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Auctions Commentary from CCFS Market Analyst Richard Hudson-Evans

A Ford Capri 280 Brooklands driven 936 miles from new in 1987 sold for £54,000 - £9000 more than top estimate and a new world record price at auction for one of the final run-out Capri models - during the second of three Silverstone Auctions sales held at Race Retro weekend in Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.

£52,875 with premium, mid-estimate money, was also handed over during the Saturday session for a clearly cosseted 1995 Escort RS Cosworth Lux with 5300 total mileage and the same money was invested in the future of the 50th Sierra Cosworth RS500 built in 1987 with 50,860 mileage.

A 1972 Escort Mexico that had only done 500 miles since being treated to new Mk1 Type 49 shell transplant was given a £43,875 valuation by the next owner, nearly £15,000 more than had been forecast. But then a 1979 Spa 24 Hours raced and Ric Wood prepped 1979 Group 1 Capri with a paid-up entry for the first round of the 2016 Historic Touring Car Challenge at Donington had already raised a mid-estimate £65,250 during the Friday auction. Fast Fords from not that long ago are now making serious bucks.

Another record breaker in the Saturday sale was a 1990 Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 Evolution II (number 262 of the 502 that were made and, so the tale is told, all of them pre-sold) with only 2772k to show for residencies in Germany, Guernsey and New Zealand. On a Saturday afternoon in Warwickshire, this Batmobile Merc flew to a £292,500 result. Pre-sale, £140,000-160,000 had been suggested.

The weekend’s top priced rolling asset was a just over ten year old Porsche Carrera GT, most of which sadly leave sheltered lives in permanent darkness beneath car covers in storage facilities. The 2004 supercar had come to market via triple ownership in the US, then a collector in Gloucestershire followed by a brief fling with F1 Team principal, Gerard Lopez. With ‘Sleeping Policeman’ defeating suspension raising system usefully added by RUF, the Stuttgart stunner realised a within guide price band £427,500. One can only hope that somebody will actually get to drive it somewhere nice. 

A scissor-doored 1981 Lamborghini Countach LP400S in right-hand drive found £213,750 with premium Saturday and a 4200k from new in 1994 Jaguar XJ220 £275,625 Sunday. Both within their forecasts. £28,125 more than expected though was forthcoming in the third session for a previously restored 1958 Aston Martin DB2/4 MkIII sold for £208,125.

During Saturday afternoon shopping, a 20,000k since 2008 McLaren-built Mercedes-Benz SLR lefty with 617bhp on tap and the potential of reaching 60mph from a standstill in 3.8 achieved the necessary £226,125. While a UK supplied in 2008 Ferrari Scuderia with 7500 miles exposure to the rest of us paddle-shifted to a £177,750 valuation, within the estimate band, and a 1962-dated Lynx D Type Jag Rep in long-nose guise clocked £157,500.

A 2010 Porsche 997 GT3 RS Generation II left hooker, driven 1500k by one owner in Bahrein during the first five years and now UK road-registered, fetched £140,625, forecast money, Sunday. An only 50k from new in 1992 Lancia Delta Integrale HF Turbo Martini 5 time warp was landed for £106,875 in the same session. Two days earlier, a really well executed 1993 Integrale Evoluzione Group A ‘Jolly Club Rally Team’ Replica raised £59,630, nearly £10,000 more than the guide. And much viewed the next day was a 2001 Honda NSX, a right-hand drive car with manual-shift, which made a more than top estimate £69,750, overtaking many Ferraris in the market place.

As the final internet feed was cut and after some immediate post-sales deals had been done, 68 classics had sold for £4.8m. A fuller statistical analysis will appear on this channel shortly as will considered reviews from the Barons Sandown, H&H Donington and Classics Central Bedford Autodrome sales attended. Only another four auctions on my circuit this week!