Chassis n° 5087GT

Coachwork by Pininfarina/Scaglietti

Zoute Sale - Bonhams

Estimated : € 1.650.000 - 1.850.000

Sold for € 1.700.000

Zoute Grand Prix 2022

Knokke - Zoute

België - Belgium

October 2022

"This new luxury Berlinetta has been developed from the car which allowed so many gentlemen to enjoy sports car performance. It boasts those characteristics valued by enthusiasts while also possessing the comfort required by the ladies." – Ferrari's brochure for the 250 GT Lusso.

Arguably the most beautiful product ever to carry the Maranello marque's prancing horse emblem, the 250 GT Lusso debuted at the Paris Salon in October 1962. Styled by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti, the Lusso (Luxury) combined racetrack looks with new standards of passenger comfort. Beautifully proportioned, it blended a low-slung nose, reminiscent of that of the SWB Berlinetta, with a sculpted Kamm tail by means of some of the most exquisite lines yet seen on an automobile. Slim pillars and wide expanses of glass not only enhanced the car's outward appearance but made for excellent visibility and a pleasantly light and airy interior. "The design of the body was at once elegant and exciting and no other road Ferrari before or since has earned the same degree of enduring admiration for its aesthetics," declared Road & Track.

After Pininfarina had completed the prototype Lusso, production was entrusted to Carrozzeria Scaglietti, a smaller concern that specialised in building low-volume models for Ferrari. In total, 350 (including one prototype each from Pininfarina and Scaglietti) would be completed over the next two years, with deliveries of the production model commencing early in 1963. "Its proportions approach perfection, and the execution is faultless," enthused Car & Driver. "It makes for Grand Touring in the grandest possible manner..."

The Lusso's immediate antecedent had been the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB. Introduced at the 1959 Paris Salon, the latter was a true dual-purpose car, arguably more capable than any Ferrari before or since of coping equally well with the conflicting demands of racetrack and highway. The 'SWB' (Short Wheel Base) designation arose from a chassis that, at 2,400mm, was 200mm shorter than that of the standard 250 GT. Specifications could be varied to suit individual customers' requirements for either road or track, models supplied for competition use having lightweight aluminium-alloy bodies while the lusso road version came with a fully-trimmed interior and softer springing.

However, Ferrari's policy of building a single, dual-purpose race/road model did not survive long into the 1960s, the diverging requirements of the two markets necessitating greater specialisation in the form of the competition-only 250 GTO and the touring 250 GT Lusso. Built on a short-wheelbase chassis similar to that of the 250 GT SWB and 250 GTO, the Lusso was powered by Gioacchino Colombo's light and compact 3.0-litre V12. Ferrari's first in-house power plant, the supremely versatile Colombo V12 had debuted in 1947 as a 1.5-litre unit and would enjoy a remarkably long production life, finally bowing out in 4.9-litre quad-cam form in 1988. Breathing through three twin-choke Weber carburettors, this all-aluminium, two-cam, Tipo 168 unit produced 240bhp at 7,500rpm as installed in the Lusso, giving it a top speed of 240km/h and a useful 0-160km/h acceleration time of 19.5 seconds. Power was transmitted to the road via a conventional four-speed gearbox, and the power train was housed in Ferrari's familiar steel spaceframe chassis with oval main tubes. Suspension was conventional for the time: independent at the front by means of 'A' arms and coil springs, with a semi-elliptically sprung live axle at the rear.

The result was not only one of the best looking Ferraris ever made, but also, courtesy of its competizione antecedents, one of the most rewarding to drive. "Driving a Ferrari smoothly is always easy; the Lusso is no exception," proclaimed R&T. "The gearshift moves like the proverbial stick in a bowl of whipped cream, and the smooth clutch combines with the 12-cylinder engine's buttery delivery of torque to make it nearly impossible... to stall the engine when moving off from rest." R&T found that the Lusso's steering was lighter than one would expect and remarked on its smooth, predictable, and forgiving handling. They were also much impressed by the powerful servo-assisted four-wheel disc brakes.

An important milestone in the Maranello marque's history, the 250 GT Lusso was the last of the long-running 250 series that had done so much to cement Ferrari's commercial success, and a most fitting finale to this remarkable family of Ferrari road cars.

The Lusso we offer, chassis number '5087', is the 119th of the 350 units built. Completed on 27th September 1963, the car was displayed at the 50th Annual Paris Motor Show held at the Grand Palais. Originally finished in the unusual combination of Nero (Black) with Beige Scuro (dark beige) Connolly leather interior, the Lusso was sold by Franco-Britannic Autos Ltd to first owner Gaston Burger, a French industrialist resident in Reuil-Malmaison. The Ferrari was registered on French plates as '5686 FA 75'. Burger kept the Lusso for only a couple of years before trading it back to FBA, who sold it to the second owner, a Mr Beaudoin, in May 1966. The accompanying Massini Report records several changes French registration into the 1980s; indeed, this Lusso has been resident in France for its entire life.

In 1993, '5087' was offered for sale at an auction in France where it was purchased by the last private owner. The Ferrari was in a very good state of conservation but required some work to improve its usability, which was carried between 1993 and 2006. It is worthwhile noting that this car has a totally original body, having never been in an accident. This point is very important because the front part is almost impossible to repair properly and many examples of the 250 GT Lusso have a more or less deformed front as a result. In 1997 the sills and wing entrances were changed because of corrosion. Since acquisition the Ferrari has been driven sparingly and kept in excellent condition in secure storage. It has been maintained by recognised specialists and exercised regularly, without ever being inactive for lengthy periods (details in the Massini Report). Events participated in with the current owner include the Tour Auto Optic 2000 (1994, 1996, 2002); Rallye du Maroq Classique (1995); Coupe des Alpes (1996); VIII Tour España (2006); and the Chantilly Arts & Concours (2015).

In December 2021 all the mechanical parts were overhauled and the engine was the subject of a total restoration (costing more than €30,000) carried out by the great French specialist, Tissier. The car is now in 'close to new' condition. At time of cataloguing Ferrari Classiche certification was underway at Ferrari Eberlein in Kassel, Germany. The car comes with a substantial history file containing among other items, copies of the factory build sheets, the aforementioned Massini Report; various magazines reporting on its last sale; and numerous invoices from Charles Pozzi (Ferrari France).

A rare opportunity to acquire a model - seldom offered for sale - that is not only one of the most beautiful and exclusive Ferraris ever made, but also one of the most enjoyable to drive and own: the 250 GT Lusso.

Chassis n° 022

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais 2020

Bonhams

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2020

Bonhams is delighted to offer one of the most successful of the entire good looking family of Ferrari Dino 206S cars – the ex-Ravetto, ex-Lo Piccolo chassis '022'. It is offered here in the ultimate Dino 206SP – sports-prototype – specification with simplified, lightweight Barchetta or Spider bodywork, as campaigned with considerable national Italian hill-climb success as late as 1970-71. A potential visit to Ferrari Classiche or to one of the top-ranked specialist restorers around the world and an alternative set of as-original 1966-67 body panels could return this great car very quickly to its mouth-wateringly gorgeous looks in original Piero Drogo 'mini-Ferrari P3/P4' style...

Amongst all racing Ferraris the rare family of Dino 206S and SP cars has the greatest intrinsic charm for its combination of exquisitely well-balanced, compact design and – most certainly – its vividly nimble agility whenever its inbuilt combination of lightweight, power and good handling can be fully explored.

Of course the Dino 206S series traces its genesis back to 1956 when Mr Ferrari's multi-talented son Alfredo – 'Alfredino', 'Dino' – succumbed to the Duchenne muscular dystrophy which had afflicted him since infancy. Dino Ferrari has been recalled by nearly all who knew and worked with him as a very pleasant young man, obviously in fragile health yet personally most engaging. Enzo Ferrari – his father and creator of the marque bearing their name – had lived in anguish for many years, fully aware that his heir would not long survive. And poor Dino passed away on June 30, 1956 aged only 24.

Immediately his grieving father decreed that a new type of Ferrari V6-cylinder engine, destined for the new International Formula 2 which would prevail for 1957-1960, should carry the boy's name. Lettering derived from his signature duly adorned the cam-covers of that new 1.5-litre 4-cam V6-cylinder engine. Its design had been outlined by legendary consultant engineer Vittorio Jano, ex-Alfa Romeo, ex-Lancia. It was developed by Ferrari under the leadership of its youthful new Chief Engineer Ing. Andrea Fraschetti. The Ferrari Dino V6 won its first major race – the F2 Coupe de Vitesse at Reims – in 1957 driven by Maurice Trintignant. By the end of that season the design had been enlarged to 2.2-litres for interim Formula 1 use, and into 1958 in 2.4-litre form the Ferrari Dino 246 would carry Mike Hawthorn to the Drivers' World Championship title. Ferrari Dino 246 and 256 Formula 1 cars would carry the marque to further Formula 1 success through 1959-1960, it remained a winner at 1500cc Formula 2 level and even shone in endurance sports-prototype form through 1961-62. The 65-degree Dino 156 4-cam V6 engine also featured in early examples of the famous 'Sharknose' Grand Prix cars of 1961 – before the derived 120-degree V6 engine took precedence 1961-63.

It was early in December 1964 that Mr Ferrari held a press conference to outline his plans for 1965. Amongst them was a major surprise as he made passing comment to a new '168 Dino GT car'. But he was notably reticent when asked for further detail, merely confirming that the new model would be powered by a '168' engine, so 1600cc and presumably a V8. It was suggested by sources close to Ferrari that the power unit would be used as the production basis needed for a new Formula 2 racing engine needed to contest a new F2 class due in 1967...

This was the beginning of the Ferrari-Fiat accord that eventually produced the Fiat Dino production models of 1966-67 although they emerged with V6 engines - not V8s. Nothing more was heard of the phantom 'Dino 168' but during practice for the April 25, 1965, Monza 1,000Kms race it was instead the delightful 'Dino 166P' that made its ear-splitting public debut, having just been revealed to specialist press at the Maranello factory.

Peter Coltrin, the respected American racing journalist resident in Modena, described how "At first glance (the new Dino) appears to be a dehydrated 250LM...but chassis and engine-wise the Dino is in many respects a closer relative to the Ferrari Formula 1 cars than it is to the more recent GT and prototype models...".

Its new V6 engine was indeed an endurance racing version of the Fiat-Ferrari Dino V6 then being finalised by Ing. Franco Rocchi; a 4-cam 65-degree V6 derived from the old 1957-60 F1/F2 design. The new car's all-up weight was barely 1,300lbs and the 1600cc V6 engine was expected to deliver around 190bhp at 9,000rpm. The chassis was a lightweight tubular frame with riveted-on aluminium stressed skin panelling. With Formula 1 style all-independent suspension the car carried its Dunlop disc brakes outboard at the front, and inboard – on the gearbox cheeks – at the rear.

Giancarlo Baghetti in the new Dino 166P won the Rome Grand Prix supporting sports car race with ease. One week later it was entrusted to Lorenzo Bandini/Nino Vaccarella in the Nürburgring 1,000Kms. Denis Jenkinson of 'Motor Sport' reported: "Surtees and Scarfiotti gave a very impressive demonstration (in their winning 4-litre Ferrari 330P2) but it almost paled into insignificance compared with the relative performance of the 1600 Ferrari Dino Coupe, driven by Bandini/Vaccarella. This Coupe two-seater 'Grand Prix' car staggered everyone by its performance and set a new standard... This little red coupe with its yellow Grand Prix alloy wheels went so fast that a lot of people refused to believe it was only 1600cc. As the class limit was 2000cc it did not matter much to Ferrari whether they were believed or not.... It was leading all the GT Cars, of any capacity, all the LM Ferraris, all the Porsches, both 8-cylinder and 6-cylinder, and was undoubtedly the star of the show. As other cars struck trouble it moved up into third place...for a long while the Ferrari team were on top of the world with their 4-litre prototype in first place, their 3.3-litre prototype in second place and their 1.6-litre prototype in third place, with Porsches, Fords, Cobras, Alfa Romeos and everyone else behind them.

"Then there was a moment of panic when the Dino started to misfire and Bandini came into the pits. There was no undue noise, no smoke, no loss of oil pressure, but the misfire was still there and it remained to the end of the race – so that one of the Porsches was able to take third place and the Dino finished fourth. It transpired that a piece of rubber from a seal in the intake system had gone down one of the downdraught Weber carburettors and partially blocked a jet. But the Dino Ferrari had certainly made its mark...".

That mark became even more indelible when team manager Eugenio Dragoni insisted that the German scrutineers should verify the little Dino's engine capacity, after which "...the muttering began about 'thinly-disguised Grand Prix cars'" being used in sports car World Championship racing...

After that year's Le Mans race the little Dino ran out of 2-litre class endurance races to contest, and so was entrusted instead to Ludovico Scarfiotti for another attempt upon winning the European Mountain Championship, which he had won so handsomely – with an earlier Ferrari Dino - in 1962. Despite missing the opening two Championship rounds, while latterly using the first prototype car in cut-down open-cockpit Barchetta form, Scarfiotti and the Dino walked off with Ferrari's second European Mountain Championship title in four years.

In early February 1966 Ferrari then released both its glorious 4-litre 330P3 sports-prototype car and its new 'little sister' – the new Dino 206S. Mr Ferrari declared his intention to build 50 of these little V6s to qualify them as 2-litre Group 4 sports-racing cars – as opposed to their being initially Group 6 prototypes. However, that summer saw Italian industry convulsed by widespread industrial strife which gutted Ferrari's production programme. While effort was focused upon the marque's Formula 1 and large-capacity sports-prototype programmes, Dino 206S production was apparently limited to just 18 true Dino 206S entities - even-numbered from chassis '002' to '036'. This family embodied a separate series from the works-team prototypes – although two works cars may also have been renumbered as production cars.

Several changes were made to the new 1966 Dino 206S. Most notable was the adoption of brand-new – far better proportioned - bodywork hand-made by Piero Drogo's Carrozzeria Sports Cars company in Modena. The body shape was scaled-down version from Drogo's big-engined P3 body form and the new model was based upon a welded multi-tubular spaceframe stiffened by alloy stress panels rivetted into place. Some glassfibre panels were also bonded to the frame tubes, housing bag-type fuel tanks within each side sill. The 65-degree 4-cam Dino V6 engine adopted the 86mm bore x 57mm stroke used in the Mountain Championship-winning car, displacing 1986.6cc. Redesigned cylinder heads had single-plug ignition replacing the 1965 twin-plug system. Either three twin-choke Weber carburettors or fuel injection was to be used, and in this updated form the Dino 206S was initially credited with 218bhp at 9,000rpm. The standard – voluptuously curved and utterly beautiful – bodywork resembled a Coupe with an open sun-roof. In fact a roof panel was offered to create a true closed Coupe – "...for very fast circuits".

