Archive
05/02/2020
The Mysterious Death of Rudolf Diesel
The cause of Rudolf Diesel's death remains a mystery, despite being known for inventing the engine bearing his name. His unslept bed, a diary with a cross on the day of his disappearance, financial difficulties.
03/02/2020
London to Brighton, full steam ahead!
RM Sotheby’s has announced a ten-year sponsorship agreement with the London to Brighton car run, in an effort to promote the veteran car market and liven up the industry. The agreement is aimed at encouraging the use of classic cars and giving their owners real pleasure. The move is seen as a positive marketing initiative for the industry.
02/02/2020
New Logo
The Classic Car Trust (TCCT) has a new logo with the T's incorporated into the two C's. The abbreviation TCCT will be used for effective communication on the website and social media.
31/01/2020
“America first"
The American automotive auction house, Gooding, achieved an impressive $36,098,000 in sales, selling 36% of the cars on offer at or above their initial estimates. The most expensive car sold was a 1995 Ferrari F50 for $3,222,500.
28/01/2020
On the pitch with the B team, RM wins anyway.
RM Sotheby's saw a drop in total sales this year at their Scottsdale auction compared to 2018, stopping just short of $30m. They sold 90% of lots on offer but had only one blue chip for sale, a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet S1, which stalled at $5.5m and remained unsold. The auction was saved by a 2018 Huayra Roadster, which was sold for $2.37m, and a rare 1991 Vector W8 Twin Turbo, which was sold for $720,000. Other sales included a 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS and a 2002 Dodge Viper, both selling for more than their estimated value, but a 1967 Maserati Mistral 4.0 Spider sold for significantly less than expected.
27/01/2020
Corvettology. No worries, yours is there too.
TCCT offers a brief overview of the Chevrolet Corvette, from the cheapest to the most expensive models, with a focus on the Mecum auction in Kissimmee. The article highlights the vast range of Corvettes available to collectors, from the early C4 series to the rare and valuable L88-powered Corvette C2. Prices for Corvettes at the auction ranged from $3,000 to $1.85 million. The article concludes with the reminder that these cars are American legends.
24/01/2020
The Alfa 8C 2300 stalls, the Ferrari sprints and the hearse survives
Despite a drop in sales compared to 2019, the Bonhams auction was not a bad result, according to an analysis. The most expensive car sold was a 1951 Ferrari 212 Inter Cabriolet for $1,930,000, which had earned a silver medal at Pebble Beach in 2014. However, the most important result was Lee Iacocca’s Dodge Viper RT/10, which sold for $285,500, thanks to the "Iacocca factor." The auction also saw some good deals, such as a Rolls Royce Silver Spur Landaulette from 1987, which sold for just $17,920, and a 1939 Packard Super Eight hearse, which sold for £58,240.
24/01/2020
Stellar Values
The Bullitt Ford Mustang, driven by Steve McQueen in the iconic car chase scene, was sold for $3.74 million at Mecum's auction in Kissimmee, Florida. The car, which remained hidden for many years, was sold by a Warner Bros. employee to its current owner for $6,000 in 1974. It was offered at the auction fully documented and without reserve, and attracted a lot of attention from buyers and enthusiasts. Other movie cars were also offered, including Christine's Fury from the 1983 horror film, a 1967 Shelby GT500 from "Gone in 60 Seconds," and a Shelby Cobra from "Le Mans '66," all of which sold for high prices due to their movie history.
16/12/2019
Auctions in the Middle East
The Asian collector car market is much younger than the European or American one, and recent supercars and hypercars have joined the classic ones. Three auction houses recently competed in the Arab market, with RM Sotheby's achieving the best results due to its reasonable reserve prices and the use of the Abu Dhabi track as an auction venue. However, high reserve prices and strict regulations for car registrations in these countries still pose a challenge for the collector car market. The trend towards finding strange and different vehicles is confirmed, with "Thor24," a large custom truck, becoming the third most expensive vehicle of the year. The market for special Formula 1s remains lively, with the Ferrari F2002 with Michael Schumacher selling for $6,643,750.
02/12/2019