Tag: vehicle

Playboy Prince Range Rovers – £100k For Prince Jefri of Brunei Convertible

Matthew Steeples reports on the sale of a rare 1992 Range Rover convertible created for the alleged sex pest playboy Prince Jefri of Brunei and comments on this shamed royal’s similarities to the Range Rover driving alleged sex pest formerly known as Prince Andrew

Both alleged sex pest Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and alleged sex pest Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei have owned rather large and rather gaudy houses that curiously shared the same name, Sunninghill.

The first, Sunninghill Park, situated on the edge Windsor Great Park in Berkshire, England was sold by Queen Elizabeth II’s now disgraced second son in 2007 for a totally overinflated price to a Kazakh billionaire. It was mockingly nicknamed ‘South York’ and ‘Tesco Towers’ and ended up flattened. The second, plainer-without-the-‘Park’ Sunninghill, in Glen Head, Long Island, New York, escaped the wrecking ball, but sold most recently for just £5.5 million ($7.5 million) in 2024 against the £8.7 million ($11.8 million) the renegade Brunei royal had most definitely overpaid for it back in 2006. The 28-acre estate has thankfully been long stripped of the sickening ‘sex statues’ that Prince Jefri ended up in an expensive court case in regard to.

The former Sunninghill, Long Island, USA residence of Prince Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei and the since demolished Sunninghill Park, Berkshire, UK residence of the now former Duke of York and the now former Duchess of York, the money motivated proven liar Sarah Ferguson. Both homes became tainted by their associations with ostentation and grubby excess.

Sunninghill, Glenhead, NY – which is just 26 miles from Manhattan – came to public attention in a 2010 court case Prince Jefri brought against former advisers when he unsuccessfully asked a judge to bar a jury from seeing photographs of pornographic statutes of himself and his former personal assistant and former fiancée, Micha Raines. Prince Jefri ultimately lost the case and had to pay out £16.5 million ($21 million) in damages.

The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanl Bolkiah, with his since estranged spendaholic brother Prince Jefri.

Whilst driving a green Range Rover, the then still Prince Andrew nearly ran over a dog on the Long Walk in Windsor in April 2024. ‘The Sun’ observed: “Andrew took the kerfuffle in good humour and laughed as the dog’s mortified owner sprinted to retrieve it.”

On another occasion in December 2021, a woman “of no fixed abode… sprinted up to the [then still] Duke of York’s Range Rover” and “thumped on the window.”

The ex-Prince Jefri of Brunei 1992 Land Rover Range Rover Chamois by Vantagefield to be offered for sale by auction by RM Sotheby’s on 23rd January 2026.

Equally, also connecting this pair of dastardly degenerates is that both have owned multiple Land Rover Range Rovers over many decades. Whilst the rotten royal formerly known as Prince Andrew’s Range Rovers have only been adapted with discrete security features such as covert police lighting, Prince Jefri and also his brother the Sultan of Brunei’s examples are on another level in terms of opulence.

Going to auction on 23^rd January at the RM Sotheby’s Arizona 206 sale is a 1992 Range Rover described as a “Chamois convertible.” It was coachbuilt by Vantagefield of London – a firm that subsequently went out of business due to non-paying Kuwaitis during the Gulf War not coughing up for similarly ostentatious conversions – and is presented in black with “sumptuous” white leather. It comes with a fully lined, power-operated soft-top and a black removable hardtop also.

Of this fancy 4×4 that was supposedly delivered new to the Brunei royal family at their residence in Beverly Hills, California, RM Sotheby’s remark:

“Designed with hunting in mind, they could be fitted with hydraulic mechanisms to lift the seats above the roofline for unparalleled views of the quarry… An excellent choice for Range Rover enthusiasts seeking a unique variation of a timeless classic, this fascinating, rare convertible will surely stand out wherever it goes, be it cruising beaches or chasing quarry.”

It has 41,406-miles on the clock, but comes without any imagery of Prince Jefri ‘in-action’ in pursuit of “quarry” on the streets of Los Angeles. Offered this coming January without reserve and a guide of £74,000 to £111,000 ($100,000 to $150,000), the vehicle was last sold alongside a second similar example, a 1995 P38-A Range Rover 4.0 SE convertible coupé by German firm Styling Garage in September 1999 to a Southern Californian owner. The latter example was auctioned by RM Sotheby’s in the summer of 2025 and achieved a hammer price of £85,500 ($115,500).

The 1995 Land Rover Range Rover 4.0 SE Convertible coupé by Styling Garage

The “sexually charged” 1994 Range Rover LSE limousine by Townley Cross Country Vehicles. It was sold with a ‘Brucie bonus’ in the form of an invitation to the Cartier ‘Style at Lux’ Concours D’Elegance at the 2020 Goodwood Festival of Speed and innocently described as being perfect for simply “taking your extended family out to lunch” in.

On a flashier scale and also used by Mike Tyson in its later existence, The Steeple Times featured another of Prince Jefri’s Range Rovers in November 2019 when it was auctioned by H&H Classics in the UK. The 1994 Range Rover Classic LSE had been stretched by 40” and had its roof raised by 8” by Townley Cross Country Vehicles; it featured a lavish interior in oxblood Connolly hide, full electric centre division with glass panel; three rear seats (two electrically operated); full air conditioning; stereo/CD player and two remote control 8″ television monitors with a VHS recorder. The lavish limousine reportedly had cost £165,000 ($223,000) new or the equivalent of £351,000 ($474,000) today; it sold for just £33,200 ($45,000).