Aristocratic Sicilian gentleman magistrate-cum-racing driver Clemente Ravetto was the first owner of Ferrari Dino 206S chassis '022' now offered here. He was a leading light of the Sicilian Scuderia Pegaso team, having campaigned Ferrari 250GTO and 250LM, and an E-Type Jaguar. He was the vice-prosecutor of the Republic of Vrone, and a Knight of both the Order in Malta and of the Italian Republic. He was an engaging and kindly man who remained widely popular and prominent figure until his death in 2010, aged 76, when his son, Dr Manfredi Ravetto, was general manager of the HRT Formula 1 Team, Hispania Racing.

Ravetto appears to have made his Dino 206S debut on July 31, 1966, running under race No 470 in the major Trieste-Opicina hill-climb. However, the Ferrari factory invoice for his purchase of Dino '022' offered here is dated March 29, 1967, quoting 'Telaio' (chassis) '022' and 'Motore' '022' – finished in Rosso Corsa (Racing Red). The price charged for the car 'complete with five wheels and tyres') was 8,876,400 Lire.

Clemente Ravetto then entered the April 25, 1967, Monza 1,000Kms, co-driving this Dino 206S – in its original ex-factory Drogo-bodied form - with fellow Sicilian aristocrat – and vastly experienced sometime Formula 1 racing driver - Prince Gaetano Starrabba di Giardinelli. But their race ended in engine failure.

Ravetto reappeared in the car in June that year, finishing second on home soil in the Monte Pellegrino hill-climb, just outside Palermo, Sicily. And it was to one of Palermo's most prominent personalities that Ravetto then sold '022', for 1968.

Pietro Lo Piccolo was the race-driving President of the Unione Provinciale Panificatori and leader of the Palermo commercial confederation. Lo Piccolo's father had founded a major bakery business, which prospered under the management of Pietro and his brother Francis

Lo Piccolo had raced motorcycles before turning to four wheels in karting, and then motor racing, initially in 1965 with an Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ, followed – in 1966 – by a Giulia TZ 1600. After acquiring '022' from Ravetto he would campaign it for three years, ultimately winning the Italian Championship in 1970. Having that far driven the Alfa Romeo TZ in his home island's International Targa Florio, he entered his Dino '022' in the 1970 Targa – co-driving it with Salvatore Calascibetta. They finished a 11th overall and 2nd in class. By that time '022' had been updated into the Spider or Montagna body form in which it is now offered here.

Pietro Lo Piccolo was also an enthusiastic aviator and competed in air races, including the Tour of Sicily, while in down-town Palermo he was a familiar figure cycling to his office because he couldn't abide being stuck in traffic...

His career in Dino 206S '022' began with 5th place in the Coppa Bruno Carotti race at Vallelunga, Rome, in June, 1968. That August saw him win his class, 5th overall, in the Coppa Citta di Enna race around Lake Pergusa, Sicily, and he then won the September '68 Cefalu-Gibilmanna hill-climb, followed in October by victory at Val d'Anapo-Sortino. He placed 2nd in the Citta d'Orivetto event before the broadly Ferrari 212E-type Montagna lightweight sports body - custom made for him in vetroresina (glass fibre) - was fitted to the car for 1969.

Pietro Lo Piccolo then drove '022' to win six important National events that new season; the San Benedetto del Tronto-Acquaviva Piceno hill-climb, Monte Pellegrino-Polerna, Trapani-Monte Erice, the Coppa Nissena, Val d'Anapo-Sortino and Camucia-Cortona events. He raced the car in the Coppa Citta di Enna at Pergusa, finishing 6th and placed 3rd in the Coppa di Tolentino.

This most capable and talented gentleman driver then entered '022' for its most important motor race – the 1970 Targa Florio, round 5 of that year's World Championship of Makes endurance racing series. Lo Piccolo and Salvatore Calascibetta co-drove their Dino 206S under the Scuderia Pegaso ('Pegasus' – the winged horse) banner, to finish 11th overall and 2nd in class, headed in that category by only the works-supported Alfa Romeo T33/2 of ex-works Ferrari driver Jonathan Williams/Giovanni Alberti.

Lo Piccolo in '022' went on subsequently to win the 1970 Coppa Faro, the Trofeo Ludovico Scarfiotti, Monte Pellegrino and Val d'Anapo-Sortino hill-climbs. In the July 19, 1970, Mugello 500Kms public road-circuit race he finished 14th overall, and between the Pellegrino and Val d'Anapo hill-climbs he also suffered a nasty and highly untypical accident during practice for the Coppa Citta di Enna at Pergusa, backing '022' into the trackside guardrail at very high speed. The car was well repaired, however, as evidenced by its October 12 victory at Val d'Anapo.

In its later life the car was acquired by the renowned French Ferrari connoisseur Jess G. Pourret – and in 1976 it passed into the legendary Ferrari Collection of Pierre Bardinon at Mas-du-Clos, Aubusson, France. He subsequently passed the car on to Jean-Marie Cauwet of St Maur, France only to re-acquire it in later years.

Eventually, in 1984, this Ferrari Dino 206S passed into the hands of its present vendor, Jack Setton, – in whose suitably renowned and respected private collection it has since been preserved for the past 36 years.

Here indeed is one of the most successful examples of the beautiful little Ferrari Dino 206S cars – blessed with a wonderfully Italianate racing history – and offering tremendous potential for a truly discerning and enthusiastic new owner/driver...

Chassis n° 5087GT

Coachwork by Pininfarina/Scaglietti

Zoute Sale - Bonhams

Estimated : € 1.650.000 - 1.850.000

Sold for € 1.700.000

Zoute Grand Prix 2022

Knokke - Zoute

België - Belgium

October 2022

"This new luxury Berlinetta has been developed from the car which allowed so many gentlemen to enjoy sports car performance. It boasts those characteristics valued by enthusiasts while also possessing the comfort required by the ladies." – Ferrari's brochure for the 250 GT Lusso.

Arguably the most beautiful product ever to carry the Maranello marque's prancing horse emblem, the 250 GT Lusso debuted at the Paris Salon in October 1962. Styled by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti, the Lusso (Luxury) combined racetrack looks with new standards of passenger comfort. Beautifully proportioned, it blended a low-slung nose, reminiscent of that of the SWB Berlinetta, with a sculpted Kamm tail by means of some of the most exquisite lines yet seen on an automobile. Slim pillars and wide expanses of glass not only enhanced the car's outward appearance but made for excellent visibility and a pleasantly light and airy interior. "The design of the body was at once elegant and exciting and no other road Ferrari before or since has earned the same degree of enduring admiration for its aesthetics," declared Road & Track.

After Pininfarina had completed the prototype Lusso, production was entrusted to Carrozzeria Scaglietti, a smaller concern that specialised in building low-volume models for Ferrari. In total, 350 (including one prototype each from Pininfarina and Scaglietti) would be completed over the next two years, with deliveries of the production model commencing early in 1963. "Its proportions approach perfection, and the execution is faultless," enthused Car & Driver. "It makes for Grand Touring in the grandest possible manner..."

The Lusso's immediate antecedent had been the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB. Introduced at the 1959 Paris Salon, the latter was a true dual-purpose car, arguably more capable than any Ferrari before or since of coping equally well with the conflicting demands of racetrack and highway. The 'SWB' (Short Wheel Base) designation arose from a chassis that, at 2,400mm, was 200mm shorter than that of the standard 250 GT. Specifications could be varied to suit individual customers' requirements for either road or track, models supplied for competition use having lightweight aluminium-alloy bodies while the lusso road version came with a fully-trimmed interior and softer springing.

However, Ferrari's policy of building a single, dual-purpose race/road model did not survive long into the 1960s, the diverging requirements of the two markets necessitating greater specialisation in the form of the competition-only 250 GTO and the touring 250 GT Lusso. Built on a short-wheelbase chassis similar to that of the 250 GT SWB and 250 GTO, the Lusso was powered by Gioacchino Colombo's light and compact 3.0-litre V12. Ferrari's first in-house power plant, the supremely versatile Colombo V12 had debuted in 1947 as a 1.5-litre unit and would enjoy a remarkably long production life, finally bowing out in 4.9-litre quad-cam form in 1988. Breathing through three twin-choke Weber carburettors, this all-aluminium, two-cam, Tipo 168 unit produced 240bhp at 7,500rpm as installed in the Lusso, giving it a top speed of 240km/h and a useful 0-160km/h acceleration time of 19.5 seconds. Power was transmitted to the road via a conventional four-speed gearbox, and the power train was housed in Ferrari's familiar steel spaceframe chassis with oval main tubes. Suspension was conventional for the time: independent at the front by means of 'A' arms and coil springs, with a semi-elliptically sprung live axle at the rear.

The result was not only one of the best looking Ferraris ever made, but also, courtesy of its competizione antecedents, one of the most rewarding to drive. "Driving a Ferrari smoothly is always easy; the Lusso is no exception," proclaimed R&T. "The gearshift moves like the proverbial stick in a bowl of whipped cream, and the smooth clutch combines with the 12-cylinder engine's buttery delivery of torque to make it nearly impossible... to stall the engine when moving off from rest." R&T found that the Lusso's steering was lighter than one would expect and remarked on its smooth, predictable, and forgiving handling. They were also much impressed by the powerful servo-assisted four-wheel disc brakes.

An important milestone in the Maranello marque's history, the 250 GT Lusso was the last of the long-running 250 series that had done so much to cement Ferrari's commercial success, and a most fitting finale to this remarkable family of Ferrari road cars.

The Lusso we offer, chassis number '5087', is the 119th of the 350 units built. Completed on 27th September 1963, the car was displayed at the 50th Annual Paris Motor Show held at the Grand Palais. Originally finished in the unusual combination of Nero (Black) with Beige Scuro (dark beige) Connolly leather interior, the Lusso was sold by Franco-Britannic Autos Ltd to first owner Gaston Burger, a French industrialist resident in Reuil-Malmaison. The Ferrari was registered on French plates as '5686 FA 75'. Burger kept the Lusso for only a couple of years before trading it back to FBA, who sold it to the second owner, a Mr Beaudoin, in May 1966. The accompanying Massini Report records several changes French registration into the 1980s; indeed, this Lusso has been resident in France for its entire life.

In 1993, '5087' was offered for sale at an auction in France where it was purchased by the last private owner. The Ferrari was in a very good state of conservation but required some work to improve its usability, which was carried between 1993 and 2006. It is worthwhile noting that this car has a totally original body, having never been in an accident. This point is very important because the front part is almost impossible to repair properly and many examples of the 250 GT Lusso have a more or less deformed front as a result. In 1997 the sills and wing entrances were changed because of corrosion. Since acquisition the Ferrari has been driven sparingly and kept in excellent condition in secure storage. It has been maintained by recognised specialists and exercised regularly, without ever being inactive for lengthy periods (details in the Massini Report). Events participated in with the current owner include the Tour Auto Optic 2000 (1994, 1996, 2002); Rallye du Maroq Classique (1995); Coupe des Alpes (1996); VIII Tour España (2006); and the Chantilly Arts & Concours (2015).

In December 2021 all the mechanical parts were overhauled and the engine was the subject of a total restoration (costing more than €30,000) carried out by the great French specialist, Tissier. The car is now in 'close to new' condition. At time of cataloguing Ferrari Classiche certification was underway at Ferrari Eberlein in Kassel, Germany. The car comes with a substantial history file containing among other items, copies of the factory build sheets, the aforementioned Massini Report; various magazines reporting on its last sale; and numerous invoices from Charles Pozzi (Ferrari France).

A rare opportunity to acquire a model - seldom offered for sale - that is not only one of the most beautiful and exclusive Ferraris ever made, but also one of the most enjoyable to drive and own: the 250 GT Lusso.

Equipment used: Nikon D90 with Really Right Stuff (RRF) right angle bracket, Micro Nikkor AF-S VR 85mm lens, handheld

Lighting: One Elinchrome FX 400Ri with 2 feet soft box, homemade reflectors, Manfrotto Articulating arm to hold reflector (crinkled aluminum homemade).

The model (made by Maisto) was kept on a dark gray smoked glass and a black paper was used as the background. A reflector was angled such that light falling on back of the car was reduced compared to the front to make a nice gradation.

About the car itself (Condensed from Wikipedia):

Despite a misleading name, the Mercedes-Benz 300SLR was based neither on the famous 1954 300SL (W198) Gullwing road car, nor the earlier 1952 (W194) race car, although it bears a strong resemblance to both (including, in the coupe version, the distinctive 'gullwing doors'). Instead, it was based on the 1954-1955 Formula 1 Mercedes-Benz W196 race car. It is generally accepted that the name 300SLR name refers to the car's lightweight construction as 'Sport Leicht Rennen' - (Sports Light Racing).

The car was of a front-mid-engined design, to give more neutral front/rear weight distribution. It used a spaceframe chassis and magnesium-alloy bodywork, both of which contributed to a dry weight of just 880 kg (1,940 lb). The preceding Formula 1 car's 8 cylinder in-line engine was used, increased in capacity from 2,496.87 cc to 2,981.70 cc. This boosted output from 290 bhp (220 kW) at 8,500 rpm to about 310 horsepower (230 kW) at 7,400 rpm, torque of 318 N•m (235 lb•ft) came at 5,950 rpm 193.9 psi (1,337 kPa), providing strong pulling power. The engine was longitudinally mounted, and was canted over at a 33-degree angle to lower its profile for aerodynamic reasons, resulting in the distinctive bonnet bulge on the passenger side of the car. Note also the distinctive engine exhausts.

The car shown is called the Uhlenhaut Coupé. Here is the story behind that name:

Of the nine W196s chassis built, one was destroyed in a Le Mans disaster. Of the eight that remained Mercedes motorsport chief Rudolf Uhlenhaut had ordered two to be set aside for modification into a sort of hybrid between the SLR and the SL, featuring a slightly widened version of the SLR's chassis with enclosed bodywork for aerodynamic purposes. Again, the strong, high sill beams of the space frame required the fitment of the same famous 'gull-wing' top-hinged doors of the other two types. For testing, and in preparation for a possible Mercedes participation in the 1956 race season, two road-legal SLRs were built. Uhlenhaut used one of these two cars as a company car.

This Uhlenhaut Coupé was regarded as the world's fastest car in the 1950s, and it is rumoured that, running late for a meeting, Uhlenhaut exploited the unlimited autobahns to make today's two-and-a-half-hour journey from Munich to Stuttgart in just over an hour. The Uhlenhaut Coupe was road tested by the US magazine Motor Trend and by two English journalists. Here is what they have to say -

"We are driving a car which barely takes a second to overtake the rest of the traffic and for which 120 mph on a quiet motorway is little more than walking pace. With its unflappable handling through corners, it treats the laws of centrifugal force with apparent disdain," after a total of more than 2,000 miles (3,200 km). The only regret was that this was a sports car "which we will never be able to buy and which the average driver would never buy anyway."

Austin Seven Ulster Replica (1932) Engine 747cc S4 SV

Competition Number 17 Rory Scott

Registration Number UX 7635 (Shropshire)

AUSTIN SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623759808208...

Since photographed this superb looking car has now changed hands, advertised at £ 76,950 it was described

Light, fast and agile, it can show my J2 MG a clean pair of heels. Currently with VSCC buff form thus

.

NB This is a road-legal car and not currently prepared for circuit racing or trials.

