Double Delights at Historics’ London Auction on 25^th February

Remember the adage about waiting for a bus and then two coming along at once? 

As entries closed on Historics’ start-studded auction at London Olympia on Saturday 25th February the same could be said to apply, albeit in stark contrast to the ubiquitous double decker...

Dino Duo

The Ferrari Dino 246 GT is one of those classics that will remain immortal. Designed by Pininfarina, built by Scaglietti and named by Enzo Ferrari to honour his son nicknamed  

‘Alfredino’ - who passed away tragically in 1956 - the car has all the stripes to ensure it will be celebrated through all time.

Historics is proudly offering a brace of these exceptionally collectible classics, one a 1971 example, the other two years its junior.  Both are right-hand drive, finished in Ferrari’s signature red coachwork and are exactly as you would expect having benefitted from the consummate care of their passionate owners since new, together with professional restoration.

Both cars have an evocative yet very different story to tell; one owned, thoroughly enjoyed and pampered by its enthusiast vendor for nearly 50 years, the other bestowed with Ferrari Classiche paperwork amongst its fully documented history and meticulously presentation.

Rarely, if ever, have two Ferrari Dinos of this quality come to sale together at auction. Both are estimated at £260,000-£280,000 and offer serious enthusiasts and collectors an exceptional opportunity to purchase a wonderful piece of history.

For full details, see HERE

Cooper Couplet

Equal stars of the Historics sale – although for an entirely different reason - are a brace of Mini Coopers, the ‘go-faster’ version of the original Mini launched two years later.

A ‘Cooper’,  named from the collaboration between Mini designer Alec Issigonis and motorsport aficionado, John Cooper, won the British Saloon Car Championship in 1962, spawning the sensational motorsport success of the Cooper ‘S’ thereafter.

Consequently,  the Mini Cooper thoroughly deserves its place in the hallmark of motorsport fame.

First registered in 1964, the Morris Mini Cooper entered in Historics sale is in wonderful condition, featuring its original engine, gearbox and bodyshell and has benefitted from a full restoration which was completed in 2019. It presents extremely well with correct Almond Green paintwork plus the contrasting Old English White roof and original interior.

Full details HERE:

Two years its junior is the second of the two Coopers on sale, this a 1966 Austin Mini Cooper, in its original Tweed grey coachwork, again with a correct Old English White roof.   No stone was left unturned in the pursuit of perfection during its complete restoration which is fully documented in text and photographs.

This Cooper is remarkable too in another way as it comes with the provenance of being from the private collection of Jamiroquai’s front man, Jay Kay.

Full details HERE

The Historics sale at the London Classic Car Show at Olympia, West London starts at noon on Saturday 25^th February, with viewing the day before and on the morning of the sale.  Entry to the sale for show visitors is by catalogue purchased in advance or at the entrance to the auction. Viewing of all entries is free to show visitors on Friday 24^th,  plus after the sale and on Sunday 26^th February.

For full details of all 100 entries, see here

To register to bid -  in hall, by phone and online - and to follow the auction online,  see here

Rolls-Royce reported a record year for sales in 2022 with 6,021 cars sold, this being a rise of 7.8% from 2021. Despite a decline in the Chinese market, the second highest market worldwide for Rolls-Royce after the United States, the year saw an average sales price of $534,000.00.

The shortfall in China was due to coronavirus-related issues and lockdowns in the country but the US market remained in good shape, with 35% of sales worldwide coming from here. The Chinese drop in sales was, however, offset by significant growth in other markets.

The order book for 2023 is already looking healthy for all models, with Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Muller Otvos stating they had not seen any slowdown in orders yet, despite no longer selling to the Russian market as a result of the Ukraine situation.

The Cullinan was the biggest seller during the year making up almost half of the global sales, with the Ghost also contributing greatly to the record figures with a 30% share and the Phantom at 10%, the first time that Rolls-Royce has sold over 6,000 cars in a single year.

The customized and bespoke approach of the Rolls-Royce brand has resulted in customers demanding even more personal and imaginative orders. These commissions enable the customer to help design their own vehicle in all areas such as paint colour schemes, embroidered headliners, one-off wooden materials and even personalized drink cabinets and champagne chests.

With the opening of a Private Office in Dubai for invitation-only clients and to better serve their VIP and bespoke clients in the Middle East, this region has developed into the leader in highly customized and "high-end" bespoke vehicles. As a result, more of these Private Offices are expected to open around the world this year.

