Tag: automobile

A Costly Capri

‘Refinished’ 1987 Ford Capri 280 Brooklands for sale for a sum that will wow; it’s affectionately known as ‘Oscar’

The car of choice of boy racers, the Ford Capri was dubbed ‘The Pratmobile’ by Rodney after Del Boy bought one in the BBC series Only Fools and Horses. Those that kept such vehicles, unlike the majority who sent them to be scrapped, are now having the last laugh as their prices are rocketing and an example of such comes in the form of a 1987 Capri 280 Brooklands that is to be auctioned in July.

The fastback coupé to be offered is described by Silverstone Auctions as “the best Capri Brooklands we’ve ever seen” and is affectionately known as ‘Oscar’. It has been “refinished” – not “restored” – at great expense and has just 14,680 miles on the clock.

The car will be sold with an estimate of £35,000 to £45,000 ($44,800 to $57,600, €40,100 to €51,500 or درهم164,700 to درهم211,700) at Silverstone Auctions’ 29^th to 30^th July sale.

May 27, 2017
The Best 4x4xFar

Immaculate 1993 Land Rover Range Vogue for sale; its price will astound but its condition will impress

An immaculately presented twenty-four year old Range Rover has gone on sale for £42,500 ($54,800, €50,100 or درهم201,200).

Offered by West London based Graeme Hunt, the 1993 Land Rover Range Rover Classic Vogue LSE 4.2-litre is boldly described as “an absolute cracker” and has passed through the firm’s hands twice. The grey with tan interior car has every conceivable extra, an upgraded stereo and a Brooklands body kit.

The present owner, one of Graeme Hunt’s “most endearing and trusting customers”, acquired the vehicle three years ago and “embarked on a stratospheric restoration – a restoration upon which he chose to put his mark on, and in an indulgent manner”. The result is a luxury car complete with carpeting more befitting of a Scottish castle than Kensington and a definite future classic.

May 13, 2017
Tito’s Toy

Ex-President Josip Broz Tito 1964 Fiat 500 Jolly by Ghia to be sold at auction in London

Josip Broz Tito liked cars. It appears he didn’t care if they were little or large and someone without the means to purchase his £2.5 million ($3.1 million, €2.9 million or درهم11.4 million) 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet – featured on these pages in April – could acquire a 1964 Fiat 500 Jolly by Ghia owned by him for the lower, yet still somewhat punchy, sum of £70,000 to £100,000 ($90,500 to $129,300, €83,200 to €118,900 or درهم332,400 to درهم474,800) at an auction in London in May.

Josip Broz Tito, born Josip Broz (1892 – 1980), President of Yugoslavia (1953 – 1980)

To be offered by Coys of Kensington at their forthcoming Royal Horticultural Halls sale in Westminster on 18^th May, the ‘Economical’ converted Fiat 500 was owned from new by the 1^st President of Yugoslavia. He was pictured using it on numerous occasions.

Subsequently part of the Classic Automobile Museum collection in Belgrade for a number of years, the white runaround – chassis number 1100271507 – has covered just 12,500 miles and is described as “driving like new”. It comes with a certificate of authenticity and would make the perfect accessory for the owner of a super yacht, seaside estate or golf course.

May 9, 2017
Marlene’s Motor

1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet to be auctioned; it attracted the attentions of Marlene Dietrich and has a Hermés interior

In October 1949, the chameleon-like actress and singer Marlene Dietrich (1901 – 1992) was photographed “descending elegantly” from a custom-built T26 Talbot Grand Sport by coachbuilders Franay at the Paris Salon. That car subsequently won the 1er Grand Prix d’Honneur at the Concours d’Enghien in June 1950 and is now due to be sold at auction in May.

The “outrageously exclusive” short-wheelbase Grand Sport, chassis 110121, was first presented in white and came with a luxurious red leather interior and fitted luggage by Hermés. It was described as “an automobile destined for the serious sportsman and chic Parisian society in equal measure”.