Specification, running gear: engine assembled by Peter McGuire at Omega Engineering, Dante sump, twin OM SUs. Close ratio gearbox from Don Rawson, suspension lowered Ulster axle, Bowden cable brakes and 19 inch wheels.

Specification, body and trim: This is a proper coachbuilt replica and not built round an off-the-shelf body kit. Handmade alloy body over steel spaceframe and with a specially made pressed steel floor. Light and rigid. professionally trimmed Leather upholstery. Full range of instruments, all working as they should (speedo, water temperature, ammeter, fuel gauge, oil pressure).

Many thanks for a fantabulous

49,883,102 views

Shot 23.04.2016 Shot at VSCC Spring Start Meeting, Silverstone REF 115-332

A rare meeting of 2 bright orange Moulton TSR bicycles.

Chassis n° C55/F0512RD

Bonhams

Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris

The Grand Palais Éphémère

Place Joffre

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2023

Estimated : € 70.000 - 90.000

Sold

Produced between 1964 and 1966, the Gordon-Keeble was one of a select band of 1960s Grandes Routières that combined British chassis engineering with American horsepower and Italian style. Designed by John Gordon, lately of Peerless, and produced in collaboration with garage owner Jim Keeble, the car featured a spaceframe chassis with independent front suspension, De Dion rear axle, and four-wheel disc brakes. Styled by the youthful Giorgetto Giugiaro, then at Carrozzeria Bertone, its elegant glassfibre bodywork was manufactured in England by Williams & Pritchard, one of the foremost firms specialising in this form of construction. A 327ci (5.4-litre) Chevrolet V8 engine provided effortless cruising and a top speed in the region of 140mph. Amazingly, the car went from drawing board to finished prototype in just four months.

The first Gordon GT was presented on Bertone's stand at the Geneva Motor Show in 1960 where it caused a sensation. Unusually for a prototype, the car was tested by The Autocar magazine, which declared it 'the most electrifying vehicle we ever tested'. With a 0-60mph time of six seconds and 'the ton' coming up just ten seconds later, the 140mph Gordon GT was one of the fastest road vehicles of its day. John Gordon took the prototype to Detroit where an agreement was reached with Chevrolet for the supply of engines to the British company. Actual production though, was still some way off and by the time the renamed Gordon-Keeble went on sale in 1964, its specification and performance were no longer so unusual.

Nevertheless, these ingredients should have been the recipe for guaranteed success but the company failed to get its pricing right and production ceased after little more than a year. A prolonged strike at Adwest, makers of the steering box, and resulting delays in component deliveries was another contributing factor in Gordon-Keeble's demise. A brief revival saw a few more cars assembled by the successor company but when finally the end came, only 99 cars, all right-hand drive, had been produced. (A 100th was assembled from spares some time later). It is estimated that all but a tiny handful survive. Today the stylish Gordon-Keeble remains a fascinating 'might-have-been' that can only become increasingly collectible. Offered with German registration papers, chassis number '55' represents a rare opportunity to own one of these sought-after British GT cars.

Jones Spaceframe frame pack by Porcelain Rocket, Revelate Terrapin seat pack, Gas Tank top tube bag, and Harness handlebar bag.

The only thing that's mine is the frame pack. My buddies let me borrow the other stuff for this weekend's trip.

Filename: 20100328_173640_Berlin Hauptbahnhof_L1008379.jpg

Gordon Keeble GK1/1T (1964-66) Engine 5395cc V8 OHV Production 99 (+ 1)

Registration Number YNV 2 (Northamptonshire)

GORDON KEEBLE ALBUM

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157627063631758...

The company John Gordon, formerly of Peerless and Jim Keeble who came together in 1959 to produce the Buuick powered Gordon GT. The car still in development was later fitted with a Chevrolet 283 V8 into a spaceframe chasis with independent front suspension and all-round disc brakes. The complete chassis was then taken to Turin, Italy, where a body made of aluminium panels designed by Giugiaro was built by Bertone.

The car appeared on the Bertone stand in March 1960, branded simply as a Gordon, at the Geneva Motor Show., after road testing the car was shipped to Detroit were the Chevrolet management agreed to supply engines and components for a production run.

The production ready car was altered with a glass fibre body made by Williams & Pritchard Limited. replacing the aluminium of the prototype and a larger Chevrolet 327 Ci V8 (5398cc) engine

The luxury Grand Tourer sold for a then astronomic £2798

Problems with suppliers occurred and before many cars were made the money ran out and the company went into liquidation after only about 90 cars had been built, the company was purchased by Harold Smith and Geoffrey West and was re-registered as Keeble Cars Ltd. with production resuming in 1966 but halted after only a few car were built, with a combine total of 99 cars constructed, a final car was produced in 1967 from factory spares.

An attempt was made to restart production in 1968 when the rights to the car were bought by an American, John de Bruyne, but this came to nothing, although two cars badged as De Bruynes were shown at that year's New York Motor Show along with a new mid-engined coupé

Diolch am 79,981,481 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.

Thanks for 79,981,481 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.

Shot 05.01.2020.at Bicester Heritage Centre, Bicester, Oxon 144-669

.

Chassis n° 5087GT

Coachwork by Pininfarina/Scaglietti

Zoute Sale - Bonhams

Estimated : € 1.650.000 - 1.850.000

Sold for € 1.700.000

Zoute Grand Prix 2022

Knokke - Zoute

België - Belgium

October 2022

"This new luxury Berlinetta has been developed from the car which allowed so many gentlemen to enjoy sports car performance. It boasts those characteristics valued by enthusiasts while also possessing the comfort required by the ladies." – Ferrari's brochure for the 250 GT Lusso.

Arguably the most beautiful product ever to carry the Maranello marque's prancing horse emblem, the 250 GT Lusso debuted at the Paris Salon in October 1962. Styled by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti, the Lusso (Luxury) combined racetrack looks with new standards of passenger comfort. Beautifully proportioned, it blended a low-slung nose, reminiscent of that of the SWB Berlinetta, with a sculpted Kamm tail by means of some of the most exquisite lines yet seen on an automobile. Slim pillars and wide expanses of glass not only enhanced the car's outward appearance but made for excellent visibility and a pleasantly light and airy interior. "The design of the body was at once elegant and exciting and no other road Ferrari before or since has earned the same degree of enduring admiration for its aesthetics," declared Road & Track.

After Pininfarina had completed the prototype Lusso, production was entrusted to Carrozzeria Scaglietti, a smaller concern that specialised in building low-volume models for Ferrari. In total, 350 (including one prototype each from Pininfarina and Scaglietti) would be completed over the next two years, with deliveries of the production model commencing early in 1963. "Its proportions approach perfection, and the execution is faultless," enthused Car & Driver. "It makes for Grand Touring in the grandest possible manner..."

The Lusso's immediate antecedent had been the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB. Introduced at the 1959 Paris Salon, the latter was a true dual-purpose car, arguably more capable than any Ferrari before or since of coping equally well with the conflicting demands of racetrack and highway. The 'SWB' (Short Wheel Base) designation arose from a chassis that, at 2,400mm, was 200mm shorter than that of the standard 250 GT. Specifications could be varied to suit individual customers' requirements for either road or track, models supplied for competition use having lightweight aluminium-alloy bodies while the lusso road version came with a fully-trimmed interior and softer springing.

However, Ferrari's policy of building a single, dual-purpose race/road model did not survive long into the 1960s, the diverging requirements of the two markets necessitating greater specialisation in the form of the competition-only 250 GTO and the touring 250 GT Lusso. Built on a short-wheelbase chassis similar to that of the 250 GT SWB and 250 GTO, the Lusso was powered by Gioacchino Colombo's light and compact 3.0-litre V12. Ferrari's first in-house power plant, the supremely versatile Colombo V12 had debuted in 1947 as a 1.5-litre unit and would enjoy a remarkably long production life, finally bowing out in 4.9-litre quad-cam form in 1988. Breathing through three twin-choke Weber carburettors, this all-aluminium, two-cam, Tipo 168 unit produced 240bhp at 7,500rpm as installed in the Lusso, giving it a top speed of 240km/h and a useful 0-160km/h acceleration time of 19.5 seconds. Power was transmitted to the road via a conventional four-speed gearbox, and the power train was housed in Ferrari's familiar steel spaceframe chassis with oval main tubes. Suspension was conventional for the time: independent at the front by means of 'A' arms and coil springs, with a semi-elliptically sprung live axle at the rear.

The result was not only one of the best looking Ferraris ever made, but also, courtesy of its competizione antecedents, one of the most rewarding to drive. "Driving a Ferrari smoothly is always easy; the Lusso is no exception," proclaimed R&T. "The gearshift moves like the proverbial stick in a bowl of whipped cream, and the smooth clutch combines with the 12-cylinder engine's buttery delivery of torque to make it nearly impossible... to stall the engine when moving off from rest." R&T found that the Lusso's steering was lighter than one would expect and remarked on its smooth, predictable, and forgiving handling. They were also much impressed by the powerful servo-assisted four-wheel disc brakes.

An important milestone in the Maranello marque's history, the 250 GT Lusso was the last of the long-running 250 series that had done so much to cement Ferrari's commercial success, and a most fitting finale to this remarkable family of Ferrari road cars.

The Lusso we offer, chassis number '5087', is the 119th of the 350 units built. Completed on 27th September 1963, the car was displayed at the 50th Annual Paris Motor Show held at the Grand Palais. Originally finished in the unusual combination of Nero (Black) with Beige Scuro (dark beige) Connolly leather interior, the Lusso was sold by Franco-Britannic Autos Ltd to first owner Gaston Burger, a French industrialist resident in Reuil-Malmaison. The Ferrari was registered on French plates as '5686 FA 75'. Burger kept the Lusso for only a couple of years before trading it back to FBA, who sold it to the second owner, a Mr Beaudoin, in May 1966. The accompanying Massini Report records several changes French registration into the 1980s; indeed, this Lusso has been resident in France for its entire life.

In 1993, '5087' was offered for sale at an auction in France where it was purchased by the last private owner. The Ferrari was in a very good state of conservation but required some work to improve its usability, which was carried between 1993 and 2006. It is worthwhile noting that this car has a totally original body, having never been in an accident. This point is very important because the front part is almost impossible to repair properly and many examples of the 250 GT Lusso have a more or less deformed front as a result. In 1997 the sills and wing entrances were changed because of corrosion. Since acquisition the Ferrari has been driven sparingly and kept in excellent condition in secure storage. It has been maintained by recognised specialists and exercised regularly, without ever being inactive for lengthy periods (details in the Massini Report). Events participated in with the current owner include the Tour Auto Optic 2000 (1994, 1996, 2002); Rallye du Maroq Classique (1995); Coupe des Alpes (1996); VIII Tour España (2006); and the Chantilly Arts & Concours (2015).

In December 2021 all the mechanical parts were overhauled and the engine was the subject of a total restoration (costing more than €30,000) carried out by the great French specialist, Tissier. The car is now in 'close to new' condition. At time of cataloguing Ferrari Classiche certification was underway at Ferrari Eberlein in Kassel, Germany. The car comes with a substantial history file containing among other items, copies of the factory build sheets, the aforementioned Massini Report; various magazines reporting on its last sale; and numerous invoices from Charles Pozzi (Ferrari France).

A rare opportunity to acquire a model - seldom offered for sale - that is not only one of the most beautiful and exclusive Ferraris ever made, but also one of the most enjoyable to drive and own: the 250 GT Lusso.

Ferrari 360 Spider (1999-05) Engine 3586cc V8

Registration Number E 6 OTS (Cherished number firt allocated from Dundee)

FERRARI SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665054999...

For the 360 Ferrari partnered with Alcoa to produce an entirely new all aluminium spaceframe chassis that was 40% stiffer and 10% lighter than the earlier F355. The body was designed by Pininfarna and features a much rounder shape. The V8 engine was slightly larger and more powerful at 400bhp, than the unit used in the F355

Diolch am olygfa anhygoel, 65,081,960

oblogaeth y Lloegr honno dros y Mynyddoedd 65,081,960

Thanks for a stonking 65,081,960 views

Shot 06.05.2018 at Catton Hall Car Show, Catton Hall, Walton on Trent, Derbyshire Ref 133-445

W198-II

Bonhams : the Zoute Sale

Estimated : € 950.000 - 1.150.000

Sold for € 1.035.000

Zoute Grand Prix 2019

Knokke - Zoute

België - Belgium

October 2019

Created to spearhead Mercedes-Benz's return to competition in the post-war era, the 300 SL debuted in the 1952 Mille Miglia, finishing 2nd and 4th overall. Wins in the Carrera Pan-Americana and at Le Mans followed, and the 300 SL was on its way to becoming part of motor sporting legend. Max Hoffman, the Mercedes-Benz importer for North America, believed there would be a market for a road-going version and managed to convince the factory that such a car would be a success.

The first racers were open-topped but before the '52 season's end the distinctive 'Gullwing' doored Coupé had appeared. Unusually high sills were a feature of the multi-tubular spaceframe chassis, and while access was not a problem of the open car, the adoption of coupé bodywork required innovative thinking - hence the Gullwing doors.

Launched in 1954, the production 300 SL retained the spaceframe chassis of the racer and was powered by a 2,996cc, overhead-camshaft, inline six canted at 45 degrees to achieve a lower, more aerodynamic bonnet line. Using innovative direct fuel injection, this state-of-the-art power unit produced 215bhp at 5,800rpm. A four-speed gearbox transmitted power to the hypoid bevel rear axle. Suspension was independent all round by wishbones and coil springs at the front, with swing axles and coil springs at the rear.

Tested by the highly respected American magazine Road & Track in 1955, the 300 SL accelerated from 0-60mph in 7.4 seconds, going on to achieve a top speed of 140mph: outstanding figures for its day. It was, arguably, the world's first supercar. Half expecting the long-awaited 300 SL to provide an anti-climax, R&T were delighted to find the new car, "far beyond our wildest expectations. In fact, we can state unequivocally that in our opinion the 300 SL coupé is the ultimate in an all-round sportscar. It combines more desirable features in one streamlined package than we ever imagined or hoped would be possible. Performance? It accelerates from a dead start to 100mph in just over 17 seconds. Dual purpose? A production model 300 SL can make a very acceptable showing in any type of sportscar competition. Yet the car is extremely tractable and easy to drive in traffic. Comfort? The fully enclosed 300 SL is the most comfortable (and safe) high-speed 'cross-country' car built today." Its racing parentage notwithstanding, the 300 SL was and remains a thoroughly practical automobile, as civilised in city driving as it is exhilarating on the highway.

Clearly the 300 SL Coupé would be a hard act to follow yet the Roadster version, introduced just three years later, succeeded in bettering its closed cousin's already exemplary road manners. Built with conventional doors, the 300 SL Roadster was first exhibited at the Geneva Salon in May 1957 and was an immediate hit with the 1950s 'Jet Set' of royalty, actors, and socialites. The production of an open 300 SL involved altering the cockpit area, where the spaceframe was redesigned to permit lower sills for improved access. At the same time the rear suspension was changed to incorporate low-pivot swing axles. Disc brakes were standardised from March 1961, while towards the end of production a small batch of Roadsters was completed with an aluminium cylinder block.