Despite a drop in sales, China still contributed 25% of the global sales figure. With the country reopening and with economic recovery, it is quite possible that China could ultimately become the largest market in the not-too-distant future.

The Spectre was also introduced in 2022, being officially unveiled in October. Even with a starting price of just over $400,000.00, more than 300 preorders were seen from the USA. This is Rolls-Royce's first venture into the electric car market, with its long-term plan to become fully electric by 2030.

With a large backlog of orders, the future looks strong for the company. A purchase today could mean a wait of 10 months to a year for a new customer, depending on the model and specific features.

2023 looks to be one of continued strength for Rolls-Royce, with a cautious level of optimism for another strong year.

For a great selection of classic or vintage Rolls-Royce models for sale, news and information then head to our new marque-specific website right here https://www.classicrollsroyce-bentley.com/home/

Ferrari has manufactured many race cars over the years and compiling a list to showcase a top 5 or 10 is often open to debate. Here, in no specific order, we highlight 5 of the greatest race cars ever made that feature the iconic prancing horse.

The Ferrari 250 GTO is possibly the most famous of them all and was designed to compete in the world sports car arena. With a tubular steel frame, it was quite similar to the GT SWB's but aerodynamic changes and a few other improvements in the overall design improved the rear downforce.

Sergio Scaglietti was brought in to replace the departed Giotto Bizzarrini and complete the project, which resulted in not one of the 36 GTOs made between 1962 and 1964 being identical, adding to the aura that now surrounds this classic.

A truly outstanding car to drive with a price anywhere from $50 - $70 million.

 No list would be complete without the Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa. A winner at Le Mans in 1958, 1960 and 1961 firmly cemented its place as a legendary race car in the Ferrari stable.

The most famous Testa Rossas were some of the earliest models made, featuring pontoon-style bodywork. The bodywork was later changed when the car became unstable at high speeds but this endurance racing car with its 4-speed manual gearbox remains a true legend in Ferrari history.

The current sales price is in excess of $40 million!

In 1961, Ferrari entered the Formula 1 Championship with the 156 "Sharknose" and went on to win five of the eight races that season. A new V6 engine gave the car greater performance and resulted in two wins each for drivers Phil Hill and Wolfgang von Trips, plus a win on debut for Italian Giancarlo Baghetti – the only driver in history to win an F1 race at his first attempt.

However, the season is most remembered for the tragic death of Wolfgang von Trips who crashed in Monza, an accident that also resulted in the loss of lives of 14 spectators. Phil Hill of the USA won the driver's championship, but the victory was naturally a bittersweet one.

Enzo Ferrari ordered all 156 cars to be destroyed after this season.

The current sales price is in the region of $8 - $10 million.

The Ferrari F2004 deserves its place on the list as this was the car that enabled Michael Schumacher to win his seventh (and last) Formula 1 world championship in 2004. Schumacher dominated proceedings, winning 13 of 18 races over the season – his teammate also won another two.

This was the peak of the Schumacher-era domination with five consecutive drivers' titles and six in a row for Ferrari as constructors' champion. With its V10 engine, the F2004 was in a class of its own and the true thoroughbred in the field.

An F2004 was sold at auction several years ago for $2.3 million, a record for a modern F1 car at the time. That figure has since been eclipsed a number of times. An F2003 was sold in 2022 for almost $15 million, so if an F2004 comes on the market again it would certainly command a higher price tag now.

Finally, we complete our list with something from the late 50s, the 1958 Ferrari 246 Dino F1. The 246 F1 was the first V6-engined car to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix (in France) and was also the last front-engined car to win a Formula 1 race in 1960.

Mike Hawthorn was able to win the World Championship in this car and Ferrari also achieved second place in the Constructors' Championship.

With its tubular aluminium body, the 246 F1 had a light and rigid structure, weighing just over 550 kilos and being powered by a 4-speed manual engine. Its success was limited though as engine capacity regulations changed in 1961 and together with the increase in mid-engined rivals, the 246 F1 Dino drifted away.

For everything Ferrari then please take a look at our Ferrari website, which has recently had an upgrade.  www.ferrarimotorcarsales.com

Here you will find a wide range of Ferrari vehicles for sale plus other interesting news items and information dedicated to the Ferrari marque.

Classic cars can be very expensive, however, this can be outweighed by the fact that many tend to increase in value, so they are considered to be a good investment. Getting help to buy your classic car is often a requirement, with finance companies offering various services.