Unlike with the late Queen Elizabeth II’s former Range Rovers, those owned by alleged sex pest princes most definitely are not in the top league of car porn. A 2006 Land Rover Range Rover 4.2 Supercharged Vogue SE owned by the late monarch hammered down at the Iconic Auctioneers sale at Silverstone in August 2025 for an astonishing £175,500 ($237,000); an example without royal heritage is currently worth around £10,000 ($13,500).

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Further pictures of the 1992 Land Rover Range Rover Chamois by Vantagefield that RM Sotheby’s will sell without reserve:

December 28, 2025
Acting & Alternators – Which ‘Famous Faces’ Have Profited Most From Their Motors?

Vintage dealer David Lennox on ‘famous faces’ who’ve made significant profits in the world of classic cars; he also gives some advice about a key feature in a classic car – its alternator

Whilst actor Rowan Atkinson’s most expensive car – www.slashgear.com was a 1997 McLaren F1 that he managed to crash twice still sold for a staggering £8.9 million ($11.1 million) sum higher than the £697,000 ($880,000) he originally bought it for new, other big and small screen stars and musicians have also profited from the motors they’ve bought.

In a world where your standard punter’s automotive purchase loses value as soon as it is driven off the forecourt and declines on average by 40% in value during its first year, many are dubious about ‘investing’ in cars. Those that dare to take a punt on a ‘classic car’ – interestingly defined in the UK by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs (HMRC) as one aged over 15 years old – can, however, actually make significant returns.

Amongst five other examples of other classic cars connected to the world of film and television that have made megabucks are:

1 – The 1968 Ford Mustang GT that Steve McQueen drove in the cop thriller Bullitt was discarded after filming and sold for just £2,800 ($3,500) to Bob Kierman in the 1970s. It sold on for £2.7 million ($3.4 million) at a car show in Detroit – a sum 40 times as much as a ‘normal’ example. In 2020, what was termed a “respectful Bullitt homage,” a 1968 Ford Mustang in Highland green, sold at a Silverstone Auctions sale for £73,000 ($93,000); of it they added: “It should be mandatory to drive this car only in a pair of Persol 714 sunglasses.”

2 – John Lennon’s ‘psychedelic gypsy caravan’ styled 1964 Rolls-Royce Phantom V limousine cost him £6,600 ($8,300) new. He and it were attacked by a woman with an umbrella who yelled: “You swine! How can you do that to a Rolls-Royce?” but was later to sold to a Canadian billionaire named Jim Pattison for £2.4 million ($3 million) in 1985. A more ‘ordinary’ example lacking a ‘famous face’ connection sold for just £90,000 ($114,000) in 2018.

3 – A 1966 Lotus Elan S2 originally owned by actor and comedian Peter Sellers CBE sold at auction for just over £50,000 in 2015 at the NEC Classic Motor Show sale after being featured in The Steeple Times. A similar 1966 example with no connections to a ‘famous face’ is currently on offer for just £17,800 ($22,500).

4 – Another racy run-about, not only also owned by Peter Sellers, but also by Princess Margaret’s husband, Anthony Armstrong-Jones, 1^st Earl of Snowdon and more recently by TV presenter Chris Evans is another example of a ‘star priced car.’

Featured in The Steeple Times in June 2021 prior to being auctioned the following month by Bonhams at their Festival of Speed Sale at Goodwood, the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 was offered with an estimate of £1.3 million to £1.7 million ($1.8 million to $2.4 million). It had cost Peter Sellers just £4,490 new ($3,550); the actor and comedian sold it “at a loss” to the then Viscount Linley in 1965 – whose own son sold it in 2002 to pay towards the death duties incurred by his late mother’s estate.

5 – Though a 1953 Lagonda DB drophead coupé originally owned by Sir Peter Ustinov, CBE FRSA failed to sell with an estimate of £90,000 ($114,000) in July 2017, auctioneers H&H Classics hammered down another ‘grander’ example, one owned by Prince Philip, for £340,000 ($432,000) the previous year. At the time, they remarked: “We sold Prince Philip’s Lagonda for a world record price… so the bar was set high.”

Advice on alternators

When it comes to classic cars, the alternator is a critical component that keeps the battery charged and the electrical system running smoothly.

Unlike modern vehicles, which might have more sophisticated diagnostic tools and electrical systems, classic cars require a more hands-on and attentive approach to identify and resolve issues with their alternators.

This section will guide you through the process of identifying and resolving problems with alternators in classic cars, ensuring that your vintage beauty runs as smoothly as it did in its heyday.

Understanding the alternator

The alternator is the heart of a car’s electrical system, responsible for charging the battery and powering the electrical system when the engine is running. It converts mechanical energy into electrical energy as alternating current (AC), which is then rectified to direct current (DC) suitable for the car’s electrical system and to charge the battery.

A malfunctioning alternator can lead to a dead battery, dimming lights, and ultimately, the car failing to start.

Symptoms of a faulty alternator

Identifying alternator problems early can save you from unexpected breakdowns. Here are common signs of a failing alternator:

– Dimming or overly bright lights: This can indicate that the alternator is not providing a consistent voltage.

– Dead battery: While batteries can fail on their own, a dead battery might also suggest that the alternator is not charging it properly.

– Warning lights on the dashboard: Many cars have a battery or alternator warning light that indicates when there’s an issue.

– Strange noises: A failing alternator can produce odd noises due to worn bearings or belts.

– Electrical issues: Malfunctioning accessories, such as power windows or radio, could point towards alternator problems.

Preventative maintenance

Preventative maintenance can extend the life of your classic car’s alternator and prevent many of the issues mentioned:

– Regular inspections: Routinely check the alternator belt for wear and ensure it is properly tightened.

– Clean terminals: Regularly clean the battery terminals and alternator connections to prevent corrosion.