The Roadster's neutral steering characteristics received fulsome praise from Road & Track in its 1958 road test. "With the low-pivot rear suspension and more adhesive tyres, the car handles beautifully under all conditions. This is a tremendous improvement over the hardtop models, which had a tendency to oversteer rather violently if pressed too hard." A 0-60mph time of 7.0 seconds and a top speed of 130mph were recorded, making the 300 SL Roadster one of the fastest convertibles of its time. R&T concluded: "There is no doubt that the 300 SL roadster is a truly great dual-purpose sports car, equally at home in traffic and the open road, or on the track", words that remain equally true today.

The 300 SL Roadster sold well for a car that cost more than a Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder and would out-live the 300 SL Coupé, which ceased production in 1957, by several years. Roadster production ceased in 1963 after 1,858 cars had been built, and today the model is both rare and highly sought after.

The 152nd car built, this 300 SL Roadster was completed before May 1957 and thus is eligible for the Mille Miglia. Its original colour scheme was white with a blue interior. Delivered new to Cannes, France, the car belonged to its first owner from 1957 to 1968, covering some 24,000 kilometres in that time, while the second owner cherished it for almost 40 years. The car has had only one owner since then. The second owner was Mr Leon Martin of Mallemort, Bouches-du-Rhône, a connoisseur and collector of exclusive automobiles, who only parting with the Mercedes in 2006 when he sold it to Mr Karl Esdar of Bielefeld, Germany. For 40 years the Mercedes was registered in France as '2994 BY 13', and the original French Carte Grise is still with the car.

Although the car was in good original condition, with no rust or other body issues, Mr Esdar, a renowned 300 SL specialist, decided to undertake as concours standard restoration, which took two years to complete and cost in the region of €250,000. On dismantling the car, he found that the body had been perfectly preserved and thus was an excellent candidate for restoration. It was stripped back to the tubular chassis and every panel painted prior to re-assembly. All mechanical components were inspected and refurbished before being reassembled, while the interior was re-trimmed throughout in high quality leather.

The restoration was undertaken with faultless attention to detail and stunning results, making this 300 SL Roadster one of the best of its kind surviving. '152' retains all of its original mechanical components with matching numbers, including the engine, transmission, and differential. Only some 7,000 kilometres have been covered since the rebuild's completion and, needless to say, this wonderful Mercedes-Benz runs beautifully. There was no adverse finding when the car was submitted for its German TüV.

This 300 SL comes with its original tools and jack, a bespoke set of luggage, owner's instruction manuals, and full documentation including invoices and restoration photographs. Presented in outstanding condition, it represents a not-to-be-missed opportunity for the serious collector. An exceptional example of the iconic 300 SL in Roadster form, this highly desirable motor car would make an exhilarating yet extremely practical touring companion. Indeed, there cannot be many better ways of travelling to a classic event, taking part, and driving home.

Gordon Keeble GK1/1T (1964-66) Engine 5395cc V8 OHV

Production 99 (+ 1)

Registration Number YNV 2 (Cherished number, first allocated for issue from Northampton)

GORDON KEEBLE SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157627063631758...

The company John Gordon, formerly of Peerless and Jim Keeble who came together in 1959 to produce the Buuick powered Gordon GT. The car still in development was later fitted with a Chevrolet 283 V8 into a spaceframe chasis with independent front suspension and all-round disc brakes. The complete chassis was then taken to Turin, Italy, where a body made of aluminium panels designed by Giugiaro was built by Bertone.

The car appeared on the Bertone stand in March 1960, branded simply as a Gordon, at the Geneva Motor Show., after road testing the car was shipped to Detroit were the Chevrolet management agreed to supply engines and components for a production run.

The production ready car was altered with a glass fibre body made by Williams & Pritchard Limited. replacing the aluminium of the prototype and a larger Chevrolet 327 Ci V8 (5398cc) engine

The luxury Grand Tourer sold for a then astronomic £2798

Problems with suppliers occurred and before many cars were made the money ran out and the company went into liquidation after only about 90 cars had been built, the company was purchased by Harold Smith and Geoffrey West and was re-registered as Keeble Cars Ltd. with production resuming in 1966 but halted after only a few car were built, with a combine total of 99 cars constructed, a final car was produced in 1967 from factory spares.

An attempt was made to restart production in 1968 when the rights to the car were bought by an American, John de Bruyne, but this came to nothing, although two cars badged as De Bruynes were shown at that year's New York Motor Show along with a new mid-engined coupé

Diolch am 77,975,368 o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.

Thanks for 77,975,368 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.

Shot 06.10.2019 at Bicester Scramble, Bicester, Oxon. 143-1260

The UK is currently in Lockdown 3.0. Only essential shops are open. Schools and colleges are closed. People are advised to work from home wherever possible.

Outdoor exercise is allowed, but this brings problems if you need to 're-fuel' en-route. No sitting in your favourite cafe with a flat white and a teacake.

But don't worry, the Government has identified this huge social issue and is hastily installing road-side toasters for all your hot bakery related needs. They report that 200 installations occur every minute, with the army helping in some areas.

So, remember to pack your favourite bread on every ride, plus spread (margarine or butter) and maybe some jam (or 'conserve' if you is posh like what I is). Top tip! A tyre lever makes an excellent improvised knife if you forget to take one.

A public consultation on road-side microwaves will be launched soon.

This car competed in the Twelve Lap Race for Pre 1959 Front Engined Racing Cars at the Vintage Sports Car Club’s Richard Seaman Memorial Trophies Meeting at Oulton Park in June 1993. It was entered and driven by the Hon. Amschel Rothschild and although universally known as the BRM P25 I've found this information in a Bonhams description of the car when it came up for auction in 2007:

'BRM’s in-period Project 25 classification covered the engine design alone, the spaceframe chassis structure comprising Project 27. While this Lot offers the eighth of the team’s 2½-litre 4-cylinder Type 25s to be built, this car was the third to use the `1958 spaceframe Project 27 chassis in place of an original semi-monocoque design which had been used for the preceding five cars. Those semi-monocoque BRM Type 25s built from 1955 to 1957 are recorded within the team archive as cars ‘251’ to ‘255’. The subsequent six pure spaceframe cars built 1958-1959 were then referred to as ‘256’ to ‘2511’, even though their Project 27 chassis frames were numbered in sequence ‘27/1’ to ‘27/6’. Hence, this car was referred to in contemporary BRM team records – which survive today – as ‘258’, while its specific chassis frame stamping reads – again perfectly correctly – ‘27/3’.

Steel and stone, triangles for strength. Three interesting achievements of human endeavour in this photo. The cathedral relies on traingular forms of stone in compression to achieve great strength in a very tall structure. The Moulton space frame bike uses a complex design of very thin steel tubes in triangular form in both tension and compression to create a remarkably stiff but very lightweight bicycle frame. The bridge designers took a different approach, using large amounts of curved untreated steel plate to create a stable bridge. Yet it still moves a bit - if you stand quietly in the centre you can feel the vibrations from any other footsteps long before you see their plodding feet. The wooden decks look nice but are starting to move around a bit and will need careful maintenance. If that is down to Norfolk County Council I am not optimistic, the other two relatively new footbridges over the Wensum (Novi Sad and Lady Julian) are a dirty mess. The water is the River Wensum, here part of the Broads National Park. Bike is a 2013 Moulton TSR8 for those interested in such things. Pic © JAS 2022

E52

Bonhams : The Autumn Sale 2020

Estimated : € 140.000 - 180.000

Sold for € 138.000

Autoworld

www.autoworld.be

Brussels - Belgium

September 2020

In recent times many motor manufacturers, particularly those with a significant sporting heritage, have felt the need to reference iconic models from the past when launching their latest. BMW has proved adept at exploiting this 'retro' trend, commencing in 1996 with the Z3 coupé and convertible, the styling of which brilliantly recalled its fabulous '328' sports car of pre-war days. Its next effort along similar lines - the 'Z07' concept car of 1997 - took its inspiration from the post-war Alfred Goetz-designed '507', a luxurious limited-edition roadster.

The sensation of the 1997 Tokyo Auto Show, the Z07 was received so enthusiastically that BMW took the decision to press ahead with a production version: the Z8. For the most part the Z8 remained remarkably faithful to the original concept, retaining the 507-like twin-nostril front grille and distinctive front-wing vents. A period-style interior had been one of the Z07's most remarked upon features, and that too made it into the Z8.

The Z8's body panelling and spaceframe chassis were fabricated in lightweight and corrosion resistant aluminium, while the 32-valve 4,941cc V8 engine, shared with the M5 saloon, was built by BMW's Motorsport division. With 400bhp on tap, the Z8 raced to 100km/h (62mph) in 4.7 seconds and only the built-in rev limiter stopped it from exceeding 250km/h (155mph). Power reached the run-flat tyres via a Getrag six-speed manual gearbox. Needless to say, the Z8 also came with all the modern appurtenances one would expect of a flagship model: traction control, stability control, front and side air bags, GPS navigation, climate control, and power operation of the seats, steering wheel, and convertible hood all being included in the package.

The fact that the Z8 was a low-volume model assembled, for the most part, by hand, enabled BMW to offer customers considerable freedom in personalising their cars. Further enhancing its appeal to collectors, the factory announced that a 50-year stockpile of Z8 parts would be maintained. Despite a (US) launch price of over $128,000, initial demand was so high that a bidding war broke out, with many Z8s selling for well in excess of that figure. By the time production ceased at the end of 2002, 5,703 of these fabulous cars had been built.

This particular BMW Z8 was delivered new to Mr Jason Claxton in Grand River, Ontario in January 2001, passing to its next owner - Lorenzo Giordano, a prominent member of the Montreal Mafia - in 2003, by which time it had covered fewer than 20,000 kilometres. In May 2007 Giordano was arrested and spent the next eight years in prison; released in December 2015, he was shot dead in March 2016. The car was put on the market a few weeks later with 24,693 kilometres recorded, and early in 2017 was imported into Luxembourg.

A major service was carried out by Garage Ginion in Waterloo when the car arrived in Belgium in March 2017 (at 25,148 kilometres), which included converting the radio to European specification (detailed bills available). The most recent service was undertaken by Garage Bilia-Edmond in Luxembourg in 2019. Since the car's arrival in Luxembourg in 2017, a total of €7,200 has been spent on various works including replacing both front lights, the right taillight, and the left door trim cup holder (October 2017); replacing all the cylinder head coolant hoses (May 2019); and fitting a new battery (June 2020). Invoices for all these works and parts are on file together with those relating to the car's importation into Europe in February 2017.

Finished in grey with black leather interior, the latter smelling like new, this beautiful Z8 Roadster is presented in pristine condition, with a spotless engine bay, and is still on its original tyres. The car comes complete with windbreak and cover; canopy cover; original radio; coffee table book; two keys; Motorola/Startac BMW mobile telephone (Canadian specification); tool kit; Carte Grise; and Contrôle Technique.

The rear of the my 2008 Merlin-made titanium Jones 3D Spaceframe can fit a 650B+/27.5+ Panaracer 27.5"x3.5" tire mounted to an older Velocity Blunt 28 rim. The front can easily fit 5" tire with the fat fork.

AC 3000ME (1979-84 AC 1984-86 AC Scotland) Engine 2994cc Ford Essex V6

Production 101

Registration Number C 987 TAP (Brighton)

AC ALBUM

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623759779024...

The AC 3000ME is a mid-engined sports car, designrd by Peter Bohanna and Robin Stables based on the prototype Diablo built by the Bohanna Stables company and shown at the London Racing Car Show in 1972. The 1972 Diablo prototype was built with the 1.5 L inline four version of the E-series engine and 5-speed manual transaxle that was used in the Austin Maxi. Bohanna Stables had sought interest from both AC and TVR before the Diablo was shown at the Racing Car Show, but neither company committed to the project. After the car's debut AC's Keith Judd drove the Diablo to the company's Thames Ditton headquarters and convinced AC owner Derek Hurlock to take the project on. AC acquired the rights to the Bohanna Stables Diablo design and assigned two of their engineers, Alan Turner and Bill Wilson, to develop it into a production car with Bohanna and Stables hired to consult on the redesign. The Diablo's steel tubing spaceframe was completely re-engineered, and a V6 Ford engine chosen rather than the BL E Series. The completed car was first shown at the 1973 London Motor Show as a prtotype called the AC 3000. Developement continued with the cars styling finalised in 1974, the prototype failed the 30mph crash test required for Type Approval necessitating a chassis redesign. The revised chassis passed on the next attempt. The car officially went on sale when it appeared at the 1978 NEC Motor Show now known as the AC 3000ME with a list price of £ 11,300, with early deliveries from 1979. The delays meant that the 3000ME was out of date by the time it reached production, and continued cost increases which by March 1980 were £ 13,328

This is the 89th AC 3000ME built, and chassis number 201. The first 71 car where built at the AC factory in Thames Ditton between 1979-84 the remaining 30 cars were built at AC (Scotland) in Hillington, Glasgow, between August 1984 and December 1985. This the 89th car was the last built before the receivers seized the last 12 cars to help pay the companies creditors. The car remained unregistered until June 1986. The cost new was in the region of £ 13,000

Today this 23 year old has covered a documented 27,000 miles

Diolch am 79,664,370o olygfeydd anhygoel, mae pob un yn cael ei werthfawrogi'n fawr.

Thanks for 79,654,370 amazing views, every one is greatly appreciated.

Shot 05.01.2020.at Bicester Heritage Centre, Bicester, Oxon 144-488

Honmura Port Terminal, Naoshima Island, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan

Architect: SANAA, 2016

1999 Ram SC.

Last MoT test expired in June 2016 (SORN).

Anglia Car Auctions, King's Lynn -

"Chassis number: SABTVR03599232375. While RAM Automotive cars look outwardly similar to other Cobra replicas, they are somewhat different under their double-skinned fibreglass shell. Rather than the usual ladder frame chassis, there's a full spaceframe instead, developed in conjunction with the race car constructors, Reynard, which gives increased rigidity and thus offers handling benefits too, as does the Jaguar XJ6-derived suspension. The steering rack is courtesy of an MGB. While many RAM Cobra replicas were fitted with a mildly-tweaked Rover V8, in some cases a large American V8 unit was used, to give giving similar performance to the original Shelby Cobra. That seems to be the case with this example, which has a 5811cc Ford V8 unit installed. The Scozia Metallic (a Fiat shade) car was built by the vendor in 1999, when it also passed an SVA test. We're told that the car has only had summer use and always been garaged. It was last on the road during 2016; the last MoT expired in June 2016. The odometer shows 2765 miles, which appears to be the total mileage since the RAM was built. The history folder includes the V5C (showing the vehicle as a RAM), which shows no previous owners prior to the vendor. There are also operating instructions on opening the bonnet, starting procedure and engine cooling, plus paperwork and receipts relating to the original build, including the SVA test and registration. The MoT certificates span 2002 to 2015, with the first one - in July 2002 - at 260 miles. The original build manual is enclosed with the paperwork too, as is a 2015 newspaper clipping from a show the RAM appeared at."