Marlene Dietrich “descending elegantly from the car, the crowd surrounding it completely mesmerized – a very rare instance of the occupant upstaging a Grand Sport” at the Paris Salon in October 1949

As it is presented today – The 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay

Subsequently subject to another makeover by Franay whilst still owned by Talbot in the winter of 1950, the 4.5-litre car was presented at the Brussels Auto Show in January 1951 in black with a new, simpler grille design. After appearing at the Concours de la Grande Cascade that summer, the vehicle passed into the ownership of an unknown “manufacturer of hard candies” and was given yet another grille – this time in the style Pininfarina Ferrari 212 Inter.

Returning to the Concours d’Enghien in June 1952 and then having its final appearance on the Franay stand at the 1953 Paris Salon, the Grand Sport was sold to a butcher from Versailles. It was bought for just $800 (the equivalent of £5,100, $6,600, €6,100 or درهم24,200 today) in 1960 by Jim Bandy, an American military officer stationed in France, and then taken by him to Baltimore, Maryland in 1963. Sold on several times and subject to an engine swap with a Talbot Grand Sport Saoutchik coupé, chassis 110101, the car was partially dismantled in the 1970s and it was not until 1992 that its restoration was to properly begin under the guidance of the highly regarded Austrian restorer Egon Zweimüller.

Completed in 2010, the restored “one-off cabriolet” is now described as “compelling and unprecedented”. It again has a Hermés interior and luggage – this time in black – and has been verified by the Talbot-Lago and Saoutchik authority Peter M. Larsen.

Offered with an unsurprisingly punchy estimate of £1 million to £1.3 million ($1.3 million to $1.6 million, €1.2 million to €1.5 million or درهم4.8 million to درهم6 million) by RM Sotheby’s, the 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport cabriolet by Franay will be sold at Villa Erba on Lake Como on the 27^th May.

May 8, 2017
Gone is the Garage

Purpose-built Upper East Side, NYC Beaux Arts garage reduced in price by 41%; it will still cost around £40 million to buy and turn into a vast single family residence

Purpose built in 1906 to house the cars of wealthy (but not quite so wealthy enough to have their own carriage houses) Upper Eastsiders, 177 – 179 East 73^rd Street in New York is a five-storey Beaux Arts structure that is described as “unusually sophisticated”.

Reduced from a completely unrealistic £39.8 million ($50 million, €47 million or درهم183.6 million) when first marketed in 2015 to £23.5 million ($29.5 million, €27.7 million or درهم108.4 million) today, estimates put the cost of converting the building to a single townhouse at upto £15.9 million ($20 million, €18.8 million or درهم73.5 million).

Featuring a granite and limestone façade, 177 – 179 East 73^rd Street has ceiling heights that range from 12’7” to 17’, is 40’ wide and provides 17,232 square foot of internal space. Though plans have been drawn up to turn it into a vast 8-beroom residence complete with a 8-car garage, basketball court and home cinema, rival agent Jed Garfield of Leslie J. Garfield, told The Real Deal: “I think it’s still overpriced. The only surprising thing is that they’re now willing to sell it at [closer to] market price” late last week.

The building – which remains in use as a UES garage – is listed by Carrie Chiang of Corcoran and is described as “just waiting to undergo a metamorphosis in the hands of a discerning buyer”.

Image shows 177 – 179 East 73^rd Street in 1906, 2017 and a rendering as a single family residence (left to right).