– Battery maintenance: Keep the battery in good condition, as a failing battery can put extra strain on the alternator.

Conclusion

Maintaining the alternator in a classic car requires a blend of observation, basic electrical knowledge, and sometimes, a bit of detective work. By understanding how to identify and address issues with your alternator, you can ensure that your classic car remains reliable and ready for the road.

Remember, the key to troubleshooting and maintenance is regular inspection and early detection of potential problems. With these tips and a proactive approach, you can keep your classic car’s electrical system in top condition, preserving its legacy and performance for years to come.

Additional information

How to know if the alternator needs to be replaced – buycarparts.co.uk

The 1968 Ford Mustang GT used by Steve McQueen in the classic film ‘Bullitt’ (top) and an example made as a homage to it (below).

John Lennon’s ‘psychedelic gypsy caravan’ styled 1964 Rolls-Royce Phantom V limousine. It certainly set a record price when sold in 1985.

The 1966 Lotus Elan S2 originally owned by actor and comedian Peter Sellers CBE (top and centre) and a similar car without any ‘famous face’ connection (below).

The 1964 Aston Martin DB5 that was owned by Peter Sellers CBE, the 1st Earl of Snowdon and later Chris Evans.

The 1953 Lagonda DB drophead coupé originally owned by Sir Peter Ustinov, CBE FRSA and another example – which sold for a lot more – that was owned by the late Prince Philip.

April 13, 2024
Classic Car Heaven 2021

Theodora Ong reports from the 2021 London Classic Car Show and suggests other automotive events for classic car enthusiasts in the coming months

This weekend, I wallowed in acres of glistening chrome and gushed over the retro appeal of heritage vehicles with their stylish and eccentric owners at the 2021 London Classic Car Show at Syon Park.

Admiring cars of yesteryear is a pleasurable pursuit of reverie; with sunshine bouncing off windscreens and the reality of raindrops causing owners and guardians to be sprightly and attentive around their cars. You get absorbed into their world of devotion. Here, in possibly the nearest meadow to central London, and next to a trout fishery, there’s no sense of sales urgency – not even on the auction stands.

Celebrating anniversaries is the thing amongst car owners’ clubs. It transports us to a distant era, but arguably it’s the cars you’ve seen on the road in your own lifetime which seduce with the greatest allure. The centenaries of the Bugatti Brescia and the Lancia Lambda and, the 60^th anniversary of the Jaguar E-Type and the 50^th anniversary of the founding of the Jensen owners’ club were all being discreetly honoured. There is much to remind you of their design vision and construction innovation over other marques and models which fade forgettably.

When Enzo Ferrari named the Jaguar E-Type: ‘The most beautiful car in the world’, he made it immortal, and the frenzy continues to this day. When a 1975 Jensen Interceptor III starred in a later series of The Saint in the ’80s, it became synonymous with a more exotic mystery – especially as more overseas locations were used for filming. The Interceptor was upgraded with electric sunroof and phone to capture the ultimate comfort of a modern grand tourer. Regardless that it achieved just 10-14 miles per gallon, it beat Aston Martin and Bristol on the film maker’s shortlist.

Jensen, this maverick of mystery – manufactured in West Bromwich – is what we chose to track down at the show. Congratulations, Jensen owners! So, the 50th landmark celebrates the collective passion of the club, not just the car. Take three…

Jensen 541 R

The 541 was launched in 1954 and was the first time Jensen used a fibreglass shell over a tubular steel chassis, partly due to post-war restrictions over the use of steel. But this liberated the design and enabled more complex styling with curious hollows and linear layering.

The original putty and elastoplast colourway of this 1959 model is in immaculate showroom finish and was chosen by Alan Jensen himself for exhibiting at the Earls Court Motor Show. It reads just 105,000 miles, and owner Len Boulton claims a top speed of 125 mph.

Oh, and if anyone finds his petrol cap at a service station off the M25, please tell him. Remember those days when that was quite a common loss?

Jensen SP

This top of the range SP model was launched in 1971 to replace the loss-making four-wheel drive Jensen FF. This one has been technically upgraded by current owner Richard Fisher. It has a whopping 7212cc engine to deliver 0 to 60mph in 6.9 seconds and fuel consumption which ‘you don’t want to know’. Design pedants will question its apparent wonky alignment of side windows and its five sections of visible glass – but just relax and love it.

Jensen Interceptor Cabriolet

Between 1950 to 1958 only 88 of these early Interceptors were built. This particular 1954 model was the first British car to be produced with metallic paint and a vinyl roof. You thought vinyl came of age in the ’70s TV The Sweeney era? This car was painstakingly rebuilt from the chassis up over 15 years from 2000. It was rescued back from California where it was on the point of being scrapped. It has an aluminium body but the boot lid was the first panel Jensen produced in fibreglass. A 4-litre engine powers this solid-looking drive. A lighter looking version was later sold at the Austin A40 Sports.

Contrasting Characters

It’s all about appreciating diversity after all, so here is my pick of two others at the show that couldn’t be any more different.

Maserati Ghibli

It’s a while since the exclusive 96 Club – with some 150 members and 450 on the waiting list – have held a regular rendezvous for breakfast in Belgrave Square. Member Luca Pisetta brought his 1969 Ghibli here to Syon Park. It is family-owned and he is intent on it remaining so for the next generation too.

Meanwhile, despite the absence of breakfast, his fellow 96-er Paolo Callea poured a blushy pinot grigio natural wine from his family’s estate in northern Italy. When under the influence of drink, any admirer would surely enjoy an enhanced vision of the Ghibli’s bold angles and shark-like nose hiding those pop-up head lamps.

