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Historics Auctioneers, Mercedes Benz World, 25th Nov

THE ALL-ACTION AUCTION... HISTORICS, MERCEDES-BENZ WORLD, 25TH NOVEMBER

An exceptional entry, bursting with quality, interest and variety, awaits public and online visitors alike to Historics’ live Winter Classic sale at Mercedes-Benz World, Saturday, 25^th November

Amongst the 150 entries, pride of place for collectibility and sheer iconic status surely goes to a glorious ‘Fantasy Yellow’ 1957 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (£875,000-£950,000). It heads a supreme consignment of 32 Mercedes-Benz classics, including a 2003 SL 55 AMG with just 646 miles since new, offered tantalisingly without reserve.

A further treat for collectors is the prototype 2005 BAE Vantare GT (£210,000-£240,000), the stunning Aston Martin DB9-based brainchild of actor and presenter Bradley Walsh. Featuring looks that reek of British classicism blended with contemporary coachbuilding plus undisputed rarity value, this is the first of only a handful of examples that were made.

The Aston Martin selection is brimful with quality and collector interest….An ultra-rare 1968 Aston Martin DBS ‘Prototype’ (£250,000-£270,000) sets the panache and performance agenda

contrasting spectacularly with a 1957 Aston Martin DB2/4, the last Mk.II to be manufactured, offered at no reserve and ripe for restoration after being stripped to its chassis, then left untouched for 53 years!

An exquisite restored 1958 DB2/4 Mk.II!, also at the sale and estimated at £140,000-£165,000, demonstrates the value of these high-performance luxury tourers.

Exceptional quality ‘Restomods’ continue to sizzle in the market and Historics’ offers here are set to thrill.

Amongst these, see the exceptional 3.2 litre 1976 Porsche 911 Targa (£120,000-£130,000) restored and re-imagined by renowned specialists 911 Rennsport.

It rubs shoulders with an exquisite and feisty 1977 Alfa Romeo Spider-R (£90,000-£120,000) by marque statesmen Alfaholics.

Whilst on the Italian trail, don't miss the 1975 Maserati Merak SS (£50,000-£60,000) with just 2,200 miles beneath its exotic belt and of course no Historics sale is complete without Ferrari …For a modern classic ‘shooting brake’, the four-seat 2012 Ferrari FF (£70,000-£80,000) takes some beating.

Historics has assembled for this sale a fascinating selection of Japanese classics spanning four decades from Datsun (260Z), Mitsubishi, (Lancer Evo 6) Subaru (Impreza P1) and Toyota (Supra Twin Turbo) while BMW‘s ‘designed for driving’ maxim is brilliantly represented by a muscular 2000 BMW Z3 M Roadster (£19,000-£26,000 and a sublime, ten-year old 2003 BMW M3 CSL (£65,000-£75,000. For rarity appeal, take a good look too at the 1970 BMW 1600-02 Convertible (£25,000-£35,000).

A graceful selection of 13 Rolls-Royce models adds iconic luxury to the sale, encompassing both pre-and post-war classics. Stand-out entries include an imperious 1931 Rolls Royce 20/25 Sedanca de Ville by Windovers (£38,000-£49,000) and, 87 years its junior, an exquisite 2018 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost (£140,000-£155,000).

Last and by no means least, affordable classics from many marques and eras are all present and correct at this sale too, including a rare and spectacularly-presented 1959 Vauxhall Cresta PA (£18,000-£26,000)

The Historics sale, on Saturday 25th November at Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands, is preceded by three viewing days from Wednesday 22^nd at the showcase venue.

Visit www.historics.co.uk to view all 150 entries and see HERE to register to bid, in-hall, by phone and online.

Bradley Walsh brainchild car comes to auction

Historics offers the Aston Martin DB9-based BAE Vantare GT prototype on 25^th November

The prototype of a coach-built Aston Martin DB9-based evocation - the brainchild of actor, television presenter and engineer Bradley Walsh - comes to auction with Historics at Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands, on 25^th November.

The design concept and three-year journey to the completion of this, the first BAE Vantare GT, is believed to have started with Walsh’s drive of his childhood icon, an Aston Martin DB5. The quintessential Bond car did not entirely suit him so Walsh set about the preliminary design of a car with more than a hint of British classicism, but featuring modern day mechanicals and a bespoke specification.

The experienced team at Essex-based British Automotive Engineering (BAE) was contracted to interpret Walsh’s preliminary design concept and bring the necessary engineering and coachbuilding skills to develop and produce the car, which took some three years. Whilst it started as a one-off project for Walsh, demand spawned the subsequent bespoke manufacture of a handful of cars to customer order.

Based on a 2005 Aston Martin DB9, a donor car was stripped to the chassis and rebodied with a flowing design in carbon fibre. Beneath the bonnet is the well tried and tested

6.0-litre, 450bhp V12 powerplant and running gear of the DB9, featuring a paddle shift automatic gearbox. Aston Martin vented disc brakes provide the stopping power front and rear.

Echoing Walsh’s desire to combine classicism with contemporary design cues the re-crafted, full leather interior features retro styling with a modern twist, the classic instrumentation and switchgear combining with a modern touchscreen display and infotainment system.

‘713 XUK’ is chassis number 001 of the project and was successfully utilised as a publicity and press car when the Vantare GT was launched. Estimated at £210,000-£240,000, this very first example of the BAE Vantare Grand Tourer has undoubted collector appeal.

The Historics sale, on Saturday 25th November at Mercedes-Benz World, Brooklands, is preceded by viewings on the three previous days at the venue.

To view full details of all 150 fine and varied sale entries, see HERE

To register to bid - in-hall, by phone and online - see HERE

Photograph courtesy of TAZ BROTHERTON (www.tazzybrophotography.com)

Photograph of Bradley Walsh reproduced by kind permission of Steve Camplin