RM Sotheby’s London 2015 – Auction Preview

The 2015 RM Sotheby’s London auction will be staged 7 September at Battersea Evolution, with close to 80 cars being offered from a 1925 Renault Model 45 Tourer to a 2006 Porsche Carrera GT. Marques as varied as Abarth, Bandini, Bizzarini, Cisitalia, De Tomaso, Ferves, Moretti and Talbot-Lago are all represented, and sit alongside a selection of vehicles from Ferrari, Aston-Martin, Porsche, Maserati and Jaguar.

Max Girardo, Managing Director of RM Sotheby’s Europe said, “We always enjoy the hugely diverse selection of cars that we offer at London. This sale features everything from a tiny and fun 1973 Ferves Ranger through to a mighty pre-war 1929 Bentley 4½-Litre Tourer and modern era supercars. There is literally something for all tastes and budgets, but our commitment to offering only the best possible quality is unwavering.”

Fresh on the heels of the company’s record-setting sale for a Ferrari 250 GT ‘Tour de France’ in Monterey, the RM Sotheby’s 2015 London auction will present a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione ‘Tour de France’. Chassis 0897 GT is one of the first of 36 250 GT LWB TdFs built with the single louver body style and covered headlamps, and boasts a period racing history.

Chassis 0897 GT was completed in March 1958 and sold new to F.A.S.T. SpA, of Milan, Italy. Piloted by Carlo Leto di Priolo, it raced in the Gran Premio della Lotteria di Monza on 28 June 1959, under the banner of Scuderia Ambrosiana. That September, the car was purchased by Prince Nicholas Zourab Tchkotoua, who piloted it to a second in class finish at the 1959 Cote de la Faucile before selling it to a US-based collector. It later passed on to Steve Earle of Santa Barbara, California, the founder of the Monterey Historic Races, and then into the hands of Don Orosco of Carmel, California. 0897 GT returned to Europe in 1995 and with its German owner enjoyed 17 years of regular use on rallies and historic racing events, including five Mille Miglias, the Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge, and the Le Mans Classic in both 2010 and 2012.

The engine has recently been rebuilt by the Ferrari specialists at GTO Engineering, and with only test mileage recorded since, it is reported to be in excellent driving condition. It is accompanied by full FIA HTP papers and A/3 Class FIVA Passport (Estimate: £4,500,000 – £5,500,000).

“The TdF is certainly one of the most successful and iconic dual-purpose Berlinettas ever to wear the Prancing Horse,” continued Max Girardo, Managing Director, RM Sotheby’s – Europe. “I have been privileged to race a TdF at the Goodwood Revival and I can confirm that it fully deserves its place in history as one of the greatest of all the classic Ferraris. We’ve witnessed some strong and appreciating values for the model, illustrated by a record price paid for another example in Monterey last week. The TdF on offer at our London auction presents a wonderful opportunity to purchase a fresh to the market example that exhibits both great beauty and a fantastic race pedigree.”

A 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Spider will also cross the block in London this September. The example on offer, chassis number 17013, is one of 121 Spider examples made. RM said it’s a “time-warp” Daytona Spider and perhaps the most original in existence, with only 3,805 miles from new. Additionally, it is the only Spider originally finished in the colour combination of Marrone Colorado paintwork with a beige Scuro interior. Most of the paintwork, as well as the interior, is certified as being totally original by Junior Conway of House of Colours.

This car was the 105th of the 121 examples produced, sporting both air-conditioning and a radio, which were both desirable features, and it was delivered new through Chinetti-Garthwaite in Paoli, Pennsylvania, to Bake Motor Company in Atlanta, Georgia. With a documented history from new, the car was Classiche Certified in 2009 and is offered with a complete set of manuals, including its pre-delivery service form, a copy of its window sticker, odometer verification statements, and an extensive history binder (Estimate: £2,000,000 – £2,400,000).

A 1964 Ferrari 250GT/L ‘Lusso’ will also be among the headline offerings at the RM Sotheby’s London 2015 event. Chassis number 5885 is the 338th of 350 examples and was originally delivered new to Zurich, Switzerland. The car has recently spent many years in France and attended several French Ferrari Owners’ Club events, including the Chevaux Vapeur Concours in Paris in September, 2014 (Estimate: £1,100,000 – £1,400,000).