At the time, over its six years of production, it was one of the fastest and most expensive cars in the world. It cost more than and even outsold the Ferrari Daytona. About 700 Ghiblis survive today from the 1,170 produced. This particular one had a complete restoration with full engine rebuild over four years, which took some 2,000 hours.

96-ers Luca Pisetta and Paolo Callea.

Salveson Wagonette

Can a vehicle dating from 1893 really be a car at all, if it’s proud to be powered like a coal-fired steam train? With its ‘60s yellow submarine-style paint over, this is positively agricultural looking. It was designed and built at the Salvesen company’s Grangemouth shipyard in 1893, making it the first car to be manufactured in Scotland. A refusal to be influenced by the new generation of oil essence engines led to its distinctive construction with a vertical tube boiler. And yes, it goes, it drives fine – but any guesses for 0 to 60mph?

Classic Dates For Your Summer Diary

Silverstone Classic, Northamptonshire, 30^th July to 1^st August 2021, combines historic motor racing with displays from 130 car clubs and an auction. It expects to feature 10,000 classic cars over the weekend.

The annual Jensen meeting at The Ace Café, Wembley, 14^th August 2021, should be teeming with Jensens. Rock up for a full English and a cup of Ace Café own tea.

Salon Privé, Blenheim Palace, 1^st to 5^th September, is the hub for 500 classics rolling in. The event is considered one of the big three internationals alongside Pebble Beach Concours and Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.

Concours D’Elegance, Hampton Court Palace, 3^rd to 5^th September 2021, serenely gathers a core of 60 of the world’s rarest classics, plus some 300 further astonishing cars.

The Goodwood Revival, 17^th to 19^th September 2021, is the only historic race meeting to be staged entirely in period outfits, on a classic circuit which remains unchanged since its heyday.

The 2021 London Classic Car Show took place 25^th to 27^th June. This year it was at Syon Park, and it is usually an annual event.

The 96 Club Breakfast Rendezvous. We vote to bring them back please.

June 28, 2021
Phone Home Snowdon & Sellers

1964 Aston Martin DB5 convertible – complete with very first car phone in Britain – owned originally by Peter Sellers and subsequently by Princess Margaret’s husband to be auctioned

A “regal runaround” – a 1964 Aston Martin DB5 convertible owned first by the actor, comedian and avid car collector Peter Sellers CBE and then by both the 1^st and 2^nd Earls of Snowdon – is to be sold at auction next month.

Ordered new complete with the very first wireless Motorola car phone in Britain – which the then Viscount Linley later described as working “a bit like a walkie-talkie; you clicked a button twice and got through to the exchange” – the Caribbean pearl blue, Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera designed car was one of only 123 soft-top variants produced.

Featuring a 282 bhp 4-litre straight-six engine, “mated to a state-of-the-art five-speed ZF manual gearbox,” according to auctioneers Bonhams, the vehicle is “capable of a 145 mph top speed.” It came with extras numbering fog lamps, a cigar lighter, a dark blue hood and cover and non-standard chrome roadwheels also.

In the possession of Sellers, it is believed, for just a year, the vehicle passed to his friend, the then husband of Princess Margaret, the former Anthony Armstrong-Jones, circa 1965 and was used for “family journeys” in Chelsea, Mayfair and Soho and even also for roadtrips to places as far away as Prague.

Tellingly, the 1^st Earl supposedly “smuggled Lady Jacqueline Rufus Isaacs, daughter of the Marquis and Marchioness of Reading, away from his country house when the Princess returned home unexpectedly one evening” in the boot of the car, whilst Bonhams add, the 2^nd Earl recalled: “We always had the windows down so my mother could smoke her cigarettes.”

Kept subsequently at the National Motoring Museum at Beaulieu, the 1^st Earl gave his son the car to mark his 25^th birthday in 1986 and during the next period, it was altered, rebuilt and maintained by Aston Martin Service Works.

Speaking of the convertible to Aston Martin magazine and driving it to Italy even, the 2^nd Earl of Snowdon – known professionally as ‘David Linley’ – mused:

“[When my father gave me the car], it had already spent a few years at the motoring museum at Beaulieu and my father advised me that it might be quite a good idea to leave it there… But I was 25, for God’s sake, and living in London – the car didn’t stay in the museum!”

“I loved that it had this patina that reminded me of my father. Everywhere I went in Italy it was: ‘Che bella macchina!’ [what a beautiful machine].”

Sold on in 2002 after “the pain and pleasure of owning a classic vehicle mounted up” for Viscount Linley, the car is believed to have been in the ownership of the radio and television presenter Chris Evans since circa 2011.

The Aston Martin has most recently been offered for sale by Joe Macari – whom declared of it on their website: “[It] was given to Lord Snowden’s son, Viscount Linley, who sold it in an auction in order to raise money to pay the Death Duty on his inheritance. While only £3 million was required to pay the duty, over £13 million was raised leading to Lord Snowden accusing his son of selling anything that wasn’t laid down… The chance to own such a stunning car with such interesting provenance is a rare one!”

The vehicle will be now be auctioned on Friday 9^th July at the Bonhams Festival of Speed Sale at Goodwood, near Chichester. The firm have set an estimate of £1.4 million to £1.7 million and commenting, director of Bonhams Motoring Cars UK, Sholto Gilbertson, commented:

“If ever a car defined an era, this DB5 is surely on the shortlist. Not only was it one of the most desirable and thoroughbred sportscars of its day but it has an extraordinary provenance being owned by the crème de la crème of the 1960s.”

Going further and speaking about letting it go, the now 2^nd Earl of Snowdon added:

“I sold it and everybody said it was a great price. Obviously, I had no idea that the market was about to go completely crazy.”

