Red-striped Aston Martin Valkyrie fetches £2.4m in Sotheby’s sale

2023 Aston Martin Valkyrie
Sold by RM Sotheby’s, £2.4m

Aston Martin’s F1-inspired, road-legal hypercar was in development for seven years between the idea being conceived in 2014 and delivery to the first customer. But with just 150 scheduled to be made and the promise of 240mph performance, there was no shortage of willing buyers. But whoever waited patiently for delivery of this example – uniquely finished by Aston’s Q division custom shop in Scintilla Silver and red – must have lost interest by the time it arrived last year, because it crossed the block with a mere 123km on the clock. It fetched about the same as ‘retail’.

 

1981 MG Metro 6R4 Evocation
Sold by Hampson Auctions, £45,000

This replica of a mighty Metro 6R4 recalled one campaigned by Tony Pond, who described the model as, “The best rally car I’ve driven.” The homage had a 2.5-litre, twin turbo Renault engine.

 

1951 Vincent Rapide
Sold by H&H, £31,050

A long period in museum storage, some non-factory modifications didn’t prevent this Vincent from making decent money. Stickers decorating its period panniers attested to extensive Euro travels.

 

1962 Austin Healey Frogeye Sprite
Sold by Bonhams Cars online, £9040

What would be more fun for the money – a £2.4m Aston Valkyrie or this Frogeye? We reckon the latter, especially since it was built to fast road/track spec by a former March F1 engineer.

 

1990 Bentley Eight
Sold by Hampson auctions, £5062

The price could prove to be one of the smaller bills to be faced by the buyer of this less than low-key Bentley – but, with full service history and a record of continuous use, it had the makings of a bargain.

 

1955 Mercedes-Benz W196 scale model
Sold by Bonhams, £281

This model paid tribute to the car driven to consecutive GP victories by Juan Manuel Fangio at the Nürburgring and Bremgarten in 1954. Bonhams sold the real thing for almost £20m in 2013.

 

2009 Maserati GranTurismo mc GT4
Sold by Collecting Cars, £61,700

Maserati launched the track-only version of the GranTurismo in 2009 to contest the GT4 series. This example had been well maintained and was ready to be campaigned by a new owner.

 

1961 Porsche RS61
Sold by Gooding & Company, £2.4m

This RS61 was campaigned in European hillclimbs and circuit races before being sold abroad and securing the 1964 South African Sports Car Championship in the hands of Dr Dawie Gous – who won 13 of the event’s 15 rounds. It sold for £800k less than expected…

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Forthcoming sale highlights

λ Gooding & Company, Geared Online: motorcycles, May 8-17
Gooding & Company is best known for offering high-value collectors’ cars but recent successes with the occasional motorcycle (such as selling a 1974 Ducati 750 SS ‘Green Frame’ last year for £160,000) has encouraged the house to stage this online sale devoted to two-wheelers. Expect a broad cross-section, from museum-quality rarities to well-restored usable classics.

λ Bonhams, Monaco, May 10
Taking place during the Historic Monaco Grand Prix, this auction is rich in race-related offerings. As well as Mika Häkkinen’s McLaren P1, bidders will also be able to battle for former F1 driver Thierry Boutsen’s 2005 Lamborghini Murcielago, the 1951 Monte Carlo Rally winning Delahaye 175 S Coach and the 1957 Lotus-Climax 12 in which Graham Hill made his F1 debut. A Smart car that belonged to the late Roger Moore could also raise a few eyebrows.

λ Iconic Auctioneers, Sywell, Northants, May 18
Iconic’s sale at this edition of Supercar Fest will be a three-part affair comprising a timed, online automobilia auction, a ‘live’ sale of more valuable automobilia and another dedicated to cars. Bizarrely, the online auction includes items owned by gangland villain Reggie Kray – including a teddy bear, a watercolour painting done in jail and letters from a female admirer known only as ‘Jane’.

λ RM Sotheby’s, Cliveden house, Berkshire, June 12
Best known as the launchpad for the Profumo Affair between former go-go dancer Christine Keeler and 1960s war minister John Profumo (they met in the pool), the grounds of Cliveden now become the latest stately venue for a high-end car sale. In keeping with those Profumo days, offerings include a Wood & Pickett Mini, DB4 and DB5 Astons and a Bentley S1. Don’t forget your swimming kit (not that Keeler needed any).