Another Italian is the 1964 Maserati Mistral 3.7 Spider, chassis number AM109/S 035. The car in question is the 1964 Earls Court Motor Show car, which was sold new to British screen icon, Diana Dors, commonly known as the ‘English Marilyn Monroe’. One of 20 right-hand-drive Spiders built, the Mistral is presented in fully restored condition (Estimate. £475,000 – £575,000).

An ex-works MG PA/B that competed at the 1935 Le Mans 24 Hours will be also among the automobiles offered for sale at the 2015 RM Sotheby’s London auction. Chassis PA/1711 was raced as number 56 in the 1935 version of the Le Mans 24 Hours endurance competition, where it was driven exclusively by well-known female racers of the period as part of a high-profile, three-car Works team. The trio of identical cars was managed by Captain George Eyston, himself a veteran of the 1928 and 1929 Le Mans races and a holder of the World Land Speed record. The group was dubbed by the media at the time as ‘Eyston’s Dancing Daughters’, with PA/1711 driven by Joan Richmond and Barbara Simpson, who had been a familiar sight on the international racing scene before the war, and who boasted solid and successful racing records. The cars featured a wide range of special components and modifications, including performance upgrades to the engine, brakes and gearbox. The three MGs proved quick and reliable on the track, with all three making steady progress during the notoriously hard race. Richmond and Simpson brought #56 home in first place among the team, which finished 24th, 25th and 26th overall.

The example on offer at the 2015 RM Sotheby’s London sale is the sole survivor of that 1935 three-car team. After Le Mans, two of the cars, including PA/1711, were reborn as supercharged Works hill-climbers, while one car was sold off by the factory. PA/1711 has spent much of the last 35 years in long-term ownership; fully restored in 1995, it’s ready to be enjoyed (Est. £95,000 – £120,000).

Annette Abaci, Car Specialist, RM Sotheby’s, and one of very few women professionally involved in the collector car auction scene, said, “I love this little car. Pre-war sports cars are a particular passion of mine but this particular car is an important touch point for all women involved in the classic car industry and in the broader motorsport world. It also happens to be a wonderful car to participate with in clubs such as the VSCC and in other international pre-war clubs and events.”

RM Sotheby’s will also offer a Bugatti EB110, chassis number 39038, at its 2015 London sale. The ultimate evolution of the EB110, 39038 is the 610 bhp Super Sport variant, of which 33 examples were produced. Finished in its original yellow over red leather interior, it is the only EB110 SS finished in this colour scheme, and was recently shown at the Concours d’Elegance at the Techno Classica in Essen earlier this year, where it took home Best of Show honours (Estimate. £600,000 – £770,000).

The 1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, chassis number 152, on offer in London is one of 200 examples built for Group B homologation. The original Italian market press demonstrator, former Formula One driver Ivan Capelli put this actual car through its paces in period. It comes to auction in excellent condition, ready for any aspiring new Timo Salonen or Juha Kankkunen (Estimate: £120,000 – £150,000).

Other entries for the RM Sotheby’s London 2015 sale includes:

• • 1950 Aston Martin DB2 Vantage, chassis LML/50/19, first Aston Martin Vantage; 2nd in class at inaugural Sebring six-hour race (Est. £290,000 – £320,000);
  • 1992 Ferrari F40, chassis no 93256, single-owner example with fewer than 4,000 kilometres from new (Est. £780,000 – £900,000);
  • 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage, chassis DB5/2016/R, one of about 40 RHD Vantage saloons (Est. £700,000 – £900,000); and,
  • 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, chassis 7500188, blue with red interior (Est. £650,000 – £850,000).

    

    

    

    

The official auction of the UK’s Concours of Elegance, RM’s evening London sale will be held at Battersea Evolution on 7 September, with a preview of auction vehicles scheduled for 6 September. For full event information or to view a frequently updated list of entries, visit www.rmsothebys.com or contact RM’s London office at +44 (0) 20 7851 7070.

[Source: RM Sotheby’s]