“The thing is, if you are always going back on what you did and regretting things, you just start beating yourself up. You do what you think is right at the time, right?”

“Should I have sold it? No. Do I regret it? Yes. Can I put back the clock? No. Could I pay five million pounds to buy it back? Definitely not! But it [the sale] helped get Serena [his then wife] and I on a steady keel. I got the Linley business working. Got a job here at Christie’s. Got myself in a better place.”

Anthony Armstrong-Jones, 1st Earl of Snowdon in the car seat with his then wife, Princess Margaret, and children David Armstrong-Jones, Viscount Linley and Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones (later Lady Sarah Chatto).

Peter Sellers driving another of his cars, a Mercedes-Benz, with Liza Minnelli and another friend.

Chris Evans in the Aston Martin in 2015.

The Names & Numbers

Friday 9^th July 2021 – Bonhams will offer the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 convertible with an estimate of £1.3 million to £1.7 million ($1.8 million to $2.4 million, €1.5 million to €2 million or درهم6.8 million to درهم8.9 million) at their Bonhams Festival of Speed Sale on Friday 9^th July 2021.

2015 – Chris Evans is pictured in the car just as he is announced as the replacement presenter of the hit show Top Gear in a multi-million pound deal that made him the BBC’s highest paid presenter at that time.

Circa 2011 – Believed to have been sold to television and radio presenter Chris Evans around this time.

2002 – Sold by the subsequent 2^nd Earl of Snowdon, the now former Viscount Linley, in order to pay towards the death duties incurred by his late mother’s estate.

1986 – Valued at £30,000 or the equivalent of £90,000 today ($128,000, €104,000 or درهم469,000 today), according to Aston Martin Magazine and given by the 1^st Earl of Snowdon to his son, then Viscount Linley, to mark the latter’s 25^th birthday.

Dates unknown in this period – Kept at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, Hampshire.

Circa 1965 – Sold “at a loss” to Lord Snowdon, the former Anthony Armstrong-Jones, according to GQ magazine.

July 1964 – First registered in the name of Peter Sellars. The cost of the convertible new at the time was £4,490 or the equivalent of £93,000 today ($132,000, €108,000 or درهم484,000 today). This was “well above the average house price of the time, assuring that only a privileged few were able to afford one. The epitome of British elegance and class, celebrities snapped them up – Peter Sellers, Beryl Reid, and even HRH Princess Margaret could be spotted in a DB5 convertible,” according to RM Sotheby’s whom sold a 1965 left-hand drive example for £1.9 million ($2.7 million, €2.2 million or درهم9.9 million) in December 2017.

June 1, 2021
A Blizzard Busting Bombardier

Bonhams to auction an early B-7 snowmobile created by Joseph-Armand Bombardier after he lost his son in a blizzard for just under £30,000 reports Nikolay Kalinin

With a design reminiscent of a Citroën 2CV, but with wheels replaced by tracks and skis, a 1940s snowmobile made by Bombardier is headed to auction later this month in America. It represents an interesting piece of motoring history and though it may look amusing, it was actually tragically born out of loss.

The B-7 snowmobile was the personal project of Joseph-Armand Bombardier (1907 – 1964) – the man credited with having brought snowmobiles into the mainstream after he lost his 2-year old son to complications of an appendicitis, having been unable to get him to hospital due to blizzard conditions. Quebec born Bombardier developed the snowmobile as a vehicle that could “float over the snow,” and it brought him great fame and recognition within the motoring industry.

A Blizzard Busting Bombardier – Joseph-Armand Bombardier pictured with an early B-7 Bombardier snowmobile.

A Blizzard Busting Bombardier – In February 2017, ‘The Steeple Times’ featured another example of a car designed for transporting large numbers of people in snowy locations that Bonhams auctioned at their Amelia Island auction. This 1959 Cadillac BROADMOOR Skyview was used to transport guests at The Broadmoor Hotel of Colorado Springs, Colorado, “one of America’s finest historic establishments” and a place that supposedly turned President George W. Bush teetotal in the summer of 1986 after he woke up with a hangover. It failed to sell, but had been guided at £140,000 to £200,000 ($175,000 to $250,000 or €165,000 to €235,000 or درهم640,000 to درهم915,000).

The Bombardier B-7 offered has seven seats and is powered by a Ford Flathead V8 engine that has approximately 90 bhp. This model is from 1940, three years after Bombardier had begun building snowmobiles, and a year after orders for his vehicles reached 100.

The example to be sold has been immaculately restored to the point that it looks just like it came out of the factory, with a perfectly functional engine, restored wood and refurbished seats. Of it, auctioneers Bonhams comment: “The vehicle is an exceptionally pleasing and fascinating static exhibit, and an example of a model which is perhaps unknown to most.”

The snowmobile – which until recently formed part of the collection of the late Glenn C. Gould Jr. – will be auctioned at Bonhams’ Amelia Island Auction in Florida on 20^th May 2021 with an estimate of £21,700 to £29,000 ($30,000 to $40,000, €25,000 to €33,300 or درهم110,200 to درهم146,900). This price seems relatively cheap in comparison to other lots in that auction – some of which are likely to be hammered down ultimately for millions of pounds.

May 1, 2021
A BIG Bugatti

Theodora Ong lusts after a £1.55 million 2013 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport that currently sports the registration plate ‘BIG 3’ – but could become ‘BUG 8’

The Steeples Times’ classic cars columnist Theodora Ong is back on the road after the pandemic lockdowns and is all set for essential-journey test drives – or, in this case, is still dreaming of them.

