Archive
15/10/2022
Forgotten Legends - When the rotary engine won at Le Mans
This article recounts Mazda's journey to victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1991 with their Wankel rotary engine. Mazda's first attempt at Le Mans in 1983 with the 717 twin rotor resulted in a class victory.
13/10/2022
Bonhams and RM in the USA: great deals and bazaars
The article reports on the recent sales of classic cars at auctions by RM and Bonhams in the US. RM sold 97 cars for a turnover of $20,302,150, while Bonhams sold 34 cars for a turnover of $6,812,980. The top lot at RM was a 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster which sold for $1,595,000, while Bonhams sold a 1957 BMW 507 S2 Roadster for $2,315,000. The article discusses the range of cars sold, including replicas and recreations, and the unpredictability of the market.
08/10/2022
Forgotten Legends Chaparral
This article discusses the contributions of Jim Hall, an American racing engineer who brought significant and long-lasting innovations to the world of motorsports.
29/09/2022
Bonhams at Goodwood. God save the King’s car
Bonhams Goodwood auction generated 68.22% of the original estimates despite technical glitches that brought down the auction website. The auction sold 74 cars, representing 64.91% of the 114 vehicles offered, totaling £11,354,900 (€12,789,195) in value. The 1961 Cooper-Zerex-Oldsmobile sold for £911,000 (€1,026,070), while the 1952 Aston Martin DB3 remained unsold. Three Mercedes stood out in the auction; two McLaren SLRs and an SLS. The two SLRs were part of a limited edition series from Saudi Arabia, sold for £687,000 (€773,775) and £631,000 (€710,705), respectively. The SLS was estimated at £150,000-£160,000 but sold for £179,400 (€202,060). The article also mentions a collection of Rolls Royce from an anonymous Arabian owner.
24/09/2022
The Fallen Stars Renault Espace F1
The article discusses the creation of the Renault Espace F1, a heavily disguised MPV equipped with a Formula 1 V10 engine mounted centrally in the chassis, built to celebrate the success of the Espace model and Renault's Formula 1 World Titles.
22/09/2022
Bonhams in Beaulieu, what a pity we weren’t there!
The article reports on the results of the Bonhams car auction at the Beaulieu International Autojumble, the oldest car market in the UK. The auction saw 61 cars sold for a turnover of ÂŁ2,138,973 against an original estimate of ÂŁ2,410,500, a success for Bonhams. The article highlights the top lots, including a 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 3.0 DHC in need of restoration, which sold for ÂŁ172,500, a 1959 Aston Martin DB MkIII Sports Saloon that sold for ÂŁ132,250, and a Rolls Royce 20/25hp Dreadnought Special from 1931 that sold for ÂŁ155,250. The article also highlights two cars that were examples of practicality and ease of use: a Morris Minor Pick-up from 1967 that sold for ÂŁ17,825 and a 1909 Daimler TB22 DHC that sold for ÂŁ40,825.
17/09/2022
The Fallen Stars Ford Supervans
The article showcases Ford's Supervan series, which saw the transformation of ordinary vans into high-performance racing vehicles with up to 400hp V8 engines.
15/09/2022
Gooding and RM: European ups and downs
Gooding and RM, two leading car auction companies, held two different auctions in Europe, with Gooding holding its auction in London, while RM held its event in St. Moritz. Gooding recorded an excellent result, with 78.37% of the cars sold, generating 78.08% of the estimated total value, equivalent to €26.5m (£23m). RM's auction, on the other hand, was less successful, with only 10 cars sold out of the 22 on offer and only 28% of the total value. The top lot at RM's auction was a 1936 Bugatti 57S Atalante, which failed to sell when offers stopped at €8,082,750 (CHF 7.8m). Conversely, Gooding's top lot, a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competizione, sold for €8,960,250 (£7,762,500), exceeding the €7m-€8m estimate. The article suggests that the mismatch between the cars on offer and the type of buyers in the room may have contributed to RM's underperformance.
10/09/2022
The Fallen Stars Mercedes-Benz Blue Wonder
The "Blue Wonder" was a racing vehicle disguised as a pick-up truck that transported Mercedes-Benz racing cars to and from circuits during the 1950s. Designed by Rudolf Uhlenhaut, the Blue Wonder was built using parts of the W188 300S luxury sports tourer.
08/09/2022