Archive
09/05/2021
The Speed Record Story 6 - Forward momentum, despite the tragic War
In the 1930s, the race for the land speed record became a highly anticipated challenge. The all-English affair involved two new contenders, George Eyston with his Thunderbolt and John Cobb with his Railton.
07/05/2021
News, News, News
Three collectors with different budgets set out to create car collections by purchasing at auctions in 2021. The Wealthy, the Sober, and the Cautious collectors each have a different garage style to store their cars in. The Wealthy collector had limited success at recent auctions, while the Sober collector took home a Cisitalia Monoposto, Jaguar XJ220, and Porsche LMP1 hybrid show car. The Cautious collector, with a budget under 100k euros, had more opportunities to make purchases and ended up with a Ferrari 400i, Porsche Turbo, and a Mercedes 450 SLC. The story will follow their adventures in creating their ideal collections and the reasons behind their decisions to buy.
06/05/2021
One step forward. Almost two steps back
The article discusses the decrease in online auction sales at RM Sotheby's and the reasons behind it, such as competition from specialist sites, oversupply, and a lack of interest in online auctions compared to physical ones. The author analyzes the results of the last two auctions, where only around half of the lots were sold and the turnover was significantly reduced. The average price per car sold was also limited due to the absence of million-dollar cars. The article highlights specific cars from the auctions, such as a 2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale A and a 1965 Griffith Series 200, that sold within their estimated price range, and a 1972 Intermeccanica Indra Coupé that sold for less than its estimate. The author questions whether RM Sotheby's is losing its grip on the competitive and unprofitable sector of online auctions.
02/05/2021
The Speed Record Story 5 - Aircraft engines for new milestones
Land speed records kept rising in the 1920s and 1930s, and it became clear that modified production vehicles were no longer enough.
01/05/2021
Monaco Grand Prix Historique
The Grand Prix Historique in Monaco returned in 2021 after being cancelled the previous year, featuring races with vintage cars from different eras of motorsport. The spectacle of the races was surpassed by the sight of the pristine cars lined up on the starting grid, followed by the roar of their engines as they shot off into the distance. The races were hard-fought and emotional, with some drivers winning multiple titles, while others crashed their cars. The article concludes by encouraging readers to mark their calendars for the 2022 edition of the event.
29/04/2021
Bonhams in Monaco. A shy success
The Monte Carlo auction by Bonhams had a challenging start due to France's slow vaccine roll-out, resulting in a curfew at 8 p.m. However, despite these difficulties, Bonhams was able to achieve 68% sales, only slightly lower than the 77% in 2018, with an average price of lots passing from €350,000 ($423,314) to €312,000 ($377,355). The total turnover of €5,300,000 ($6,410,191) was lower than 2018, but it was expected given the limitations of the event. Notably, the 1936 Delahaye 135S Competition Court was sold for €850,000 ($1,028,049), while the Isdera Imperator 108i was sold for €690,000 ($834,534), exceeding expectations. The article discusses some of the other cars sold, including the Cisitalia D46 Monoposto, which was restored and had the potential to participate in the next Grand Prix Historique in Monaco.
25/04/2021
The Speed Record Story 4 - 250 kilometres per hour. The final victory of fantasy
The Stanley Rocket broke the 200 km/h barrier in 1906, using a twin-cylinder engine and carefully crafted aerodynamics. Five years later, Benz set a new record of 228.096 km/h with a four-cylinder engine.
23/04/2021
Colin Chapman and Lotus - A disappearance as fast as his cars
Colin Chapman, financially supported by John Player Special brand, continued to innovate and win with the Lotus 79, but faced financial difficulties producing cars for customers.
22/04/2021
Historics. Smart Formula
The article discusses how classic car auctions are not just for the rich and famous, but are accessible to anyone with a reasonable budget. The article focuses on the recent Historics auction in the UK, where over 85% of the classic cars sold were less than ÂŁ50,000. The auction had an excellent mix of affordable, important, and unusual cars, and was successful in terms of sales percentage, which rose to 88.15% by value. The article also highlights some of the cars that sold at the auction, including a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Roadster, a 1987 BMW M5, and a 1995 Jaguar XJS Celebration Convertible.
19/04/2021