Estimate: £18,000 to £22,000. Sold for £25,650 including premium.

E52

In recent times many motor manufacturers, particularly those with a significant sporting heritage, have felt the need to reference iconic models from the past when launching their latest. BMW has proved adept at exploiting this 'retro' trend, commencing in 1996 with the Z3 coupé and convertible, the styling of which brilliantly recalled its fabulous '328' sports car of pre-war days. Its next effort along similar lines - the 'Z07' concept car of 1997 - took its inspiration from the post-war Albrecht von Goetz-designed '507', a luxurious limited-edition roadster.

The sensation of the 1997 Tokyo Auto Show, the Z07 was received so enthusiastically that BMW took the decision to press ahead with a production version: the Z8. For the most part the Z8 remained remarkably faithful to the original concept, retaining the 507-like twin-nostril front grille and distinctive front-wing vents. A period-style interior had been one of the Z07's most remarked upon features, and that too made it into the Z8.

The Z8's body panelling and spaceframe chassis were fabricated in lightweight and corrosion resistant aluminium, while the 32-valve 4.941 cc V8 engine, shared with the M5 saloon, was built by BMW's Motorsport division. With 400 bhp on tap, the Z8 raced to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.7 seconds and only the built-in rev limiter stopped it from exceeding 250km/h (155mph). Power reached the run-flat tyres via a Getrag six-speed manual gearbox. Needless to say, the Z8 also came with all the modern appurtenances one would expect of a flagship model: traction control, stability control, front and side air bags, GPS navigation, climate control and power operation of the seats, steering wheel and convertible hood all being included in the package.

The fact that the Z8 was a low-volume model assembled, for the most part, by hand, enabled BMW to offer customers considerable freedom in personalising their cars. Further enhancing its appeal to collectors, the factory announced that a 50-year stockpile of Z8 parts would be maintained. Despite a (US) launch price of over $ 128.000, initial demand was so high that a bidding war broke out, with many Z8s selling for well in excess of that figure. By the time production ceased at the end of 2002, 5.703 of these fabulous cars had been built.

But that was not quite the end of the Z8 story, for BMW tuning specialist Alpina then introduced its own, even more exclusive version: the Alpina V8 Roadster. Alpina's product was less hard-edged and considerably more refined than the original, being equipped with a 4,8-litre engine from the 5-Series Alpina B10 V8 S and an Alpina-specified ZF five-speed 'Switchtronic' automatic transmission with paddle-shift operation. With a maximum of 375bhp on tap, the Roadster's slightly smaller engine was re-tuned for greater torque at lower revs, which better suited the automatic transmission. Top speed was limited to 161 mph, with 60 mph coming up in 5,0 seconds, only a couple of tenths slower than the original Z8.

The suspension was revised to provide a more supple ride, and the original 18" wheels and run-flat tyres replaced with 20" rims and tyres with taller sidewalls. Re-trimmed in softer Nappa leather, the interior boasted many Alpina-specific touches including the steering wheel, gauges, and gear selection display. As its specification suggests, the Alpina V8 was targeted at the North American market, which took 450 units out of the 555 scheduled for production.

Car & Driver reckoned the car was well suited to its newly acquired persona: 'In fact, some of us, who regard the Z8 more as a design icon than a serious sports car, reckon the Alpina Roadster V8, with its easygoing power delivery and automatic transmission, is what this car should have been all along.'

First registered on 1st September 2004, the limited edition Alpina V8 offered here has had only three owners – all collectors – from new. The first owner, David Michael of Florida, USA kept the car until March 2010 when it passed to a Mr Scholdra Germany. The current vendor purchased the BMW for his private collection in July 2014, by which time it had covered only 17.948 kilometres from new. The current odometer reading is circa 20.000 kilometres.

Superior to those of the original Z8, this car's special features include heated seats; climate control; AM/FM stereo; CD changer; centre-mounted Alpina gauges in blue; xenon headlights with Dynamic Auto-Levelling; hand-stitched Alpina steering wheel with shift buttons and Alpina centre cap; 20" Alpina Dynamic alloy wheels; and a battery charger for when the car is in storage. It has also had over mats fitted since new.

Finished in black with two-tone cream/black leather interior, the car comes complete with hardtop, hardtop cover, hardtop stand, and hardtop stand cover; wind deflector and cover; original tools; front cup holder; phone pack (new in box); original wallet; and the Alpina key pouch containing both numbered keys, chauffeurs key, and plastic key. Accompanying documentation consists of the original US Certificate of Title; original German registration document; German Klassische document (dated 2012) and a current UK V5C registration document and MoT certificate.

Recently serviced by Sytners BMW in the UK, this Z8 Alpina Roadster is in immaculate condition throughout.

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais

Bonhams

Estimated : € 320.000 - 380.000

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2017

Ferrari 612 Scaglietti (2004-11) Engine 5748cc V12

Production 3000 plus

Registration Number LJ 04 TPL (Wimbledon)

FERRARI SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665054999...

First shown in 2004 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit as a replacement for the 456GT the 612 is a genuine four seater fastback Grand Tourer.

Powered by a 5748cc V12 of 540bhp. The 612 is Ferrari's second all-aluminium vehicle after the 360 Modena, its spaceframe was developed in conjunction with Alcoa and is made from extrusions and castings of the material, the aluminium body is welded on.

It came with a choice of two transmissions, a conventional six speed Manual or semi-Automatic paddle shift system first used in Formula One

LJ 04 TPL

Was supplied new to a UK and Monaco-based Italian car enthusiast, this 612 was originally specified in Blue Mirabeau with a dark tan leather interior. Early in the car’s life the previous owner decided to treat the car to a graphite grey wrap, which it wears today. The car was brought to the UK by a subsequent owner from Scicily and has since been maintained by specialists SB Race Engineering in Hertfordshire. It was offered sale by Coys at their auction at the show selling for £ 57,800

Thankyou for a massive 57,258,013 views

Shot 28.10.2016 at The Alexandra Palace, London REF 124-080

The SLS AMG seemingly flies once it has spread its wings - up up to the skies!

Source: www.mercedes-benz.com/sls-amg

Chapman Mercury One (1932::1939) Engine 3900cc Mercury

Race Number 23 Michael Hawley (Henley in Arden)

CHAPMAN MERCURY ALBUM

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/albums/72157706187015865

The Chapman Mercury is a car in the true spirit grass rootes Motorsport. Built by race enthusiast Phil Chapman

Phil Chapman ran a small auto electric business in Sheffield, a motorsport enthusiast unable to afford a new competitive car, for road and track, so instead decided to build one. His first car CM1 emerged from a corrugated shed built on a Triumph Special chassis and powered by a V8 Mercury engine.CM II followed in 1952 with a self designed spaceframe chassis used by Phil unt il956 when it was dismantelled to build CM III

Phil designed the whole car himself starting by chalking the design for the chassis on the workshop floor, then cutting and welding the tubing. He also built the fibre glass moulds for the body taking every care down to the wood rim steering wheel. In competition the cars were a resounding success competing in Sprints and Hillclimbs throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s.

CM3 was sold in 1964 to fund his next project CM IV with his own four wheel drive system. But after two difficult seasons Phil had a complete change and took up gliding.

By the 1970s the lure of Motorsport proved to great and he bought back CM III to rebuild as a retirement project, returning it to a competitive Hill Climb car, in which he and his daughter Sandra Tomlin shared at events. As Phil grew older he passed the car to his grandson Oliver Tomlin who maintains the car to his Grand Fathers standards, both his sister Amy and his Mother continue to compete, Mom in a Formula One engined Pilbeam.

Phil Chapman passed away in in 2011 but the competitive gene lives on

Thankyou for a massive 55,529,603 views

Shot 17.07.2016 at Shelsey Walsh Classic Nostalgia Meeting, Worcestershire REF 121-445

Much small than a Viper. These frames are design for close quarters combat and boarding actions. Wolves are often equipped with extensions on their beam weapons when out in open space. These are dropped off when they enter a ship and are hopefully picked up again when they leave. Top of the line energy weapons are not cheap.

Ferrari 456 GT (1994-98) Engine 5474cc V12 Production 1548 (+ 403 456GTA, 688 456M GT, and 650 456 M GTA = Total 3289)

Registration Number C 5 FGT (London SE)

FERRARI SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623665054999...

Introduced as a 4 seat front engine Grand Tourer as a belated replacement for the 412. Designed by Pietro Camardella under Lorenzo Ramaciotti at Pininfarina and originally only available as the 456 GT with the GTA, an Automatic version joining the range in 1996. The 5474cc V12, with 4 valve per cylininder engine produces 436bhp in a car of 1690kg. The chassis is tubular steel spaceframe construction, with a one piece composite bonnet and body panels of aluminium

A modified 456M was introduced in 1998 with improved aerodynamics, cooling system and interior which was to run until 2003

Thanks for a stunning 61,610,560 views

Diolch am olygfa anhygoel, 61,610,560 oblogaeth y Lloegr honno dros y Mynyddoedd

Shot 30-07-2017 exiting the 2017 Silverstone Classic REF 129-181

Prime Minister Boris Johnson yesterday evening put the United Kingdom into lockdown to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, with people told to stay at home, with a handful of exceptions - one being that they can undertake one form of exercise a day, including cycling, provided they do so alone or with members of their household.

So I did. Alone. And avoided everyone.

Strangest sight: a chap driving is own car but wearing a facemask and latex gloves. Odd.

More on this story:

road.cc/content/news/pm-cycling-allowed-alone-or-members-...

W198

'When it was first announced by Mercedes-Benz, the production 300 SL Coupé was a startling car built to the German concern's customarily startling standards, but above all what left the general public most open-mouthed about the new car was its upward-opening Gullwing doors...!' - Motors, 1963.

Mercedes-Benz returned to post-war competition in 1952, fielding two of its new 300 SL (W194) sports cars in the Mille Miglia. The pair finishing a creditable 2nd and 4th overall in this most difficult of events and this promising start was followed up by a win in the challenging Carrera Panamericana. The works first raced the 300 SL (Sport Leicht) in open form, but for the Le Mans 24-Hour Race in June a trio of 'Gullwing'-doored coupés was entered. High sills were a feature of the multi-tubular spaceframe chassis, and while access was not a problem of the open car, the coupé bodywork required innovative thinking - hence the Gullwing doors. Karl Kling and Hans Klenk duly brought their 'Silver Arrow' home in first place and the 300 SL was on its way to becoming part of motor sporting legend.

Launched in August 1954, the production 300 SL retained the spaceframe chassis and lightweight aluminium-alloy bodywork of the W194 racer while its mechanical underpinnings, like the latter's, owed much to the contemporary Mercedes-Benz 300 luxury saloon. A 2.996 cc overhead-camshaft inline six, the 300 SL's engine was canted at 45 degrees to achieve a low bonnet line and produced 215 bhp (DIN) at 5.800 rpm using Bosch mechanical fuel injection. A four-speed, all-synchromesh manual gearbox transmitted power to the hypoid bevel rear axle. Suspension was independent all round: by wishbones and coil springs at the front, with swing axles and coil springs at the rear.

A production 300 SL (W198) was tested by Road & Track magazine in 1955, accelerating from 0-60 mph in 7,4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 140mph. Half expecting the long-awaited 300 SL to provide an anti-climax, R&T were delighted to find the new car, 'far beyond our wildest expectations. In fact, we can state unequivocally that in our opinion the 300SL coupé is the ultimate in an all-round sportscar. It combines more desirable features in one streamlined package than we ever imagined or hoped would be possible. Performance? It accelerates from a dead start to 100mph in just over 17 seconds. Dual purpose? A production model 300 SL can make a very acceptable showing in any type of sportscar competition. Yet the car is extremely tractable and easy to drive in traffic. Comfort? The fully enclosed 300 SL is the most comfortable (and safe) high-speed 'cross-country' car built today.'

A 300 SL roadster featuring conventional doors was first exhibited at the Geneva Salon in May 1957 and, although built in greater numbers, has never matched the immortal Gullwing for desirability. Its racing parentage notwithstanding, the 300 SL remains a thoroughly practical car, as civilised in city traffic as it is exhilarating on the autostrada. By the time 300 SL Coupé production ceased in 1957, some 1.400 examples had found customers. Today the model is both rare and most sought after by connoisseurs of fine automobiles.

One of 867 'Gullwing' coupés built in 1955, this example was delivered new to Mercedes-Benz Distributors Inc of New York, USA in November of that year. According to the 300 SL Registry (copy record on file), chassis number '823' was originally finished in light green metallic with red leather interior, a rare combination. The Register extract confirms matching chassis/engine numbers and states that this car was built with a 3,25:1 ratio rear axle - rare for a US-delivered Gullwing - which reduces engine revs and makes the car more comfortable to drive at high speeds. It is believed that this axle is the 'Special Order' referred to in the Register records. In order, the owners listed are Lawrence T Lee of Stafford Springs, Connecticut; Stephen R Narans of Denver, Colorado; and Eric Eichler of Malvern, Pennsylvania. The car spent its life with these three owners for its first 45 years.

The immediately preceding owner, Mrs Suzanna Navarro, bought the Gullwing in 2000 and brought it to Naples (Florida) for a full restoration. The rebuild took four years to complete, and in 2004 the finished car was sold to the current Dutch owner, who brought it to Holland in 2005. At that time (2005) the odometer reading was 2.800 miles (post-restoration). In the current owner's possession for 11 years, the Gullwing has covered only some 3.500 miles in that time, making the total since restoration circa 6.300 miles. In 2015, the engine was totally overhauled at a cost of €13,342 (see notes and photographs on file). While in the current owner's possession, the Gullwing won its class at the 2011 Schloss Dyck Concours d'Élégance.

This car has been inspected by Mr Benny Valkenburg, the leading 300 SL authority in Western Europe, who has confirmed its originality with respect to the chassis, body and engine (report on file). It is worthwhile noting that this Gullwing still has the standard gear lever, and not the lower, remote-linkage shifter fitted to many examples. The car comes with an instruction manual; the purchase invoice and some photographs dating from 2004; sundry invoices for minor works; German TüV paperwork; and a copy of the old US title in the name of Mercedes-Benz, Naples.

One of the Bonhams Motoring Department specialists has had the pleasure of driving this beautiful Gullwing, and is happy to confirm that it performed excellently with no faults noted; it responded eagerly to the throttle while the clutch, gearbox, and brakes all worked well – a truly memorable experience.

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais

Bonhams

Sold for € 1.016.666

Estimated : € 1.100.000 - 1.300.000

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2017

The fight against Coronavirus COVID-19 continues in the UK and all around the world.

We thank the National Health Service for being at the forefront of the fight - but anger and shame should be bestowed upon the Government for failing in their duty to prepare for the inevitable resulting in the highest death rate reported in Europe.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_disease_2019

Chassis n° ZFF81BHB000214650

Estimated : CHF 2.600.000 - 2.800.000

Sold for CHF 862.500 - € 789.545

The Bonmont Sale

Collectors' Motor Cars - Bonhams

Golf & Country Club de Bonmont

Chéserex

Switzerland - Suisse - Schweiz

September 2019

"The Ferrari F12 has never struck anyone as being in need of more power. It really doesn't feel like it needs more nor, at least without significant modification, should it be given it. But here we are: the Ferrari F12tdf, a special version of the F12, limited in production but unlimited in ambition." – Autocar.

