Alpine A110 and Honda S600 head this month’s auction watch
Auction season gathers pace from California to Switzerland as collectors weigh everything from rare competition machinery to unusual road cars, while Simon de Burton highlights two distinctive lots that stand apart from the crowd
Aguttes
1987 Alpine Gta Turbo Fleischmann
Sold by Aguttes, £23,000
The V6 Alpine A310 was less than a success for the Renault-owned sports car builder when it was launched in 1976, with fewer than 9300 cars being sold before production ceased in ’84. Its successor in 1985 was the GTA, similar to the A310 with its good looks. The Turbo version was rapid. This one was sold new in Germany, three years after which its owner commissioned tuning house Fleischmann to enhance its glass-fibre monocoque, tweaked suspension and BBS wheels with a muscular body kit. Exported to Belgium five years ago, the car had been little used with 20,000 miles covered.
Artcurial
1980 BMW M1 Procar
Sold by Artcurial, £826,000
Originally a road car, this was converted to a Procar in 1982 and competed in US championships from 1983-86. It has taken part in recent historic events including five editions of the Tour Auto.
Bonhams
1981 Yamaha Xt500
Sold by Bonhams, £13,800
Finding an unrestored XT500 ‘big thumper’ trail bike is near impossible these days – meaning this one, with fewer than 30 miles on the clock from new, must have been a one-off opportunity.
Historics Auctioneers
1963 Austin Mini
Sold by Historics Auctioneers, £1286
Proof positive that there’s nothing worse for an old car than not being used, this Mini was bought by the vendor’s father in 1965, driven for a decade and then locked away. It was, however, complete.
Dore & Rees
2013 Aston Martin Jet 2+2
Sold by Dore & Rees, £260,000
Commissioned by Guernsey-based Aston fan Barry Weir, this Rapide-based shooting brake was the last car completed by Bertone before it went bust in 2014. It’s JET 2 reg separately fetched £87,000.
Wb & Sons
1959 Massey Ferguson 35
Sold by Wb & Sons, £3542
This restored example of Massey Ferguson’s ubiquitous 35 had an ace up its sleeve – in the form of a Land Rover 300 TDI engine, increasing power from the standard 44.5bhp to 122bhp.
H&H
1990 Mini Moke
Sold by H&h, £9250
This must have been the nearest thing to an as-new genuine Moke you’re likely to find. The Portuguese-built car was originally a promotional vehicle for Sunset Holidays. It had clocked just 8000 miles.
Forthcoming Sale Highlights
● Gooding Christie’s, Pebble Beach, California, August 14-15
Several top auction houses will hold sales around Monterey Car Week but only Gooding Christie’s will be on site at the Parc du Concours. The line-up of offerings ranges from the privately commissioned Pontiac One (based on a 1970 Firebird) to the quirky 1953 C31 Biscooter from French luxury marque Avions Voisin.
● Iconic auctioneers, Silverstone, August 29-30
Iconic Auctioneers returns to The Wing at Silverstone for this sale, which takes place at CarFest. Plenty of intriguing classics will be on offer, including a Jaguar E-type that’s midway through a rebuild to lightweight specification, a rare Marcos Martina (just 80 were built) and an impressive selection of fast Fords (including two Sierra RS Cosworths).
● RM Sotheby’s, ZÜrich, Switzerland, September 26
Buoyed by the success of its £65m Tailored for Speed sale held in Zürich last year, RM Sotheby’s is returning to the Swiss city with the first edition of what is likely to become a regular fixture on the classic car auction catalogue. The house promises a “carefully curated selection of cars spanning more than a century”. The sale is at the Park Hyatt hotel.
● Bonhams, Stafford, October 10-11
Winter may be nearing but that won’t prevent motorcycle enthusiasts travelling from far and wide to attend Bonhams’ second Stafford motorcycle sale of the year. More than 300 machines will cross the block. Highlights include the Yamaha TZ700 ridden to second place in the inaugural Suzuka 8 Hours in 1978 by Isoyo Sugimoto and David Emde.
Bingo
1965 Honda Sm600
Sold by Bingo, £39,060
Kept by the original owner for 60 years, this ‘timewarp’ Honda had covered just 12,500 miles from new and was sold with its factory hard top – and even the original unused tyres, removed and carefully stored immediately after the car was purchased.