What you missed at auction this month

1951 Jaguar XK120

Sold by Bonhams, £316,250 

This XK120 was bought new by Lancashire cobbler Robert Lawrie whose special boot design led to him becoming the official supplier to the 1953 Everest expedition, the team that accompanied Sir Vivian Fuchs across Antarctica in ’56 and even to the Royal Marines. Lawrie used some of his considerable wealth to compete at Le Mans in 1949 as a total rookie behind the wheel of an Aston Martin. He took part the following year in a Riley, and again in 1951 when he and Ivan Waller drove this XK120 to 11th overall. It was the best Le Mans result ever achieved by the model.

1912 Mercer type 35-c Raceabout

Sold by Gooding Christie’s, £1m 

This 113-year old survivor was discovered in a sorry state in 1941 when it was simply ‘an old car’. Six years later it was on the track at Langhorne in the US where it won the first ever SCCA race.

2003 BMW M3

Sold by Bonhams, £90,850 

The E46 version of the M3 is regarded by many M aficionados as the best ever. This time-warp example had been in the same family ownership from new and had covered a mere 3075 miles.

2020 BAC Mono

Sold by Bonhams Cars Online, £115,000 

Technical advancements and a cult following have seen the entry price of the Mono leap from £67,000 in 2011 to £215,000 today – meaning this 4000-mile, 2.5-litre example was fair value.

2006 Maserati Gransport MC Victory

Sold by Historics auctioneers, £40,040 

Values of regular 4200 GTs have dipped below £10,000 but this was one of just 160 Gransports built to commemorate the marque’s victory in the 2005 FIA GT Championship with the mighty MC12.

1978 Honda CB750 cafÉ racer

Sold by Historics auctioneers, £2974 

This super-cool CB750 took 10 years to create. It featured a fully rebuilt and tuned engine bored to 836cc as well as a raft of bespoke components. Its price must have been a fraction of the build cost.

1992 Peugeot 205 GTi

Sold by WB & Sons, £18,000 

The classic status of the 205 GTI continues to be confirmed by strong prices. This was one of fewer than 40 UK models that left the factory in Sorento Green and had been meticulously restored.

1950 Land Rover Series 1

Sold by H&H, £9000 

What price patina? In this case, £9000 for a Landy that appeared to be derelict but had been subjected to a preservation resto just eight years ago after being brought back to Britain from Australia. Land Rover buffs will appreciate the rare, early hard top….

Forthcoming sale highlights

• SWVA, POOLE, DORSET, October 30
  If your copy of Motor Sport has landed with lightning efficiency, you’re still in time to head to Poole to peruse the 100 or so lots making up this end-of-season classic sale. Offerings include a dust-covered barn find MGB Roadster being sold from a deceased estate and a rare Fiat Seicento Sporting Michael Schumacher Edition, both of which are to sell at no reserve.
• ANGLIA CAR AUCTIONS, King’s Lynn, November 1-2
  Have classic car auctions become fun again now prices are on the slide? This sale promises a wealth of bargains you didn’t know you needed, ranging from a mint-looking Aston Martin Virage Volante for less than the price of an electric hatchback to a Mercedes Sprinter ambulance that’s ripe for conversion into a motorcycle race transporter.
• ICONIC auctioneers, NEC, BIRMINGHAM, November 8
  This year’s Iconic sale at the Classic Motor Show will include a healthy selection of road cars that are either fully or partly prepared for classic rallying. Stand-out lots include a 1956 Lancia Aurelia which competed in the 2015 Mille Miglia (£50,000-£70,000) and an ultra-rare Ford RS200 S that’s tipped to fetch up to £340,000. It’s one of just four in red.
• GOODING CHRISTIE’S, PARIS, January 28-February 1
  The recently fledged Gooding Christie’s sets out its stall as the official auction house of the Rétromobile show fresh from its stellar sale at Pebble Beach of a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Spider Competizione for £18.8m, see last month. No surprise then that one of the star lots in Paris will be a 1958 250 GT Spider – albeit a less valuable LWB without competition features.