April 17, 2017
Five of the Best – Auctions America Auburn Spring

Five of the best lots on offer at the Auctions America Auburn Spring, Indiana sale of classic and modern cars and military lots

From 11^th to 13^th May at the Auburn Auction Park in Auburn Spring in Indiana, USA, Auctions America will sell a vast range of cars and military lots. Here, we choose our five favourite lots on offer:

1920 Ford Model T Coupé – £6,500 to £8,100 ($8,000 to $10,000, €7,600 to €9,400 or درهم29,400 to درهم36,700)

With over 16.5 million built between 1908 and 1927, the Ford Model T stands at the eighth most sold cars of all time. Undoubtedly the first affordable car produced, an example from 1920 provides an affordable way to start a classic car collection. The example offered also reflects the sentiments of Henry Ford (1863 – 1947), whom once said: “Any customer can have a car painted any colour that he wants so long as it is black”.

1930 Cunningham V8 33286 Hearse – £64,600 to £80,700 ($80,000 to $100,000, €75,600 to €94,500 or درهم293,800 to درهم367,300)

A perfect mode of conveyance for the Addams Family or Ozzy Osbourne, this hearse was built by the James Cunningham & Sons Company of Rochester, New York. It has a cathedral like coffin compartment featuring carved wood and has been owned by three generations of the Peterson family, owners of the Howe-Peterson Funeral Home business of Dearborn, Michigan. The firm was established in 1873 but is about to close down.

1941 Packard One-Eighty Convertible Victoria by Darrin – £302,800 to £343,200 ($375,000 to $425,000, €354,300 to €401,500 or درهم1.4 million to درهم1.6 million)

Finished in cream over saddle leather with a dark chocolate canvas top and period-appropriate wide whitewall tyres, this striking convertible is described as being in “excellent driving condition”. It was delivered new to Houston, Texas and was the creation of Howard ‘Dutch’ Darrin (1897 – 1982), a polo playing airline owner turned automotive designer.

1967 Chevrolet Corvette 427/390 Coupé – £80,700 to £100,900 ($100,000 to $125,000, €75,600 to €118,100 or درهم293,800 to درهم459,100)

“One of the most special Corvettes ever made”, this Marlboro Red coupé is presented in original and unrestored condition. It has only had two owners from new and has covered just 27,000 miles in its fifty year life.

1992 AM General M998 Humvee – £12,100 to £16,200 ($15,000 to $20,000, €14,200 to €18,900 or درهم55,100 to درهم73,500)

Featuring a 6.5-litre engine and definitely something Arnold Schwarzenegger would love, this cargo-troop carrier has a gross vehicle weight rating of 3.9-tonnes. It certainly could go anywhere and requires “no further demilitarization”.

April 10, 2017
Morons of the Moment – Piccadilly Boy Racers

Insensitive showoffs wreak havoc in Parliament Square with their gaudy supercars; they claimed to be honouring the dead and injured of the Westminster attack but simply caused annoyance

Though five people died and around fifty others were injured as a result of Khalid Masood smashing his rented 4×4 into them on Westminster Bridge on 22^nd March, a group of insensitive showoffs decided it would be appropriate to cause gridlock with their gaudy supercars in Parliament Square on Sunday.

Shabs Ahmad, a spokesman for the group, which is known as the Piccadilly Boy Racers, told the MailOnline:

“Following recent attacks in Westminster which cost the lives of innocent civilians as well as PC Keith Palmer, we felt it was only right to pay our condolences and show our love by standing united to oppose the atrocious acts of violence”.

“We felt that being British Muslims with a platform, we wanted to speak up against such acts and bring people of all race and religion together as a symbol of peace, love and unity”.

The police felt quite differently about their presence and told these ridiculous vulgarians to swiftly to move on.

April 10, 2017
81 Miles From New

1996 Mercedes-Benz SL500 that has been driven just 81 miles and stored in a Knightsbridge garage since new to be auctioned for 1,000% more than a normal example of its age

A Mercedes-Benz with a difference is to be auctioned on its twenty-first birthday on 12^th April. The car to be offered is an SL500 that effectively has covered an average of just 3.9 miles per year during its lifetime and it is presented in “virtually new condition”.

Offered by Coys of Kensington, the Imperial Red with Mushroom leather two-seat roadster was bought from Normand of Mayfair and was only recently recommissioned after spending the vast majority of its life locked in a Knightsbridge garage.

