Bidding hits £3.3m for Lamborghini Miura SV

1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV

Sold by RM Sotheby’s, £3.3m 
Anyone who has seen the (original) Italian Job will likely have clear memories of the opening scenes showing a Lamborghini Miura threading its way through the Italian alps to the sound of Matt Monro’s On Days Like These. That car was finished in an orange tone called Arancio Miura, unlike the less desirable Rosso Corsa in which this example left the factory. What this one did have going for it, however, was the fact that it was one of just 150 of the SV versions made, and was also fitted with the superior split sump motor in which the engine and gearbox oils were separate.

1966 Jaguar E-Type

Sold by Hampson auctions, £283,696 
If that seems a lot for a ’66 E-type, it normally would be. But this was no ordinary example, having been upgraded for 21st century use. A 4.7-litre engine and five-speed gearbox were part of the package.

1988 Ducati 851 Superbike ‘Kit racer’

Sold by Iconic Auctioneers, £6325 
Being one of only 207 made and with 1100 miles on the clock, this ‘Kit Racer’ was a bargain. Kit refers to the competition parts factory fitted to the standard 851 that made it a track-ready, road-legal racer.

1983 Ford Fiesta XR2

Sold by Iconic Auctioneers, £27,563 
By the late 1990s, Ford’s sporty XR2 Fiestas were selling for a few hundred pounds. But even at more than £27,000, the vendor of this one lost a fortune having spent £104,000 restoring it over six years.

2022 Ferrari 812 Competizione

Sold by Iconic Auctioneers, £904,875 
This Competizione was one of just 999 of what was then Ferrari’s most powerful ever road car. Sold new to an owner on the Isle of Man, it had covered 2200 miles. It fetched double what it originally cost.

1962 Honda 50

Sold by Bonhams, £6000 
This one-off time-warp example of the world’s most produced vehicle (100 million) had recorded zero miles, had never been run and still had its original swing tags and plastic seat protector.

1990 Singer Classic Turbo

Sold by Bonhams, £1.2m 
Singer’s Classic Turbo is a car you want to drive and drive – so it’s surprising that the owner of this one parted with it when it had but 270 miles on the clock. A Singer Flytrack watch was included.

1936 Armstrong Siddeley Special

Sold by Historics auctioneers, £18,304 
This nicely patinated Armstrong Siddeley-based special looked like a good, honest machine – and promised a decent turn of speed thanks to the combination of its small size and 2.4-litre, straight six engine driving through a pre-selector gearbox. De rigueur leather bonnet strap and driving goggles were included.

Forthcoming sale highlights

• Historics auctioneers, Datchet, Berks, July 19
  If the weather’s kind, this Historics auction held amid the lush greenery of Windsorview Lakes can be as genteel as the best of Pebble Beach. And, if the rain does hold off, modern classic fans might find it difficult to resist a 1995 Mercedes-Benz 320 SL Mille Miglia – one of 40 such examples built to mark the 40th anniversary of Stirling Moss’s win in the Italian race.
• Iconic auctioneers, Biggleswade, Beds, July 20
  The wide range of lots in this annual motorcycle sale help it appeal to everyone from bargain hunters to wealthy collectors. This time offerings range from a clutch of six unused Lafranconi silencers designed for 1970s Ducatis to a ‘new, old stock’ 20-year-old Honda Fireblade in Repsol race colours. It’s still in its factory transport crate.
• SWVA, Poole, July 31
  Probably the last UK classic car auction before the August holiday break, this sale offers plenty of opportunities to bag a last-minute bargain to run for the rest of the summer. One particular lot that caught our eye is a 1962 Triumph TR4 that appears to have been very nicely restored around 25 years ago and has clearly been well cared for since. Its estimate is £16,000-£18,000.
• Broad arrow, zÜrich, switzerland, November 1
  The US-owned auction house is further expanding its European presence with this new sale set to take place at the historic five-star Dolder Grand Hotel, overlooking Lake Zürich. The carefully curated auction of 60 cars will be held on the penultimate day of the giant Auto Zürich motor show, which has been a fixture of the city since 1987.