Introduced to the motoring public at the 2102 Geneva Motor Show, the Ferrari F12 replaced the 599 family of front-engined Gran Turismos. "... the company has thrown everything at it to ensure it's vastly quicker than its seminal predecessor, but also that it's more enjoyable at low speeds," declared evo magazine, continuing: "It claims to be both GT and supercar, mixing front-engined packaging and civility with exotic, F1-inspired dynamic ability."

Ferrari's gorgeous new berlinetta was soon garnering critical accolades, being voted 'Supercar of the Year 2012' by Top Gear magazine, and in 2014 receiving the coveted 'Premio Compasso d'Oro ADI', one of the world's oldest and most prestigious design awards.

It is an oft-stated cliché that 'the heart of every Ferrari is its engine', and the F12's 6.3-litre, 65-degree, normally aspirated V12 is acknowledged as one of the finest ever, winning the 'Best Performance' and 'Best Engine above 4.0 litres' categories in the 2013 'International Engine of the Year Awards'. With 730bhp on tap, this class-leading power unit - one of the most powerful every installed in a Ferrari road car – delivers stupendous performance, propelling the F12 to 100km/h (62mph) in 3.1 seconds on its way to a top speed of 211mph. Around Ferrari's Fiorano test track, the F12 proved to be 3.5 seconds quicker that the preceding 599 GTB and 2.0 seconds quicker than the mid-engined Enzo; even the hardcore 599 GTO was slower.

But these days even a supercar has to make the odd concession in the interests of fuel economy, and with this in mind the F12 incorporated Ferrari's HELE stop/start system that reduces consumption when idling. Paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel – an innovation pioneered by Ferrari in Formula 1 - had long been a feature of the Maranello marque's road cars, and the F12's controlled a seven-speed dual-clutch semi-automatic transmission. Stability, traction control, suspension, and other settings were also controlled from the F12's steering wheel, while improved carbon-ceramic brakes helped keep things in check.

The engine/transmission package was mounted in an aluminium spaceframe chassis - developed by Ferrari's close neighbours and long-time collaborators, Carrozzeria Scaglietti – that represented significant gains in rigidity and weight reduction when compared with the preceding 599 GTB. As one would expect of a modern-day Ferrari supercar, the F12 came with the latest in driver aids as standard: ABS, SCM-E magnetorheological suspension, electronic limited-slip differential, ESP Premium stability control, and F1-Trac traction control.

Styled by the Ferrari Styling Centre and Carrozzeria Pininfarina, the F12's voluptuous body restated the traditional 'long bonnet, small cabin, short tail' look in a manner suggesting muscular horsepower while retaining all the elegance associated with the Italian coachbuilder's work for Maranello. A significant aerodynamic development was the 'Aero Bridge': an under-body air channel running from front to rear that increased down force while exerting less drag than an external wing. 'Active Brake Cooling' ducts had been adopted for the same reason; opening only when the brakes required cooling while remaining closed at other times to reduce aerodynamic drag. The result was a remarkably low drag coefficient of only 0.299. Based on that of the Ferrari FF, the 'Frau leather' interior featured aluminium, Alutex, and carbon fibre trim. The F12's optional accessories were extensive, though pricey: who would have thought that a carbon fibre cup holder could cost £2,112?

In October 2015, Ferrari announced a limited-edition variant, the F12tdf, its nomenclature referencing a competition variant of the 250 GT, so named following the latter's many victories in the 'Tour de France Automobile' in the late 1950s/early 1960s. Like its illustrious predecessor, the F12tdf was a lightweight, track-focused model aimed at wealthy connoisseurs and gentleman racers; only 799 were built during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

The F12tdf used the same 6.3-litre V12 engine as the standard car, albeit modified to produce 770bhp, while deleting much of the leather/aluminium interior trim in favour of Alcantara and carbon fibre, together with swapping many exterior aluminium panels for carbon fibre, helped shed some 110kgs from the total weight. The result was a reduction of the 0-100km/h to 2.9 seconds while the claimed top speed was now 'in excess of 211km/h'. Around Fiorano, the F12tdf was 2.0 seconds quicker than its standard sibling.

This particular F12tdf was sold new in Ancona in 2016 and first owned by Mr Calasso Antonio in Forli. Finished in yellow with black interior, the Ferrari has covered only 693km and is presented in excellent 'as new' condition apart from a change of colour to the wheels in 2016 (see Modena Cars invoice on file). Representing a wonderful opportunity to own one of Ferrari's all-time great, front-engined supercars, this stunning F12tdf comes complete with its Ferrari charger, car cover, and instruction manual, and is currently registered on a temporary Swiss plate. A detailed specification listing supplied by Ferrari is on file and the car also comes with Equatorial Guinea registration papers and technical inspection.

With thanks to Andrew Diprose, Wired (UK) and Charlie Surbey (photography)

1973-1990

Show info:

Two Lamborghinis in the line-up? That's because Lamborghini ruled the supercar roost during the 1960s and '70s, making Ferrari's front-engined Daytona look positively archaic (though actually better to drive in many ways).

Where the Miura had been beautiful, the Countach was simply shocking, with its aggressively angular styling, scissor doors and steeply raked windscreen - and that's before the huge spoilers and wheel arch extensions were added in later years.

The Miura used a pressed-steel chassis but the Countach was based around a tubular spaceframe, which required very high and wide sills to accommodate the lattice of tubes along both sides of the car. It used the same V12 engine but this time mounted longitudinally (the Miura's was transverse) behind the cockpit.

The first Countach was the P400; this then evolved into the P400S, with wider wheels and wheel arch extensions (plus an optional rear spoiler). In 1982 the 5-litre LP500S was introduced, followed by the 1985 5000 Quattrovalvole (four valves per cylinder), which moved from carburettors to fuel injection midway through its life.

The final production Countach was the 1988 25th Anniversary model, which was mechanically similar to the 5000 QV but with modified bodywork and the widest rear tyres (345/35 15s) ever fitted to a production car at the time.

Evolution of the Supercar

London Classic Car Show

ExCel Centre, London Docklands

18th-21st February 2016

Morgan Three Wheel (2011-on) Engine 1982cc V2

Registration Number VU 64 YMO (Worcester)

MORGAN SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623797607694...

Entrant: Morgan Motor Company

Powered by a US built V2 engine with an output of 100bhp from engine specialists S + S makers of Harley Davidson engines.

The whole assembly save the oil tank needed for its dry sump lubrication sits ahead of the double wishbone front suspension and feeds power rearward through a Mazda MX5 transmission to a fat, belt-driven rear tyre whose width probably exceeds that of both front tyres combined. The chassis is a spaceframe Morgan design manufactured in Hinkley, Leicestershire while the body is aluminium and produced by Premier Sheet Metal in Coventry. With paint and final assembly at Morgan in Malvern

PopbangColour

This Moggie belongs to Ian Cook of PopbangColour often seen at Motoring events, Ian Cook is a contemporary British artist, who uses a unique form of creating artwork – painting with radio controlled cars, actual car tyres and toy car wheel instead of paintbrushes. He operates under the corporate name 'PopbangColour'. Always fun to watch his pictures evolve from sploges of acrylic to recognisable pictures. He became a motoring enthusiast at an early nd combined his passions of cars, toys and art to create complex and dynamic artworks. In October 2008, Cook made a portrait of Formula 1 racing driver Lewis Hamilton the size of "two London double-decker buses", which was unveiled by Tower Bridge, London. In 2014 he appeared on ITV breakfast show Daybreak, where he created a portrait of Adrian Chiles and Christine Bleakley as well as the Daybreak logo

Many thanks for a fantabulous

49,296,348 views

Shot 09.05.2016 on a flying visit to The British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwks REF 114-011

Note the offset steering wheel to allow space for the operation of the gear stick.

Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011

The Repco Brabham BT24 was a Formula One racing car design. It was one of three cars used by the Brabham racing team during their championship-winning 1967 Formula One season. Only three BT24 chassis were ever raced.

Designed by Ron Tauranac, the BT24 was somewhat behind the times in having a spaceframe chassis and the underpowered Oldsmobile-derived Repco V8 engine. Compared with the Lotus 49, which had debuted a race earlier in Holland, the Brabham seemed almost obsolete, but its better reliability made it the tortoise to Lotus's hare.

With reigning champion Jack Brabham and Denny Hulme at the wheel, the BT24 took 3 wins to the Jim Clark's 4 in the Lotus, but with six 2nd places, two 3rds, a 4th and a 5th the Brabham team comfortably took the Constructors' Championship, while Hulme pipped team-owner Brabham to the Drivers' Championship by 5 points.

In addition to its three championship race wins the BT24 also won the prestigious 1967 International Gold Cup at Oulton Park in the hands of Jack Brabham.

Wikipedia

W198

'When it was first announced by Mercedes-Benz, the production 300 SL Coupé was a startling car built to the German concern's customarily startling standards, but above all what left the general public most open-mouthed about the new car was its upward-opening Gullwing doors...!' - Motors, 1963.

Mercedes-Benz returned to post-war competition in 1952, fielding two of its new 300 SL (W194) sports cars in the Mille Miglia. The pair finishing a creditable 2nd and 4th overall in this most difficult of events and this promising start was followed up by a win in the challenging Carrera Panamericana. The works first raced the 300 SL (Sport Leicht) in open form, but for the Le Mans 24-Hour Race in June a trio of 'Gullwing'-doored coupés was entered. High sills were a feature of the multi-tubular spaceframe chassis, and while access was not a problem of the open car, the coupé bodywork required innovative thinking - hence the Gullwing doors. Karl Kling and Hans Klenk duly brought their 'Silver Arrow' home in first place and the 300 SL was on its way to becoming part of motor sporting legend.

Launched in August 1954, the production 300 SL retained the spaceframe chassis and lightweight aluminium-alloy bodywork of the W194 racer while its mechanical underpinnings, like the latter's, owed much to the contemporary Mercedes-Benz 300 luxury saloon. A 2.996 cc overhead-camshaft inline six, the 300 SL's engine was canted at 45 degrees to achieve a low bonnet line and produced 215 bhp (DIN) at 5.800 rpm using Bosch mechanical fuel injection. A four-speed, all-synchromesh manual gearbox transmitted power to the hypoid bevel rear axle. Suspension was independent all round: by wishbones and coil springs at the front, with swing axles and coil springs at the rear.

A production 300 SL (W198) was tested by Road & Track magazine in 1955, accelerating from 0-60 mph in 7,4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 140mph. Half expecting the long-awaited 300 SL to provide an anti-climax, R&T were delighted to find the new car, 'far beyond our wildest expectations. In fact, we can state unequivocally that in our opinion the 300SL coupé is the ultimate in an all-round sportscar. It combines more desirable features in one streamlined package than we ever imagined or hoped would be possible. Performance? It accelerates from a dead start to 100mph in just over 17 seconds. Dual purpose? A production model 300 SL can make a very acceptable showing in any type of sportscar competition. Yet the car is extremely tractable and easy to drive in traffic. Comfort? The fully enclosed 300 SL is the most comfortable (and safe) high-speed 'cross-country' car built today.'

A 300 SL roadster featuring conventional doors was first exhibited at the Geneva Salon in May 1957 and, although built in greater numbers, has never matched the immortal Gullwing for desirability. Its racing parentage notwithstanding, the 300 SL remains a thoroughly practical car, as civilised in city traffic as it is exhilarating on the autostrada. By the time 300 SL Coupé production ceased in 1957, some 1.400 examples had found customers. Today the model is both rare and most sought after by connoisseurs of fine automobiles.

One of 867 'Gullwing' coupés built in 1955, this example was delivered new to Mercedes-Benz Distributors Inc of New York, USA in November of that year. According to the 300 SL Registry (copy record on file), chassis number '823' was originally finished in light green metallic with red leather interior, a rare combination. The Register extract confirms matching chassis/engine numbers and states that this car was built with a 3,25:1 ratio rear axle - rare for a US-delivered Gullwing - which reduces engine revs and makes the car more comfortable to drive at high speeds. It is believed that this axle is the 'Special Order' referred to in the Register records. In order, the owners listed are Lawrence T Lee of Stafford Springs, Connecticut; Stephen R Narans of Denver, Colorado; and Eric Eichler of Malvern, Pennsylvania. The car spent its life with these three owners for its first 45 years.

The immediately preceding owner, Mrs Suzanna Navarro, bought the Gullwing in 2000 and brought it to Naples (Florida) for a full restoration. The rebuild took four years to complete, and in 2004 the finished car was sold to the current Dutch owner, who brought it to Holland in 2005. At that time (2005) the odometer reading was 2.800 miles (post-restoration). In the current owner's possession for 11 years, the Gullwing has covered only some 3.500 miles in that time, making the total since restoration circa 6.300 miles. In 2015, the engine was totally overhauled at a cost of €13,342 (see notes and photographs on file). While in the current owner's possession, the Gullwing won its class at the 2011 Schloss Dyck Concours d'Élégance.

This car has been inspected by Mr Benny Valkenburg, the leading 300 SL authority in Western Europe, who has confirmed its originality with respect to the chassis, body and engine (report on file). It is worthwhile noting that this Gullwing still has the standard gear lever, and not the lower, remote-linkage shifter fitted to many examples. The car comes with an instruction manual; the purchase invoice and some photographs dating from 2004; sundry invoices for minor works; German TüV paperwork; and a copy of the old US title in the name of Mercedes-Benz, Naples.

One of the Bonhams Motoring Department specialists has had the pleasure of driving this beautiful Gullwing, and is happy to confirm that it performed excellently with no faults noted; it responded eagerly to the throttle while the clutch, gearbox, and brakes all worked well – a truly memorable experience.

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais

Bonhams

Sold for € 1.016.666

Estimated : € 1.100.000 - 1.300.000

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2017

E52

Bonhams : The Autumn Sale 2020

Estimated : € 140.000 - 180.000

Sold for € 138.000

Autoworld

www.autoworld.be

Brussels - Belgium

September 2020

In recent times many motor manufacturers, particularly those with a significant sporting heritage, have felt the need to reference iconic models from the past when launching their latest. BMW has proved adept at exploiting this 'retro' trend, commencing in 1996 with the Z3 coupé and convertible, the styling of which brilliantly recalled its fabulous '328' sports car of pre-war days. Its next effort along similar lines - the 'Z07' concept car of 1997 - took its inspiration from the post-war Alfred Goetz-designed '507', a luxurious limited-edition roadster.

The sensation of the 1997 Tokyo Auto Show, the Z07 was received so enthusiastically that BMW took the decision to press ahead with a production version: the Z8. For the most part the Z8 remained remarkably faithful to the original concept, retaining the 507-like twin-nostril front grille and distinctive front-wing vents. A period-style interior had been one of the Z07's most remarked upon features, and that too made it into the Z8.