Banks and regular loan companies are of course an option but many may lack the experience of financing such a purchase. A standard car loan company may not be interested in financing a car that is over 20-25 years old, which is often the criteria for a classic vehicle. For these very reasons, using a speciality classic car finance company is considered to be a wise choice.

Getting an accurate assessment of the true value of your classic car before purchase is very important, a loan company that specialises in the market will be much better equipped to handle this issue. Classic car finance companies understand why you are buying the car and their experience in the market means they will provide an accurate and fair valuation.

Before getting the loan approval there will be the typical application steps to go through, credit checks, plus maybe a few additional ones for a classic car loan. Normally, the standard procedure is to pay an initial 10%-20% of the car's value, and then monthly payments spread over as many as 7 to 10 years (which is slightly longer than most standard car loans). You can of course pay a higher initial deposit and higher monthly payments to reduce the length of the loan, so all of this must be taken into consideration before deciding on the car purchase and loan.

The bottom line is to be sure you can afford to pay for this car of your dreams over the specified timeframe, so it is vitally important to get the car thoroughly checked before committing to any purchase, just to be sure that the car is exactly as it should be.

There are many finance companies out there that specialise in the classic car loan market so it's a good idea to shop around for the best deal or one that suits you.

Are you a classic car loan company looking to offer your services to classic car buyers and enthusiasts? Why not advertise with us here at Classic Motors For Sale? We have a range of cost-effective advertising packages available that will get your services directly in front of thousands of potential customers.

Maybe you would like to become our exclusive finance company partner?

For further information on advertising options and all things classic car related then please contact us using the details below, we will be more than happy to help you.

2022 has been a very good year for the classic car market with a buoyant mood throughout the year. We have seen some cars sold for seriously big money in a market that has shown no signs of slowing down at all.

Just taking this year's Monterey Car Week as a prime example, the auctions set a new record for sales with a figure of $469 million, which was an increase of nearly 19% from the previous record of $394.5 million in 2015. With a sell-through rate nudging 80% and an average sale price of just over $590,000, this showcased the enthusiasm of the market in general in 2022.

The industry appears to be resilient to all that is currently happening in terms of price rises, inflation, or fears of a recession, with many buyers of collector cars in particular seeing their purchase as a real investment.

During the first half of the year, $2.16 billion was spent globally on classic cars, a good indication that the market is healthy indeed. Back in May, we also saw the sale of the world's most expensive car to date for $143 million - the Rudolf Uhlenhaut Mercedes-Benz 300SLR – one of just two built.

The live and online auction segment of the market has continued to thrive, with many auction companies posting post-auction record numbers, and this trend again seems set to continue into 2023.

In terms of trends during 2022 we have seen an increase in demand for cars and trucks made in the 1980s. This has been noticeable with younger buyers looking to purchase their first classic vehicles which are cheaper and more accessible than the older classics.

Porsche is a popular brand at any time, especially the 911 and Carrera models, but during the year we have seen a rise in the popularity of many vintage and older Porsches.

1930s cars have also become very popular, more so with those buyers looking for an investment, an object of art, or to be used on a very limited basis. Cars from this era are when designers really started to have an impact and their value is being appreciated right now.

For most buyers, however, the purchase of the classic car remains a passion rather than an investment, so trends will be constantly changing and different sectors of the market will see ups and downs in terms of what is currently popular.

As we look ahead to 2023, what can we expect? The market is expected to stay stable but without maybe some of the spectacular results we have seen in 2022.

Several vehicles are tipped to be the "ones to watch" in 2023 and could prove to be shrewd investments, these include makes such as the Lamborghini Diablo, Mercedes SL500, Bentley Turbo R, Triumph Spitfire, Austin Seven, the Saab 99 Turbo, and the original Ford Fiesta (with the Fiesta name set to be officially retired from June 2023) – to name just a select few.

At Classic Motors For Sale we have had another very busy year in all areas of the business. During 2022 we have seen our busiest months in 13 years of business with record months of site visitors, car sales, and clients signing up, proving the market remains positive and it is a great time to join us.

Our websites have recently undergone some major upgrading in preparation for 2023 and both our reach worldwide and subscriber list continue to grow, so we anticipate another big year ahead with these sites now live.

As a website media portal, we reach a huge global audience and we are committed to your success, offering a range of special dealer advertising packages to meet your specific budget and requirements.

The market would appear to be in a safe state moving forward and as always, classic cars should and will be bought to be enjoyed, so Happy Motoring to you all in 2023.