So, you didn’t get out much during 2020 and you’ve saved a fair bit. Staycation country jaunts sound like the safest plan for no-hassle cruising, so, today, I share with you something a little more modern than my normal automobile offerings.

Ready for you to drive away is this rare Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport. One of only 58 produced, it’s a UK-registered supermobile, but you are unlikely to have spotted it running around as it’s clocked up just 2,220 miles (3,574 kms).

Right now, this gleaming pearly white Grand Sport is in a secret location in the custody of classic & supercars specialists Graeme Hunt Ltd. They say it’s definitely for driving now rather than to be swaddled up in storage. Well, who wouldn’t want to get some sunshine bouncing off its curvy armour-like shell, designed to profile its muscle structure and ferocious 7993cc – with pano roof down right now?

When the Bugatti Veyron was launched, it redefined sports motoring on the road, in the way that only every decade or so, a new contender explodes on the scene. This is a hypercar of extreme concept fully realised. Its 0 to 60 in just over 2 seconds is too simplistic a way to describe its abilities. It’s a car you can feel; the dealer describes the noise you hear when firing it up as “utterly charming, the oils and fluids pulsing around the engine warming up the 16 cylinders make you just sizzle with excitement,” though I am still waiting to share the flutter of elation from an ever-hopeful outing.

With the heritage of Italian-born industrial designer Ettore Bugatti and memorable Grand Prix victories, the 21^st century Bugatti is a brand of our Euro-age, as a French subsidiary of Volkswagen AG. After some six years in concept, the Veyron was launched in 2005, and models of increasing refinement rolled off for nearly a decade after. Four turbochargers produced 1001 horsepower offering a top speed of 253 mph (407 km/h) and the price was announced at £880,000 ($1.2 million, €1 million or درهم4.5 million). It sealed its iconic status when the BBC’s Top Gear compared it to Concorde.

And who are amongst the greatest who have sought the greatest? Tom Cruise set the pace of the Mission Impossible III premiere by arriving in a Bugatti Veyron. Beyoncé gifted one to Jay-Z, and the Veyron’s speed and slick looks lured sportsmen Cristiano Ronaldo and Floyd Mayweather Jr and lifestyle designer Ralph Lauren, plus a sizeable clutch of big-time rappers and R&B dukes.

Jazzy customisations and two-tone body paint on Veyrons have been plenty, so it’s soothing to see our pearly king sporting a restrained black interior. It’s currently number plated as ‘BIG 3.’ Does that give a clue as to its current owner?

Just hope we don’t have any more lockdown travel restrictions. You’re almost guaranteed to be tracked if you’re driving this. And don’t even think about emulating the infamous 2014 insurance scam when an owner drove his Veyron into a lake, claiming ‘to avoid a low flying pelican’, then tried to claim £1.6 million ($2.2 million, €1.8 million or درهم8.1 million). His antics were crisply caught on film by an admiring nearby driver and are well worth a watch.

The market at this ultimate top end has stayed unswervingly buoyant in these troubled times, so this Grand Sport looks an investment you can indulge your passion in for decades to come.

Graeme Hunt have the 2013 Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport listed at a price of £1.55 million ($2.14 million, €1.79 million or درهم7.88 million). They share that the cherished number plate ‘BIG 3’ “does not form part of the sale,” but add: “We do have ‘BUG 8’ on retention should anyone wish to discuss it.”

April 18, 2021
The Spectre Shooting Brake

2015 Rolls-Royce Wraith converted to a ‘Spectre’ shooting brake by automotive genius Niels van Roij for sale for 157% more than it originally cost

A modern day ‘shooting brake’ is effectively just a “sexier” ‘estate car’ if you’d believe Car Wow, but an adapted one-off Rolls-Royce Wraith version that is to be auctioned later this month with an upper estimate of nearly £500,000 is definitely more than appealing.

Named in honour of the 2015 James Bond film Spectre, the big-booted two-seater to be offered by Bonhams is the creation of the Niels van Roij Design studio – whose £256,000 coachbuilt 2018 Range Rover ‘Adventum Coupé’ we featured in March 2020.

Based on a Rolls-Royce Wraith produced in mid-2015 and first registered in the UK in January 2016, the original car – which had around 11,100 miles on the clock – was last serviced in 2018 and then subjected to an 18-month £260,000 conversion that makes it “one of the costliest cars ever made.”

Driven just 125 miles in the time since, the vehicle is described as being “in excellent condition throughout” and because of the coronavirus pandemic has not been exhibited publicly until now.

Of it, its creator, who worked with Belgian firm Carat Duchatelet to build it, remarked: “The elongated lines signal masterful craftsmanship and exquisite style. A manifestation of Grand Touring in its purest form.”

In a series of videos shared on YouTube in October 2020, Niels van Roij remarked:

“The car has been named after the image of a shadow, a ghost, a spirit if you’d like and has been styled by Niels van Roij Design… As you can see, the car has been styled with a certain sense of drama that harks back to the heydays of shooting brakes in the 1930s.”

“We’ve also overseen the construction process, as we do with all our coachbuilt cars… The outcome is an original design and also historically relevant… The new bodywork allows for very different proportions [that are]… very sculptural.”

“The Silver Spectre shooting brake is strictly limited to only seven examples [since changed to just one] worldwide and it is available with the largest starlight headliner boasting a world’s first celestial infinity nightscape.”

“The Silver Spectre has also been equipped with an increased power output giving a total of 700 horsepower.”

‘The Spectre Shooting Brake’ will be auctioned by Bonhams at their ‘Les Grandes Marques à Monaco’ sale in Monte Carlo on 23^rd April.