The Z8's body panelling and spaceframe chassis were fabricated in lightweight and corrosion resistant aluminium, while the 32-valve 4,941cc V8 engine, shared with the M5 saloon, was built by BMW's Motorsport division. With 400bhp on tap, the Z8 raced to 100km/h (62mph) in 4.7 seconds and only the built-in rev limiter stopped it from exceeding 250km/h (155mph). Power reached the run-flat tyres via a Getrag six-speed manual gearbox. Needless to say, the Z8 also came with all the modern appurtenances one would expect of a flagship model: traction control, stability control, front and side air bags, GPS navigation, climate control, and power operation of the seats, steering wheel, and convertible hood all being included in the package.

The fact that the Z8 was a low-volume model assembled, for the most part, by hand, enabled BMW to offer customers considerable freedom in personalising their cars. Further enhancing its appeal to collectors, the factory announced that a 50-year stockpile of Z8 parts would be maintained. Despite a (US) launch price of over $128,000, initial demand was so high that a bidding war broke out, with many Z8s selling for well in excess of that figure. By the time production ceased at the end of 2002, 5,703 of these fabulous cars had been built.

This particular BMW Z8 was delivered new to Mr Jason Claxton in Grand River, Ontario in January 2001, passing to its next owner - Lorenzo Giordano, a prominent member of the Montreal Mafia - in 2003, by which time it had covered fewer than 20,000 kilometres. In May 2007 Giordano was arrested and spent the next eight years in prison; released in December 2015, he was shot dead in March 2016. The car was put on the market a few weeks later with 24,693 kilometres recorded, and early in 2017 was imported into Luxembourg.

A major service was carried out by Garage Ginion in Waterloo when the car arrived in Belgium in March 2017 (at 25,148 kilometres), which included converting the radio to European specification (detailed bills available). The most recent service was undertaken by Garage Bilia-Edmond in Luxembourg in 2019. Since the car's arrival in Luxembourg in 2017, a total of €7,200 has been spent on various works including replacing both front lights, the right taillight, and the left door trim cup holder (October 2017); replacing all the cylinder head coolant hoses (May 2019); and fitting a new battery (June 2020). Invoices for all these works and parts are on file together with those relating to the car's importation into Europe in February 2017.

Finished in grey with black leather interior, the latter smelling like new, this beautiful Z8 Roadster is presented in pristine condition, with a spotless engine bay, and is still on its original tyres. The car comes complete with windbreak and cover; canopy cover; original radio; coffee table book; two keys; Motorola/Startac BMW mobile telephone (Canadian specification); tool kit; Carte Grise; and Contrôle Technique.

Lotus 23B (1964) Engine 1596cc

Race Number 205 David Gidden (Astcote)

LOTUS SET

www.flickr.com/photos/45676495@N05/sets/72157623671671113...

The Lotus 23 was designed by Colin Chapman to compete in the FIA Group 4 category. Unlike its predecessors its engine was mounted behind the driver. The 23 used a wider version of the Lotus 22 spaceframe clothed in a fibreglass body The front suspension was a typical double wishbone arms with outboard coil/damper unit using the Triumph upright made by Alford & Alder, Triumph Herald rack and pinion steering, and outboard Girling non-ventilated disc brake. It was originally intended for engines of 750 cc to 1300 cc (45-80ci) with a Renault 4 speed transaxle, but had a 5 speed Hewland Mk.III in production, which used the entire VW magnesium alloy transaxle case in upside-down configuration, housing bespoke straight-cut gears

The 23B in 1963 had the original center gear shifter relocated to the right side of the driver, and the radiator and oil cooler were combined into a single unit, with the lower fifth acting as an oil cooler. The frame received additional structural tubes to take the torque of Lotus TwinCam-based 1.6 litre Cosworth Mk.XII and Mk.XIII, mated to "high torque spec" 5 speed Hewland Mk.V transaxle. Smaller displacement engines were mated to 5 speed Hewland Mk.IV. both with GKN (Ford Zephyr) differential gears and a forward-facing selector rod on the right side in a bespoke (Hewland made) tail casing.

Thankyou for a massive 55,757,812 views

Shot 17.07.2016 at Shelsey Walsh Classic Nostalgia Meeting, Worcestershire REF 121-566

The Mercedes-AMG GT (C190) is a 2-door, 2-seat grand tourer coupé produced by Mercedes-AMG. The sports car was presented on September 9, 2014 and was officially unveiled to the public in October 2014 at the Paris Motor Show. After the SLS AMG, it is the second sports car developed entirely in-house by Mercedes-AMG. The car is produced in two performance variations, with the Mercedes-AMG GT S (C120) having a slightly higher performance. Both models went on sale in March 2015, with a GT3 racing variant of the car expected to be released in 2016. All variants are assembled at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen, Germany.

History

The interior of the Mercedes-AMG GT was previewed on April 16, 2014. The car made its debut on September 9, 2014 and was officially unveiled to the public in October 2014 at the Paris Motor Show with two performance options: the GT, with 350 kW (476 PS; 469 bhp), and the GT S with 375 kW (510 PS; 503 bhp). The GT has 600 N·m (443 lb·ft) of torque, and the GT S has 650 N·m (479 lb·ft) of torque.

The Mercedes-AMG GT S is Formula 1's current safety car, having made its debut in that role at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix.

Specifications

The GT uses a front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, with the engine inside the vehicle's wheelbase. The spaceframe chassis and body are made out of aluminium alloys, while the boot lid is steel and the engine bonnet magnesium. The suspensions are double wishbones front and rear, with forged aluminium wishbones and hub carriers.

The car is powered by a front-mid mounted M178 4-litre twin-turbo V8. This new V8 is in "hot inside V" configuration—with exhaust and turbochargers inside the cylinder banks to reduce turbo lag—and uses dry-sump lubrication. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a transaxle 7-speed AMG Speedshift dual-clutch transmission; the GT S model employs an electronically controlled mechanical limited-slip differential. In a road test executed by Car and Driver, the AMG GT S accelerated from 0–60 mph in 3.0 seconds and ran the quarter mile in 11.2 seconds.

[Text from Wikipedia]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-AMG_GT

This Lego miniland-scale Mercedes-AMG GT S F1 Safety Car has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 101st Build Challenge, titled - 'A Matter of Life and Death!'. In this challenge, any vehicle can be built that associates with the themes of life or death.

The F1 Safety car has been used more frequently over the past 20 years, but has been used as part of a number of specialist cars to improve the sports safety, including medical cars for life-saving, rapid emergency intervention.

E52

- Delivered new to Belgium

- Only two owners from new

- ca. 66,000 kilometres recorded from new

- Garaged and used only sparingly since 2011

- Freshly serviced for the sale

Bonhams : The Zoute Sale

Important Collectors' Motor Cars

The Zoute Grand Prix Gallery

Estimated : € 160.000 - 180.000

Sold for € 195.500

Zoute Grand Prix Car Week 2025

Knokke - Zoute

België - Belgium

October 2025

In recent times many motor manufacturers, particularly those with a significant sporting heritage, have felt the need to reference iconic models from the past when launching their latest. BMW has proved adept at exploiting this 'retro' trend, commencing in 1996 with the Z3 coupé and convertible, the styling of which brilliantly recalled its fabulous '328' sports car of pre-war days. Its next effort along similar lines - the 'Z07' concept car of 1997 - took its inspiration from the post-war Alfred Goetz-designed '507', a luxurious limited-edition roadster.

The sensation of the 1997 Tokyo Auto Show, the Z07 was received so enthusiastically that BMW decided to proceed with a production version: the Z8. For the most part the Z8 remained remarkably faithful to the original concept, retaining the 507-like twin-nostril front grille and distinctive front-wing vents. A period-style interior had been one of the Z07's most remarked upon features, and that too made it into the Z8.

The Z8's body panelling and bespoke spaceframe chassis were fabricated in lightweight and corrosion resistant aluminium, while the 32-valve 4,941cc V8 engine, shared with the M5 saloon, was built by BMW's Motorsport division. With 400bhp on tap, the Z8 raced to 100km/h (62mph) in 4.7 seconds and only the built-in rev limiter stopped it from exceeding 250km/h (155mph). It was rumoured that 290km/h (180mph) was achievable with the restrictor removed...

Power reached the run-flat tyres via a Getrag six-speed manual gearbox. Needless to say, the Z8 also came with all the modern appurtenances one would expect of a flagship model: traction control, stability control, front and side air bags, GPS navigation, climate control and power operation of the seats, steering wheel and convertible hood all being included in the package.

The fact that the Z8 was a low-volume model assembled, for the most part, by hand, enabled BMW to offer customers considerable freedom in personalising their cars. Further enhancing its appeal to collectors, the factory announced that a 50-year stockpile of Z8 parts would be maintained. Despite a (US) launch price of over $128,000, initial demand was so high that a bidding war broke out, with many Z8s selling for well in excess of that figure. By the time production ceased in 2003, 5,703 of these fabulous cars had been built.

Manufactured on 19th February 2001 and Belgian delivered new, this two-owner car comes with its original hardtop, service book, instruction books, and a third party condition report from 2011 when the odometer reading was approximately the same as today. A Car-Pass certificate from 2011 is on file, suggesting that the odometer reading was correct up until March 2011 when the current owner purchased the car, which has been garaged and only used sparingly.

Finished in Titanium Silver with black convertible roof and matching leather-trimmed interior, the car features a body-coloured upper dashboard and seat bases, and aluminium-effect accents. The car rides on the correct 18" spoked alloy wheels. The vendor describes the condition overall as excellent, with only light signs of wear visible, as one would expect of a car this age.

This BMW Z8 is a highly sought-after convertible cruiser, finished in a timeless factory colour combination. This two-owner Belgian-market example has a solid history and is certain to appeal to collectors. Garaged for several years and used only sparingly since 2011, this modern classic comes to the sale freshly serviced and ready to be enjoyed on spirited drives or long-distance tours.

Chassis n° ZLA038ARO00000026

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais 2020

Bonhams

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2020

Estimated : € 550.000 - 650.000

Unsold

From the mid-1960s until the early 1990s, Lancia was a major force in international rallying, winning the World Rally Championship for Makes no fewer than 11 times between 1972 and 1992, including a remarkable six successive victories commencing in 1987. During the same period, Lancia drivers won the European Rally Championship on 14 occasions and the World Drivers' Championship (only instigated in 1978) four times. The models used – Fulvia HF, Stratos, Rally 037 and the Delta family: S4, HF and Integrale – are among the most successful rally cars of all time.

Following Audi's lead, Lancia had introduced a new four-wheel-drive World Rally Championship contender in 1985, the Delta S4, which bore more than a passing resemblance to its road-going namesake. That deliberate likeness though, was merely skin deep, for the two cars had next to nothing in common mechanically. For whereas the Delta road car was a conventional, front-wheel-drive, five-seater hatchback, the two-seater S4 carried its engine where the rear seat passengers would have been and concealed a tubular spaceframe chassis - similar to that of the Rally 037 and incorporating fully adjustable all-independent suspension – beneath lightweight composite bodywork. Featuring numerous aerodynamic aids designed to increase downforce at high speeds, both front and rear sections of the S4's body were quickly detachable in the case of an accident.

The transmission drove all four wheels via central and rear differentials while the Abarth-designed 1,759cc, 16-valve engine broke new ground also, employing both supercharging and turbo-charging to reduce the effects of 'turbo lag' at low revs. As the FIA applied a 'x1.4' formula to the capacity of forced induction engines, the Delta S4 ran in the up-to-2,500cc class, which permitted a minimum weight of 890kg (1,958 lbs). A maximum power output of around 400bhp was available from the start, rising to in excess of 500bhp by the end of development.

After the required 200 Stradale (road-going) models required by Group B regulations had - allegedly - been constructed, the competition version made its first appearance in November 1985 at the RAC Rally, Henri Toivonen and Markku Alén finishing 1st and 2nd respectively to record one of the most successful debuts in rallying history. The Delta S4 went on to score three more World Championship victories in 1986, securing Lancia 2nd place in the Makes' competition and 2nd place for Alén in the Drivers' before being compulsorily retired at the end of the year when the FIA imposed Group A regulations for 1987. The FIA's decision had been prompted by a series of serious accidents, including Toivonen's fatal crash in Corsica at the wheel of a works S4, which also claimed the life of his co-driver, Sergio Cresto.

In use for only 13 months, the Lancia Delta S4 is one of the rarest of Group B rally cars. There is considerable doubt that Lancia actually produced the 200 road cars required for homologation, expert opinion being that fewer than 80 exist today.

Finished in red, this Delta S4 retains its original seats and original steering wheel. It was purchased five years ago be the current vendor, who is only its second owner, and has covered fewer than 3,300 kilometres from new. This ultra-rare and highly desirable 'homologation special' is offered with Italian documentation, an original Lancia S4 Uso et Manutenzione manual, original Libretto di Assistenza guide, and the service book.

The Mercedes-AMG GT (C190) is a 2-door, 2-seat grand tourer coupé produced by Mercedes-AMG. The sports car was presented on September 9, 2014 and was officially unveiled to the public in October 2014 at the Paris Motor Show. After the SLS AMG, it is the second sports car developed entirely in-house by Mercedes-AMG. The car is produced in two performance variations, with the Mercedes-AMG GT S (C120) having a slightly higher performance. Both models went on sale in March 2015, with a GT3 racing variant of the car expected to be released in 2016. All variants are assembled at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Sindelfingen, Germany.

History

The interior of the Mercedes-AMG GT was previewed on April 16, 2014. The car made its debut on September 9, 2014 and was officially unveiled to the public in October 2014 at the Paris Motor Show with two performance options: the GT, with 350 kW (476 PS; 469 bhp), and the GT S with 375 kW (510 PS; 503 bhp). The GT has 600 N·m (443 lb·ft) of torque, and the GT S has 650 N·m (479 lb·ft) of torque.

The Mercedes-AMG GT S is Formula 1's current safety car, having made its debut in that role at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix.

Specifications

The GT uses a front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, with the engine inside the vehicle's wheelbase. The spaceframe chassis and body are made out of aluminium alloys, while the boot lid is steel and the engine bonnet magnesium. The suspensions are double wishbones front and rear, with forged aluminium wishbones and hub carriers.

The car is powered by a front-mid mounted M178 4-litre twin-turbo V8. This new V8 is in "hot inside V" configuration—with exhaust and turbochargers inside the cylinder banks to reduce turbo lag—and uses dry-sump lubrication. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a transaxle 7-speed AMG Speedshift dual-clutch transmission; the GT S model employs an electronically controlled mechanical limited-slip differential. In a road test executed by Car and Driver, the AMG GT S accelerated from 0–60 mph in 3.0 seconds and ran the quarter mile in 11.2 seconds.

[Text from Wikipedia]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-AMG_GT

This Lego miniland-scale Mercedes-AMG GT S F1 Safety Car has been created for Flickr LUGNuts' 101st Build Challenge, titled - 'A Matter of Life and Death!'. In this challenge, any vehicle can be built that associates with the themes of life or death.