Of the time warp car, Chris Routledge, CEO of Coys of Kensington, remarked:

“This is a car with a fantastic story. Purchased as a birthday present and driven only 81 miles before the [female] owner lost the keys and never drove it again. It even comes with a letter written by the owner’s butler verifying its mileage and its provenance”.

“Had she not lost the keys and used it regularly, we estimate it would now be worth between £5,000 to £7,000 ($6,200 to $8,700, €5,900 to €8,200 or درهم22,800 to درهم31,900), but the fact that it has kept such a low mileage and has not been driven in more than twenty years makes it worth between £45,000 and £55,000 ($56,000 to $68,000, €53,000 to €64,000 or درهم205,000 to درهم251,000)”.

“What happened with the keys remains a mystery but the car comes with new keys for the new owner”.

April 10, 2017
Red Rollers

Pair of striking red Rolls-Royces with Scottish connections to be auctioned at the Imperial War Museum Duxford

Rolls-Royces tend to be noticed wherever they go but a pair to be auctioned later this month are especially stand-out examples in that they both come in especially bold shades of red.

The first car, a 1990 Rolls-Royce Corniche III convertible, is offered with an estimate of £50,000 to £60,000 ($62,000 to $74,000, €58,000 to €69,000 or درهم228,000 to درهم273,000). It was built to special order for a Scottish laird and features one-of-a-kind red paintwork said to match the colour of his family’s tartan. The 27-year old automatic, 6.75-litre vehicle comes with an original set of cut glass decanters and matching glasses and has covered just 64,900 miles.

The second comes in the form of a 1935 Rolls-Royce 20/25 limousine with coachwork by Hooper & Company of Westminster, London. It is presented in maroon and black with black upholstery up front and red to the rear. Originally owned by a Mrs Margaret Abercrombie of Castlehead, Paisley, the 3.7-litre long-wheelbase car subsequently spent 39 years in the USA before returning to the UK in 2003. It is offered with an estimate of £24,000 to £26,000 ($30,000 to $32,000, €28,000 to €30,000 or درهم109,000 to درهم118,000).

The cars will be sold by H&H Classics at the Imperial War Museum Duxford in Cambridgeshire on 29^th March.

March 18, 2017
Fishing with Bentley

Bentley 4×4 equipped with fly fishing kit by Mulliner to be exhibited at The London Fly Fishing Fair

Designed with the gentleman angler in mind, what some might call a “casting brake” is to be exhibited by Bentley at the first London Fly Fishing Fair this week.

Priced far higher than the standard £135,000 ($164,000, €155,000 or درهم 603,000) base model Bentley Bentayga at around £280,000 ($340,000, €322,000 or درهم 1.25 million), the Mulliner Fly Fishing adapted version on show comes with a master tackle station, a refreshment case and a waterproof wader stowage trunk. It has tubes for four rods and a pair of landing nets can be stored in a hard pocket in the side of the boot.

Aside from the specially adapted Bentley, Marina Gibson – pictured here departing from a slightly more modest means of transport – will add some glamour to the first London Fly Fishing Fair

Of the car, which is to be exhibited by Mayfair dealers Jack Barclay, John Kelley, co-founder of The London Fly Fishing Fair, remarked:

“This is an iconic development in the fishing industry. It allows the keen angler to travel in comfort and in style. We are proud to be having this vehicle be a part of our fair, where we hope to entice a diverse community of fly fishers to engage in our event”.

Fly fishing personalities including rising star Marina Gibson and longstanding favourite Charles Jardine will be present at the fair and amongst over 70 exhibitors will be the Atlantic Salmon Trust, the BASC and Orvis.

The London Fly Fishing Fair is to be held on the 10^th and 11^th March at The Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London, N1 0QH. Tickets cost £15 per person with under entry for those under 15 free.

March 8, 2017