The Numbers – The Spectre Shooting Brake

23^rd April 2021 – Offered at auction by Bonhams in Monaco with an estimate of £320,000 to £480,000 ($440,000 to $660,000, €370,000 to €550,000 or درهم1.6 million to درهم2.4 million).

2018 – 2020 – Cost of conversion estimated to be £260,000 ($360,000, €300,000 or درهم1.3 million) giving a total cost for the creation of circa £448,000 ($618,000, €515,750 or درهم2.3 million).

Base price in 2013 for the original mid-2015 car – £187,000 ($258,000, €215,750 or درهم949,000).

Aside from having ‘suicide doors,’ the shooting brake has a lavishly appointed interior that features highly polished woods and colour matched leather.

The boot is large enough to accommodate shotguns, golf clubs or simply a picnic even.

A unique picnic hamper trunk comes with the vehicle.

The car also features plates from Niels van Roij Design’s studio.

Here is a one of one shooting brake that nobody else will ever own. It has been subjected to an increase in power and torque output of the 6.6 liter twin-turbo V12 engine. The standard 632 hp and 800 Nm (or max 870 Nm of torque for Black Badge) has been increased to 700 hp and 900 Nm.

In this video, shared on YouTube, Niels van Roij explains what inspired him to create the car. Going further, on his own website, he added: “We envisioned a daring, three-box rather than two-box shooting brake aesthetic and with that a convention-challenging design. The car features very English proportions inside and out, and uncompromised levels of luxury.”

April 15, 2021
Elvis & Epstein’s ‘Dictator Car’

1969 Mercedes-Benz 600 ‘Dictator Car’ sedan originally owned by Elvis Presley and currently by an Epstein is being sold by auction

‘Taking Care of Business’ was said to be “Elvis Presley’s business motto and working philosophy.” Now, someone with deep pockets can buy the ‘King’s’ 1969 Mercedes-Benz 600 ‘Dictator Car’ sedan emblazoned with ‘TCB’ on its side that is being auctioned for charity this December.

Said to be one of over 200 cars that the Blue Suede Shoes, Hound Dog and Jailhouse Rock singer owned and mostly gave away as gifts, the short-wheelbase limousine was purchased by him on 14^th December 1970 at Mercedes-Benz of Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard for $15,000 (or the equivalent of £75,300, $100,600, €82,900 or درهم369,500 today).

Elvis and Priscilla Presley in the car.

And pictured standing next to it.

Presley reportedly used the 6.3-litre engine vehicle until the mid-1970s and then gave it to his vocalist friend Jimmy Velvet – who was later to become the operator of an Elvis memorabilia museum. Later sold on to the CEO of Dollar General and “refreshed” in the 1990s, a businessman turned philanthropist named Gene Epstein bought the ‘Dictator Car’ in 2002 after seeing it at the Amelia Island Concours.

Finished in silver and featuring a black leather with dark grey carpets and ‘zebrawood accents’ interior, the automatic car has privacy curtains, separate front and rear heating and air conditioning controls and a refrigerated console between the front seats. It has covered 60,500 miles and is being promoted as being in need of a new owner “with a big enough personality to pull it off.”

Of why he is selling the limousine – which comes with an array of Elvis Presley related memorabilia and paperwork – Gene Epstein (whom has no known connection to the late monster Jeffrey Epstein) commented:

“We feel that after owning and enjoying ‘Elvis’ for nearly 20 years it is time to say goodbye for the better need. Especially since Covid has shut down just about every event that we have planned.”

“Giving this car to our charity was a major decision that I’ve been advised against by my accountant who simply looks at the bottom line after taxes. I know that I exceed any tax benefit but how in the world can any of us enjoy life while seeing other people suffering?”

“The lightning bolt on Elvis is TCB could very well have been on mine. There’s not enough time in the day to do the best for everybody every day but we have to keep trying.”

“Elvis’s Mercedes is one hell of an automobile. And fun to drive… I hope it brings a world record price.”

In September 2019, a 1966 Mercedes-Benz 600 sedan The Steeple Times featured that had belonged to Nubar Gulbenkian sold for £310,900 ($415,000, €342,500 or درهم1.5 million). That car admittedly was undoubtedly a one-off in that its eccentric owner had changed the rear seats to a double bed and added a full glass roof, but by comparison the current bid of £160,400 ($214,500, €177,000 or درهم787,800) on the ex-Elvis ‘ride’ makes it seem cheap at a sum 48.4% lower.

Bring A Trailer’s online auction for this It’s Now or Never of a limousine concludes on the 18^th December.

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The black leather to the rear passenger seating is original yet in good condition.

There is some wear and tear to the front seating, however.

The car is emblazoned with ‘TCB’ on its front doors and also comes with an example of Elvis Presley’s ‘TCB’ stationery and some shot glasses marked ‘TCB’ also.

Amongst other memorabilia with the car are original documents, cuttings and an Elvis Presley bust.

The original bill of sale from Mercedes-Benz of Hollywood.

From the front.

And from the rear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=rYCxTiEdvoc&feature=emb_logo
A video of the car to be offered.

The car to be sold arriving at Gene Epstein’s 75^th birthday party in July 2014.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex0XUS6ppas
Another Mercedes-Benz 600 sedan owned by Elvis Presley was sold by Bonhams in December 2010 in the UK.

Elvis Presley originally recorded ‘Long Black Limousine’ in January 1969.

December 13, 2020
The Best Gastrowagon By Far

Land Rover converted into a ‘gastrowagon’ for television chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s first television series heads to auction

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall headed “for open country to spend some time eating off the fat of the land in a trawl through Britain’s wild larder” in his debut 1997 series for Channel 4, A Cook on the Wild Side.

