Sporting opportunities

This month’s lots…
Pebble Beach weekend highlights a packed month for the sales houses

So you’ve decided to go sportscar racing. What to choose – the most successful sports-racer ever, Porsche’s 956, or the most iconic, a Ford GT40? Or a left-field choice: the Shadow which gave Jackie Oliver the ’74 Can-Am title? Bonhams is selling part of the late lamented Rosso Bianco collection, too. Luckily, if you can’t play in the big league, there’s also a superb collection of handbuilt car models coming up to help you keep on dreaming…

1. Porsche 956
Price guide: £4-500,000
Even if your bid for this iconic sports-racer at Coys’ Eynsham Hall sale in August is topped by someone else, you’ll have another chance to inspect it – we have photographed it specially as September’s offering in our unique series of fold-out profiles.

2. 500 model cars
Price guide: no estimate
This fine Cunningham CR4 is one of 500 handbuilt model cars collected over 20 years by Bill Mulhearn, to be sold by RM at Meadow Brook Hall. Including models by masters Carlo Brianza and Michele Conti, the collection is all of the highest quality.

3. H&H Lagonda V12
Price guide: £40-50,000
An early entry for H&H’s July sale at Buxton, UK is a remarkably original ‘barn find’ 1939 Lagonda V12 Drophead Coupé. H&H: 01925 730630

4. Stuttgart selection
Price guide: US$2.6-3.3m
Eight prototype Porsches is a ready-made collection for someone. Included are a 1960 356 Carrera GTL Carrera Abarth, a superlight 911R, and a restored, works 1971 911 S/T Safari rally car.
Christies: 001 212 636 2680

5. Heavy metal at the lodge
Price guide: GT40 $7-900,000
Big bangers at Quail Lodge include ‘1073’, the ex-Drury Ford GT40 with BOAC 500 and Targa history, and the 1974 Shadow-Chevrolet DN4-2A Can-Am Championship winner.
Bonhams: 020 7468 5801