Worldwide. Handle with care
11 May 2023 4 min read 9 images
Photo credit: Worldwide
In order to fully appreciate how well the recent Worldwide auction in Auburn on 29th April went, all we have to do is compare the results with last year’s. The biggest difference between the two was the number of cars offered without reserve, which shrank from 59% in 2022 to just 38% this year. These in turn represented around 80% of the sales, worth a total of over six million dollars (€5.5m)with an average sale price of $98,781 (€89,560), a significant improvement over 2022. Our data supports this.
This increase in lots also presents an excellent opportunity to study the market, and there are some interesting stories that I’m sure you’ll be interested in hearing.
Let’s begin with the top lot of the auction: the 1936 Delahaye 135M Competition Court Cabriolet. The third of only six produced by Figoni and Falaschi, this car had quite an eventful history. Originally crafted as a Coupé, it enjoyed a successful sporting career between 1936 and 1939 but was later “cut open” at the end of the war. After passing through several owners, the car was discovered completely disassembled in 1985, prompting an exhaustive restoration project that would take nearly 30 years to complete. Despite its initial state being a negative point, the car had many redeeming qualities, such as a 3.5-litre engine, a shortened chassis, and a simply fantastic design. In the end it sold for $1.16 million (€1.05m), it’s likely that its initial flaws had a significant impact on the final result.
The second-most expensive car of the event was a 1931 Cadillac V16 452 Roadster. Last year, the same model, though not the same car, was actually the most expensive lot of the auction, selling for $758,500 (€690,950). So, how can we explain this year’s price of $434,000 (€395,350)? Well, as always, there was a catch: while last year’s Cadillac had an immaculate history, the car offered this year was originally built as a Club Sedan (saloon) and was later re-bodied at an unspecified time with Fleetwood’s 4302 design. Was it an original or a replica? The market made its choice, and I think the result speaks for itself.
After last week’s notable performance of pre-war cars, it’s interesting to note that here too the six most expensive cars were all pre-war models. Below them were other interesting “veterans”, including a 1934 Cadillac V8 355D Eight Stationary Coupe with just 21,000 miles on the clock (sold for $274,400 or €249,950) and an elegantly styled Delage D8-100 Coupe Chauffeur, bodied by Franay ($207,200 or €188,750).
I guess I should now talk about the 1966 Shelby GT350H Fastback sold for $190,400 (€173,450), but the Duesenberg II Speedster rebuilt in 1980 according to the principles of today’s “Restomods” or “Continuation” limited series reminds us that there is nothing new in this market. And so it was that a car that could have been sold for over three million changed hands for $173,600 (€158,150).
Among the cars that performed well – at least in my opinion, because as always the estimates were kept confidential – I am pleased to include the 1975 Ford Bronco 4x4 Wagon. Usually, this model is either heavily customized with modern gadgets and fetches enormous prices or, when restored to its original configuration, often worth less than the cost of the restoration. But this one was different: with only one owner from new and equipped with all the important options since the day it left the factory, it had been beautifully restored not long ago. The price of $134,400 (€122,450) was more than justified, and I’m happy that, for once, a six-figure sum is going to a “standard” model.
While I’m obviously happy to share the Bronco record with you, at the end of the day, I would have preferred the 1967 Volkswagen Microbus that changed hands for $140,000 (€127,500). Who wouldn’t want a 21-window Samba De Luxe Microbus with a sunroof, meticulously restored just a year ago, 15-inch Fuchs wheels, and a 165 hp Porsche 911 2.4E engine instead of the original 34 hp unit?
Which brings us to the various Porsches on offer that sent out mixed signals: the super-sponsored 1994 white 911 Speedster (964 series), perfect for Miami Vice, returned to its old owner after offers plateaued at $165,000 (€150,300). An “ordinary” 1986 911 3.2 Carrera Coupe complete with Turbo spoiler (typical of that era) literally flew off the stage for $99,120 (€90,300). I hope the buyer wasn’t convinced he’d snapped up a real Turbo?!
And finally, the deal of the day. A special mention goes to the 1968 912 Targa “Soft Window”. It might have been a modest 4-cylinder car, but this particular model is in high demand right now, especially the Targa version. Offered without reserve, I would like to shake the hand of whoever paid $53,200 (€48,460) for it.
CLASSIC CAR MATCHER