During his quest for wild ingredients without a penny in his pocket other than for fuel, he found fame and also drove a 1965 Land Rover Series II 109” wheelbase that was converted into what is endearingly known as a ‘gastrowagon’ circa 1982.

Built specifically for the series, the vehicle was not only where the television chef and Eton contemporary of David Cameron cooked and ate, but also where he slept – in an upturned boat with a mattress perilously perched on the roof.

In the series, Fearnley-Whitingstall – whom is also widely known by the nickname ‘Hugh Fearlessly-Eatsitall – took his ‘Gastrowagon’ everywhere from the New Forest and Scotland to Trafalgar Square in London. It subsequently sadly got left to rot, but has more recently been “fully restored by Land Rover specialists John Brown 4×4 to ‘like new’ condition” according to auctioneers Bonhams.

Of this travelling cook’s paradise, they declare: “The roof-mounted boat is the sleeping quarters, while the back of the Landie features a full kitchen with a two-burner hob, oven, and fridge, all in very good working order and covered by a wind/waterproof canopy. Ancillaries include running water for the shower and wash basin as well as a ‘vintage’ ice cream maker. The bulkhead has been signed by Hugh since the restoration was completed and the vehicle is said to run and drive like new.”

Bonhams have set an estimate of £25,000 to £35,000 ($33,200 to $46,500, €28,000 to €39,200 or درهم121,900 to درهم170,700) for the 2.25-litre Land Rover ‘Gastrowagon’ and will sell it at their Bicester Heritage sale on 11^th December.

A socially distanced Christmas lunch on the road anyone?

Pictured top: The ‘gastrowagon’ and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall – whose ‘Hugh’s Fish Fight’ campaign we featured back in August 2013.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9SvfXfYzGg

November 22, 2020
Noel’s Blobby Mobile Office

Range Rover developed by Land Rover in conjunction with ‘Mr Blobby’ sidekick Noel Edmonds as a ‘mobile office’ at the incredulous price of £450,000 to be auctioned for a knockdown price of just £15,000

A once most expensive ‘mobile office’ on the road is to be sold for next to nothing today when Silverstone Auctions will offer a totally though unsurprisingly unique Range Rover for a sum 96% lower than it cost to produce at their NEC Classic online auction.

The 1997 Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations (LR-SVO) “bespoke project” was originally developed as a “mobile office” concept in conjunction with the television presenter and spiritually wacky Noel Edmonds’ Unique Group.

Noel Edmonds is best known for his partnership with the character Mr Blobby from November 1992 onwards. Subsequently, more recently, his decision to share strange, David Icke-esque views and disputes with financiers have been what gain him more column inches.

Used initially as a pilot test and PR showcase by Cellnet, Land Rover and Sony, the car came with every imaginable piece of technology of the time. Here was a 4×4 not intended for taking its owner to his butt on the grouse moor, but more a bizarre kind of business space which even Warren Buffett might have found over the top.

Amongst technology crammed into the consequently weighty motor are a phone system with three telephone handsets, a fax machine, a HP printer, various laptops, a Sony VHS system, voice recognition software, web cams, a black box video recorder and Sony infrared headphones. As a result, according to an interview with the then owner in 2018, the Range Rover manages a very unimpressive 8 miles per gallon.

Noel Edmond’s chubby mate, Mr Blobby, is unlikely to have ever ridden in this ‘mobile office’ given there’d barely be space for his posterior, but one thing’s for certain: This must number amongst the fastest depreciating cars in history and it is certainly not surprising that its production run never expanded beyond one-of-one.

The Names & Numbers – 1997 Land Rover Range Rover HSE Autobiography, LP or P38A by Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations (LR-SVO) and the Unique Group, registration P880 KAC

14^th November 2020 – To be auctioned by Silverstone Auctions with an estimate of £15,000 to £18,000 ($19,800 to $23,800, €16,700 to €20,100 or درهم72,700 to درهم87,200).

2020 – Offered for sale on website AutoVolo for £24,995 ($33,000, €28,000 or درهم121,000) with 86,000 miles on the clock.

2018 – Sold via eBay to Jaguar Land Rover employee Nav Singh Rai for “just under” £8,000 ($10,600, €8,900 or درهم38,800) with 81,000 miles on the clock. It featured in Drivers Insight magazine in October that year and in Land Rover Monthly in August 2019.

January 2012 – Offered for sale by Coys with an estimate of £25,000 to £35,000 ($33,000 to $46,000, €28,000 to €39,000 or درهم121,000 to درهم170,000)

2001 – Sold by Noel Edmonds.

1997 – Cost of development estimated at £450,000 ($594,000, €502,000 or درهم2.2 million) and technology was supplied by Noel Edmonds’ Unique Group. The ‘mobile office’ Range Rover was used subsequently sold to Noel Edmonds after being used for PR purposes by Cellnet, Land Rover and Sony – supposedly to avoid it being scrapped.

Pictured top: Noel Edmonds with the car (date unknown).

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A recent image of the car. It is described as “coming to auction needing a little love and attention.”

The rear passenger space is primarily dominated by office equipment.

A bulky computer certainly absorbs a lot of space.

The car offers plenty of options to watch Noel Edmonds on its screens.

The driver gets plenty to play with also.

There’s a load more (out-of-date) technology in the front.

And the boot most certainly must contain a fair amount of wiring also.

Mr Edmonds plainly wanted to advertise his love of the word “unique” on a car he eventually bought to save from the scrapyard.

The engine of the ‘mobile office,’ however, is still pretty standard.

The car has featured in various magazine articles; in this one its owner was deservedly described as “special.”

November 13, 2020