Historics’ summer auction at Windsorview Lakes on Saturday 22nd July marks the ebullient auctioneer’s 60th sale since first opening its doors in June 2010.
Adding to the celebration, the number of lots that have passed across Historics’ auction block since that first sale has just crested 12,000 fine and varied entries.
Back in 2010, ‘youngtimers’ hadn’t become the feature of the classic car scene as they are today, and at Historics’ anniversary sale a dramatic trio is a vivacious example of the rapidly expanding category amongst the 180 fine and varied entries.
Manufactured in 2007, a stunning Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren ‘722 Edition’ Coupé is an undoubted star of the sale. Commemorating the historic victory of Stirling Moss and co-driver Denis Jenkinson in the 1955 Mille Miglia, where they drove a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR with the race number 722, this limited edition model – one of just 150 – promises electrifying performance with 650bhp underfoot, and having travelled little more than 7,400km since new and presented in supreme condition, it surely ticks all the collectible boxes. £580,000-£625,000.
So too does a 2005 Ford GT. This, the first example of Ford’s homage to the iconic GT40 to be imported to the UK, has been pampered in the same private ownership for the 18 years since. It comes to sale with full service history and the promise of a thrilling ownership experience. £250,000-£280,000.
With just 104 delivery miles to its name, a 2019 Morgan Aero 8 Series 5, coming from a significant private collection and totally unused, is holy grail for the disciples of the Malvern maker, its 4.8 litre V8 BMW engine mated to a six-speed manual gearbox, promising fun aplenty at the wheel. £100,000-£130,000
In November 2022, Historics sold a car with exceptional royal provenance - the 2009 Jaguar X-Type Estate that was the much-enjoyed personal transport of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Vivacious bidding raised the sale price to £39,200.
Following its sale, the car was generously donated by the buyer to Comic Relief to raise funds in a draw on Red Nose Day. Spectacularly it raised some £300,000 for their charities... and now the story continues.
The winner – whose £20 donation was rewarded with the victorious draw ticket – has consigned the car, tantalisingly at no reserve, to the Windsorview sale, providing another opportunity to own this exceptional piece of history.
Staying with royal provenance, a very fine 2004 Range Rover with a bespoke and intriguing specification, believed to have first been in the possession of the Royal Family, has enormous collector appeal and is also offered at no reserve.
Whilst talking bespoke, take a look also at the 2005 BMW 760i armoured limousine, believed to have been commissioned originally for an Embassy, with a price tag of some £600,000 – now a bullet-proof buy at £28,000-£34,000 if ever there was one.
Meanwhile, also with royal provenance is a 1973 Jaguar E-Type Series III Roadster, formerly owned by Queen Noor of Jordan. With little more than 25,000 miles since new, the stunningly presented, matching numbers Regency Red roadster comes with a rare factory hardtop. £93,000-£105,000.
Or, if you prefer your E-types in Series I Roadster guise, you’re spoilt for choice at this sale, with a fine quartet on offer...There’s an original, matching numbers 1965 example (£85,000-£95,000)
And two years its junior, a 1967 model that’s travelled just 92 miles since a concours level restoration that would have cost in excess of £100,000, offered at an estimate of £105,000-£125,000.
A fabulous 1968 4.2 litre model that has enjoyed an extensive restoration to fast-road specification costing some £50,000 is estimated at £110,000-£140,000
Whilst a 1964 E-Type Roadster competes the Series I quartet. Originally left-hand drive and taken to the USA it was latterly repatriated and professionally converted to RHD by the respected specialists Twyford Moors and now presented in beautiful condition. £115,000-£135,000.
Also within the fine and varied selection of Jaguars at Windsorview Lakes is a stunning 1962 Jaguar Mk. X. It comes to sale after being in the same ownership for the past twenty years, an astonishing fourteen of which have been spent in a truly magnificent top-to-tail restoration. This exceptional example has a recorded mileage of under 46,000 miles, just 2,600 of which have been covered in the last twenty years. £20,000-£25,000.
An interesting counterpoint to royal cars comes in the shape of a 1961 Daimler SP250 – the last model to be launched by Daimler before the company was sold to Jaguar. This fine example was registered to the Metropolitan Police, one of 26 such cars that were used by the law as fast pursuit vehicle to apprehend speeding ‘cafe racers’ of the day. Its 2.5 litre V8 - mated to an automatic gearbox - was sufficient to propel it to some 125mph, somewhat more feisty than police ‘panda cars’ of the day such as the Hillman Minx and Ford Anglia. No reserve.
And for fans of British sporting classics, look out for the 1999 Marcos Mantaray,
It is one of just seven 4.6 litre V8 models produced. £15,000-£20,000.
A 2015 Ford Mustang stands out as it was the test and development mule for TVR for their new sports car of the day. Bought new by TVR, it was provided to none other than Gordon Murray to weave his magic during the development process, and is now offered at no reserve.
No Historics sale is complete without the Porsche marque, and a very desirable 1973 911 Targa sets the tone. In the same ownership from 1985 to 2020 and wonderfully restored by Rindt Design it features a stunning bare metal repaint in Irish green and completely retrimmed tartan interior. £78,000-£90,000.
Alternatively, if a water-cooled Porsche ticks the box, 996 generation 911s are astoundingly affordable at present and a Guards Red 1998 911/996 Carrera 2 with less than 36,000 recorded miles deserves a close look, estimated at just £14,000-£18,000
There’s a veritable feast in the affordable category at Historics’ summer sale. Pride of place may well go to an as-new, ‘pocket rocket’ 1984 MG Metro Turbo – In concours winning condition, completely original, one owner, with just 7,400 recorded miles since new, arguably this is the best you’ll ever come across and ticks all the collector boxes. £14,000-£18,000.
A very original 1960 Austin Mini Seven, from the first year of Mini production, is a great counterpoint. Plucked from a private collection, with just two former keepers, the car comes to sale complete with the luxury of an optional extra - a heater! £12,000-£16,000.
Staying with British classics, a very fine example of the Peter Stevens’ designed 2004 MG X-Power SV is one of only 82 examples, this the sole car produced in Garnet Red livery and showing just 5,313 miles since new. £34,000-£42,000.
Those with a British sportscar predisposition wont fail to be impressed with a 1974 Jensen Interceptor Mk.III. Despite approaching its 50th birthday, it has travelled just 25,000 miles, all with the same owner since it was first registered. Powered by a lusty 7.2 litre V8, this Interceptor was pampered with a full rotisserie bodywork restoration after being dry stored since 1981 and is presented in wonderful condition. £67,000-£75,000
Upholding French honours is a fully restored, super-rare 1973 Citroen SM. Believed to have been owned by a diplomat, it features an extraordinarily rare 3.0 litre manual specification. Adding to its illustrious history is the fact that the restoration was carried out whilst in the ownership of journalist David Lillywhite, today Editor of Magneto magazine and, at the time occupying the Editor post at Octane, in which he catalogued the restoration. £38,000-£48,000.
See www.historics.co.uk for details of all 180 fine and immensely varied entries and to register to bid, in-hall, by phone and on-line.
POSTSCRIPT....
For an interesting reflection on classic car prices, see all Historics’ sale results since the first auction in June 2010 where the following sold... a 1972 UK-supplied Ferrari 246 GTS Dino for £67,000.... a 1973 BMW 3.0 CSL for a fraction over £12,700... ..... A 1988 Ferrari 328 GTS - £25,143.... a RHD 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190SL that settled at £23,000. Historics sold a similar 1961 example at its May 2023 sale at Ascot Racecourse for £108,640.
