 2006 Monterey, California car sale outside Christie's Rockefeller entrance on Wednesday, July 26 – they will be on public view all day.

The cars include an excruciatingly-beautiful 1928 Mercedes-Benz Typ S, ordered by a wife without her husband knowing - he ended up refusing to pay for it on delivery in 1929 (estimate: $3,000,000-4,000,000)

A 1952 Ferrari 225 Sport Spyder that raced for the Ferrari team (estimate: $1,200,000-1,500,000)
A 1967 Ferrari 4-liter (estimate: $300,000-400,000), and a 1972 Lamborghini Miura (estimate: $375,000-425,000)

July 17 2006

Christie’s International Motor Cars 2006 flagship sale takes place on Thursday August 17 at the Monterey Jet Center in California. It serves as the perfect introduction to a much-anticipated long weekend of car enthusiast events surrounding the annual Monterey Historic race meeting and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The evening Exceptional Motor Cars at the Monterey Jet Center auction features 50 cars and is expected to realize in excess of $10 million.

Led by a strikingly beautiful 1928 Mercedes-Benz Torpedo Roadster estimated at $3 million to $4 million, the sale features a comprehensive selection of collector classics, including an impressive single-owner collection of Porsches, a sports-racing 1952 Ferrari 225, an important 1947 Bugatti Type 73C and a 1954 Volkswagen van.

1928 Mercedes-Benz 26/120/180 TYP S Torpedo Roadster
This spellbinding and dramatically-styled car, one of only 124 Typ S models built in 1928, was ordered by a Mrs. Charles Levine from Mercedes-Benz, with Saoutchik coachwork from Paris. Mr. Levine may have known nothing of his wife’s plans, for he refused to pay when presented with the bill, having lost all his money in the stock market crash. The car stood unwanted in the Mercedes showroom in New York until it was bought by a Mr. Bedford and dubbed the ‘yellow peril’. Among many other stories, Mr. Bedford drove his future wife home in the car when they first met at a party in Pennsylvania even though she arrived at the event with another date; the car has stayed with the family ever since (estimate: $3,000,000-4,000,000). more.....

July 10 2006

Goodwood Festival

July 9, 2006

FORD REUNITES WINNING CARS FROM FAMOUS 1966: 1-2-3 FINISH AS HIGHLIGHT OF LE MANS CLASSIC

A reunion of the three Ford GT Mark II racing cars that conquered the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966 was the highlight of this year's Le Mans Classic, marking the 40th anniversary of a major event in the history of the world's most famous endurance race.

For the first time in 10 years, the three famed Ford GTs – led by the black and silver Shelby American Mark II of Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon that crossed the finish line first to claim victory for Ford – were reunited at Le Mans to recreate the moment. Ford of Europe had underwritten the cost of shipping the black car – loaned by American collector George Stauffer – to Le Mans for the prestigious historic racing event.

It was joined by the second-place car – the blue Shelby American Ford GT Mark II of Ken Miles and Denny Hulme – and the third-place car – the gold Holman-Moody entry for Ronnie Bucknum and Dick Hutcherson as Ford re-staged the 1-2-3 finish for fans and photographers during the countdown to the traditional 4 p.m. start of the Le Mans Classic 2006.

The second- and third-place cars were entered in the race, competing in the hands of American Bill Murray and Switzerland's Claude Nahum, respectively, in the Ford-sponsored 1966-1971 grid of the Le Mans Classic.

"The 1-2-3 finish at Le Mans in 1966 was a special moment in the history of this race and in Ford Motor Company's history," said Ford of Europe President and CEO John Fleming. "Today's restaging of the moment at the Le Mans Classic demonstrated how vividly it remains in the hearts and minds of enthusiasts." more...

July 6 2006

FAMOUS FORD GT40 VICTORY CELEBRATED AT THE LE MANS CLASSIC

This summer is the 40th anniversary of Ford’s historic 1-2-3 finish at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the Ford GT40. The anniversary will be celebrated in style at the 2006 Le Mans Classic event.
On Sunday, June 19, 1966, a trio of sleek Ford GT Mark II endurance racers crossed a rain-soaked finish line at the famous La Sarthe circuit in Le Mans, convincingly achieving Ford’s goal of beating Ferrari to the ultimate international racing success.

Marking the 40th Anniversary at Le Mans

A special event will mark the anniversary of the historic Ford victory at this year’s Le Mans Classic, scheduled for July 7-9 at the famous circuit. Ford will present the 1966-1971 grid at this year’s running of the bi-annual event, which has quickly become one of the leading vintage-racing occasions in Europe.
Six grids divided into decades from 1923 to 1979 will participate in the 2006 Classic. The 1966-71 grid, sponsored by Ford, appropriately embraces the GT40 – winner of the 24 Hours of LeMans in 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969 – and its contemporary competitors.
A strong collection of historic GT40 race cars is expected to be at Le Mans for the Classic, and many will compete in the race, including the original second- and third-place cars from the 1966 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The race is also expected to attract a strong contingent of GT40 competitors from Ferrari, Porsche and other important marques, plus examples of the Ford Mustang, itself a formidable competitor in the late 1960s. more...

July 5 2006

FORD GT40'S GREATEST MOMENT TO BE RELIVED AT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED

On the afternoon of the 19 June, 1966, as the hands on the famous clock at the end of the Le Mans pit wall crept towards 4pm, three Ford GT40s swept through the circuit’s final corner towards the finish. With their headlamp beams reflecting off the rain-soaked tarmac, they closed ranks to complete the race only feet apart.

The crowd roared, the chequered flag waved and in the stand above the pits Henry Ford II savoured the most famous motor racing victory in the history of the company his grandfather had started 63 years earlier. The mighty Ferrari team with its great Le Mans record had been comprehensively beaten. It was one of the proudest moments in Ford’s long motor sport history.

The route to victory
It had been a long, hard journey to victory - much longer than the mere 24 hours of the race. Three years earlier, Enzo Ferrari had quietly investigated selling his business to Ford, which had wanted to add high performance lustre to its public image. The deal fell through and Ford’s response was to set up a special vehicles department to develop its own high performance cars for road and racetrack. more....

June 26 2006

Bonhams & Butterfields to Offer $10 Million Motor Car Collection

Quail Lodge, Carmel, California - 18 August 2006

Bonhams & Butterfields' Sale of Important Collectors' Motor Cars and Related Automobilia, held annually at the prestigious venue of Quail Lodge and Resort in Monterey, California, will this year include 17 mouth-watering motor cars which have been maintained and preserved for many years in the world renowned Rosso Bianco Collection at Aschaffenburg, in Germany.

Malcolm Barber, CEO of Bonhams & Butterfields, says: "This remarkable group represents a fantastic cross-section of some of the world's finest motor cars, in several categories, and we are delighted to present them for sale at Quail Lodge."

"This landmark selection ranges from an elegant Figoni & Falaschi Talbot-Lago 'Tear Drop' Coupe to a blisteringly quick and utterly dominant CanAm racing Porsche 917/10, and includes the very best in sports-racing, CanAm, and coach-built exotica.

"We are still accepting entries to what promises to be the most exclusive sale of the weekend."

Top lot in the collection is the 1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C-SS 'Teardrop' Coupe - purchased new at the 1938 Paris Motor Show by the Englishman Robert Cecil Byng, later to become the 7th Earl of Strafford. Subsequently, it was sold to famed Formula One gentleman team patron Rob Walker. Spectacularly restored, this motorcar represents the pinnacle of motoring excellence and the coachbuilder's craft. Estimate $3,000,000 - 4,000,000. more....

June 19 2006

THE PORSCHE MARQUE: A DEFINITIVE MONTEREY HIGHLIGHT AT CHRISTIE’S

Exceptional Motor Cars at the Monterey Jet Center - August 17, 2006

Christie’s International Motor Cars announces the consignment of a stunning collection of eight Porsches at its flagship United States auction of Exceptional Motor Cars at the Monterey Jet Center on August 17. Sourced directly from a private U.S. collector, every car presents a unique insight into the history of the illustrious German manufacturer. The collection is expected to fetch between $2,600,000 – 3,330,000.

The earliest car in the collection is a 1959 Porsche 356 Carrera GT Speedster (estimate $250,000 – 300,000). It is the very last example ever produced by the factory of this ultimate derivative of the archetypal Speedster and is offered in exceptional, fully restored condition.

Paying further homage to the 356 model is the 1960 Porsche 356 GTL Carrera Abarth (estimate $600,000 – 800,000). The example on offer is an early factory prototype which garnered much racing success in Europe when new; restored in 2004, it is undoubtedly one of the finest examples in existence.

The 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS (estimate $450,000 – 550,000) was also a factory prototype and was used early on in its life as a factory press car. Originally delivered to the U.S., it was famously tested by Car & Driver. Featuring subtle styling differences from later Carreras, it is in remarkably original condition and is a definitive example. more....

June 5 2006

Concorso Italiano, the celebration of Italian style that opens the traditional Monterey/Pebble Beach Weekend, will this year honor iconic Italian designer Giorgio Giugiaro and pay homage to the Targa Florio, one of the world’s most venerated motoring events. Concorso Italiano will also celebrate 100 years of automobiles from Lancia and the 35th anniversary of the Pantera.

Our Event Magazine will feature designs created by noted Italian industrial designer Giorgio Giugiaro over the course of his half-century career. Named "Designer of the Century" in 1999, the talented Giugiaro is responsible for some of the most stellar automotive creations ever penned.

In 1967 Giugiaro created his own design firm – ItalDesign – and implemented a succession of notable vehicles that include the VW Golf and Passat, the Fiat Panda, the Lotus Esprit and BMW M1 sports cars, the DeLorean DMC-12, the Lancia Delta, the Bugatti EB112 supercar and the Subaru SVX. Giugiaro also designed the Nikon F3 camera and even created special pasta, with a revolutionary shape designed to hold more sauce effectively.

"Giugiaro’s unparalleled success across a wide range of industrial design is still evident today," says Wadsworth. "Recently, with his son Fabrizio, he created the new Maserati Spyder in a joint father-son effort. We are really excited to give Concorso visitors a first-hand look at some of his amazing creations."

Another icon to be honored at Concorso Italiano in 2006 is the Targa Florio – the open-road endurance race run around the island of Sicily. Founded in 1906 by wealthy pioneering racer Vincenzo Florio, it was one of the world’s oldest sports car races – pre-dating both the LeMans 24 Hours and Italy’s famed Mille Miglia. Discontinued as a through-the-streets sports car race in 1977 for safety reasons, it continues even today as a rally event. more...