The F1 Safety car has been used more frequently over the past 20 years, but has been used as part of a number of specialist cars to improve the sports safety, including medical cars for life-saving, rapid emergency intervention.

Chassis n° DB4/1129/L

Zoute Sale - Bonhams

Estimated : € 500.000 - 700.000

Sold for € 569.250

Zoute Grand Prix 2024

Knokke - Zoute

België - Belgium

October 2024

"Performance, controllability and comfort have been combined in the Aston Martin DB4 to make it a highly desirable car: one in which long journeys can be completed very quickly indeed with the minimum of risk or discomfort and the maximum of pleasure." - The Motor.

Classically proportioned and instantly recognisable from the moment of its introduction in 1958, the Touring-styled Aston Martin DB4 established a look that would survive, with only minor revisions, until 1970. Designed by Tadek Marek and already proven in racing, the DB4's new twin-cam six-cylinder engine displaced 3,670cc while the gearbox was a new David Brown four-speed all-synchromesh unit. An immensely strong platform-type chassis, designed by Harold Beach, replaced the preceding DB2/4's multi-tubular spaceframe, the latter being considered incompatible with Touring's Superleggera body construction. The DB2/4's trailing-link independent front suspension gave way to unequal-length wishbones while at the rear the DB4 sported a live axle located by a Watts linkage instead of its predecessor's Panhard rod. Boasting disc brakes all round and with 240bhp on tap, the DB4 was the first production car capable of accelerating from a standing start to 100mph and back to rest again in under 30 seconds. At a time when few family saloons were capable of exceeding 70mph and took an age to get there, this staggering performance made the DB4 just about the fastest thing on the road, easily the equal of its Italian rivals.

Manufactured between October 1958 and June 1963, the DB4 developed through no fewer than five series. However, it should be made clear that the cars were not thus designated by the factory, this nomenclature having been suggested subsequently by the Aston Martin Owners Club to aid identification as the model evolved. The first had already undergone a number of improvements, including the fitting of heavy-duty bumpers after the first 50 cars, before the second series arrived in January 1960. A front-hinged bonnet, bigger brake callipers, and an enlarged sump were the major changes made on the Series II, while the third series featured separate rear lights, two bonnet stays, and a host of improvements to the interior fittings. The fourth series was readily distinguishable by its new grille (with seven vertical bars), shallower bonnet intake, and recessed rear lights, while the final (fifth) series manufactured between September 1962 and June 1963 was 3.5" longer (allowing for increased leg room and a larger boot) and gained 15" wheels, an electric radiator fan, and the DB4GT-type instrument panel.

One of the most notable developments had arrived with the introduction of the 'Series IV' in September 1961, when a 'Special Series' (SS) or 'Vantage' engine became available as an option. The 'SS' incorporated a 9.0:1 compression ratio, larger valves, and triple SU HD8 carburettors, producing 266bhp at 5,750rpm, a gain of 26 horsepower over the standard unit. Almost all DB4 Vantages were built with the faired-in headlights of the DB4GT, including the car offered here. The DB4 Series V Vantage is one of the rarest and most desirable of the DB range with only some 55 cars built in this final incarnation of the DB4. Indeed, the original 'James Bond' car used in the filming of Goldfinger was a DB4 Series V, as they look virtually identical to the DB5 which at that time was not quite ready.

One of only 17 believed left-hand drive Series V cars built with the Vantage (SS) engine, chassis number '1129/L' was delivered new in the USA by British Motor Car distributors Inc in December 1962 finished in Desert White with black interior. The copy guarantee form lists the Vantage specification; 3.77:1 rear axle ratio; Chrome wheels; side window vents; and an identification plate as items of non-standard equipment.

The documentation accompanying the car allows us to trace its history and to identify several of its following subsequent owners: the first one was J M West of Berkeley, California; then J Wilcox ; Dr E Griggs; 'Charlie'; a Chicago dealer; and 'Serio', the latter from June 1987.

In 1983, the DB4 had a joint restoration project by Aston Martin Noth America and Lake Forest Sportcars for display at that year's Chicago Auto Show. It had been restored with Storm Red paint and a black leather interior, while a 1988 letter on file states that the car was painted green at some point. In 1989, the Aston was registered to John B Evans (still in the USA) and in 1994 was registered in the Netherlands. The current owner, a distinguished Belgian automobile enthusiast, purchased the car in 1998 and registered it in 2001.

For a while the DB4 was fitted with a 4.0-litre engine, the original having been damaged by the first owner and removed. In 2002, a Dutch gentleman informed the current owner that the engine, matching the chassis number DB4/1129/L, was found in a DB5 he was considering purchasing. Though he decided against the purchase, the dealer subsequently contacted the current owner to offer him the engine. Thus, after 50 years, the chassis and its original engine were reunited.

Recently, a three-year complete restoration to concours condition was meticulously carried out to the highest standards, respecting the original specifications, in a Brussels workshop, as documented by the extensive file of available photographs and invoices from Garage Natens in Belgium, from where the mechanical parts were sourced.

Accompanying documentation includes the following: 2015 British Motor Industry Heritage Trust Certificate; important historical file containing numerous photocopies documenting the various owners (registration documents, correspondence, etc); several restoration invoices; important file of pictures showing the restoration: bodywork, chassis and floors, engine, interior, mechanical parts, etc.

Chassis n° ZLA038ARO00000026

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais 2020

Bonhams

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2020

Estimated : € 550.000 - 650.000

Unsold

From the mid-1960s until the early 1990s, Lancia was a major force in international rallying, winning the World Rally Championship for Makes no fewer than 11 times between 1972 and 1992, including a remarkable six successive victories commencing in 1987. During the same period, Lancia drivers won the European Rally Championship on 14 occasions and the World Drivers' Championship (only instigated in 1978) four times. The models used – Fulvia HF, Stratos, Rally 037 and the Delta family: S4, HF and Integrale – are among the most successful rally cars of all time.

Following Audi's lead, Lancia had introduced a new four-wheel-drive World Rally Championship contender in 1985, the Delta S4, which bore more than a passing resemblance to its road-going namesake. That deliberate likeness though, was merely skin deep, for the two cars had next to nothing in common mechanically. For whereas the Delta road car was a conventional, front-wheel-drive, five-seater hatchback, the two-seater S4 carried its engine where the rear seat passengers would have been and concealed a tubular spaceframe chassis - similar to that of the Rally 037 and incorporating fully adjustable all-independent suspension – beneath lightweight composite bodywork. Featuring numerous aerodynamic aids designed to increase downforce at high speeds, both front and rear sections of the S4's body were quickly detachable in the case of an accident.

The transmission drove all four wheels via central and rear differentials while the Abarth-designed 1,759cc, 16-valve engine broke new ground also, employing both supercharging and turbo-charging to reduce the effects of 'turbo lag' at low revs. As the FIA applied a 'x1.4' formula to the capacity of forced induction engines, the Delta S4 ran in the up-to-2,500cc class, which permitted a minimum weight of 890kg (1,958 lbs). A maximum power output of around 400bhp was available from the start, rising to in excess of 500bhp by the end of development.

After the required 200 Stradale (road-going) models required by Group B regulations had - allegedly - been constructed, the competition version made its first appearance in November 1985 at the RAC Rally, Henri Toivonen and Markku Alén finishing 1st and 2nd respectively to record one of the most successful debuts in rallying history. The Delta S4 went on to score three more World Championship victories in 1986, securing Lancia 2nd place in the Makes' competition and 2nd place for Alén in the Drivers' before being compulsorily retired at the end of the year when the FIA imposed Group A regulations for 1987. The FIA's decision had been prompted by a series of serious accidents, including Toivonen's fatal crash in Corsica at the wheel of a works S4, which also claimed the life of his co-driver, Sergio Cresto.

In use for only 13 months, the Lancia Delta S4 is one of the rarest of Group B rally cars. There is considerable doubt that Lancia actually produced the 200 road cars required for homologation, expert opinion being that fewer than 80 exist today.

Finished in red, this Delta S4 retains its original seats and original steering wheel. It was purchased five years ago be the current vendor, who is only its second owner, and has covered fewer than 3,300 kilometres from new. This ultra-rare and highly desirable 'homologation special' is offered with Italian documentation, an original Lancia S4 Uso et Manutenzione manual, original Libretto di Assistenza guide, and the service book.

Chassis n° DB4/677/L

Bonhams

Les Grandes Marques du Monde à Paris

The Grand Palais Éphémère

Place Joffre

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2023

Estimated : € 260.000 - 340.000

Sold for € 345.000

"Performance, controllability and comfort have been combined in the Aston Martin DB4 to make it a highly desirable car; one in which long journeys can be completed very quickly indeed with the minimum of risk or discomfort, and the maximum of pleasure." – The Motor.

At its launch in October 1958, the DB4 marked a major turning point for Aston Martin as it was the first car of the David Brown era which neither used a chassis derived from the experimental Atom of 1939 nor the W O Bentley-era engine. Moreover, it was the first Aston Martin to carry Carrozzeria Touring's 'Superleggera' bodywork, in which light alloy panels were fixed to a framework of light-gauge steel tubes welded to a platform chassis. Immensely strong, the latter had been designed by Harold Beach and replaced the preceding DB2/4's multi-tubular spaceframe, which was considered incompatible with the Superleggera body construction.

The DB2/4's trailing-link independent front suspension gave way to unequal-length wishbones, while at the rear the DB4 sported a live axle located by a Watts linkage instead of its predecessor's Panhard rod. Boasting disc brakes all round and with 240bhp on tap, the DB4 was the first production car capable of accelerating from a standing start to 100mph and back to rest again in under 30 seconds. At a time when few family saloons were capable of exceeding 70mph and took an age to get there, this staggering performance made the DB4 just about the fastest thing on the road, easily the equal of its Italian rivals. The DB4 was available only as a closed sports saloon until September 1961 when the convertible version was unveiled at that year's Motor Show. Priced at £4,449, it was £250 more expensive than the saloon. Passenger space was little changed, though there was more headroom than the saloon could offer.

Although styled by Touring, the DB4's gorgeous fastback coachwork was built under license at Newport Pagnell by Aston Martin, which employed some of the finest panel beaters in the industry. The result was a car whose sleek lines were described as 'unmistakably Italian and yet... equally unmistakably Aston Martin.' The 3.7-litre, six-cylinder power unit was the work of Tadek Marek and had first been seen at Le Mans the previous year in the works DBR2 sports-racer, while the gearbox was a new David Brown four-speed all-synchromesh unit. The Motor recorded a two-way mean maximum speed of almost 140mph in their 'test' DB4, while at the same time recording acceleration figures from 10mph in top gear!

Manufactured between October 1958 and June 1963, the DB4 developed through no fewer than five series. However, it should be made clear that the cars were not thus designated by the factory, this nomenclature having been suggested subsequently by the Aston Martin Owners Club to aid identification as the model evolved. The first series had already undergone a number of improvements, including the fitting of heavy-duty bumpers after the first 50 cars, before the second series arrived in January 1960. A front-hinged bonnet, bigger brake callipers and an enlarged sump were the major changes made on the Series 2, while the Series 3 of 1961 featured separate rear lights, two bonnet stays and a host of improvements to the interior fittings. Manufactured between September 1961 and October 1962, the Series 4 was readily distinguishable by its shallower bonnet intake, recessed rear lights and new grille with seven vertical bars. The final Series 5 was lengthened by some 3½", to 15' (allowing for increased legroom and a larger boot) and gained 15" wheels, an electric radiator fan, and the DB4 GT-type instrument panel.

According to the accompanying copy guarantee form, left-hand drive chassis number '677/L' was delivered via the French Aston Martin agent Société Mirabeau in May 1961 and first owned by a Mr Boris Henry of Paris. The car left the factory finished in Black Pearl with black Connolly leather trim, and was equipped with an overdrive, high-compression engine, chrome road wheels, and an oil cooler. The form also records that a replacement engine ('370/698') was fitted in August 1961. Since its acquisition by the vendor the car has been dry stored and will therefore require re-commissioning before turning to the road.

E52

Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais 2020

Bonhams

Parijs - Paris

Frankrijk - France

February 2020

Estimated : € 140.000 - 170.000

Sold for € 151.800

In recent times many motor manufacturers, particularly those with a significant sporting heritage, have felt the need to reference iconic models from the past when launching their latest. BMW has proved adept at exploiting this 'retro' trend, commencing in 1996 with the Z3 coupé and convertible, the styling of which brilliantly recalled its fabulous '328' sports car of pre-war days. Its next effort along similar lines - the 'Z07' concept car of 1997 - took its inspiration from the post-war Alfred Goetz-designed '507', a luxurious limited-edition roadster.

The sensation of the 1997 Tokyo Auto Show, the Z07 was received so enthusiastically that BMW took the decision to press ahead with a production version: the Z8. For the most part the Z8 remained remarkably faithful to the original concept, retaining the 507-like twin-nostril front grille and distinctive front-wing vents. A period-style interior had been one of the Z07's most remarked upon features, and that too made it into the Z8.

The Z8's body panelling and spaceframe chassis were fabricated in lightweight and corrosion resistant aluminium, while the 32-valve 4,941cc V8 engine, shared with the M5 saloon, was built by BMW's Motorsport division. With 400bhp on tap, the Z8 raced to 100km/h (62mph) in 4.7 seconds and only the built-in rev limiter stopped it from exceeding 250km/h (155mph). Power reached the run-flat tyres via a Getrag six-speed manual gearbox. Needless to say, the Z8 also came with all the modern appurtenances one would expect of a flagship model: traction control, stability control, front and side air bags, GPS navigation, climate control, and power operation of the seats, steering wheel, and convertible hood all being included in the package.

The fact that the Z8 was a low-volume model assembled, for the most part, by hand, enabled BMW to offer customers considerable freedom in personalising their cars. Further enhancing its appeal to collectors, the factory announced that a 50-year stockpile of Z8 parts would be maintained. Despite a (US) launch price of over $128,000, initial demand was so high that a bidding war broke out, with many Z8s selling for well in excess of that figure. By the time production ceased at the end of 2002, 5,703 of these fabulous cars had been built.

This particular BMW Z8 was built to European specification and delivered new to Panama for an exhibition in Cuba, and from there went to Canada. Offered for sale by the original owner, it has covered only some 21,300 kilometres from new and is presented in commensurately good condition, benefiting from extensive servicing and fault rectification carried out by BMW Autohaus of Ontario, Canada in April 2019 (see accompanying bill for $8,686). Finished in Topaz Blue Metallic with black leather interior, this car comes complete with a Canadian registration document and all its original books and tools in their original leather case and rollup pouch.

Please note this motor car is subject to the normal local import tax on Hammer Price and Buyer's Premium, should it remains in the EU.

Bonhams is the guarantor of the customs duties and taxes clearance: consequently, this motor car cannot be released to the buyer or his transporter immediately after the sale.

W198

Estimated : CHF 1.100.000 - 1.400.000

Unsold

The Bonmont Sale

Collectors' Motor Cars - Bonhams

Golf & Country Club de Bonmont

Chéserex

Switzerland - Suisse - Schweiz

September 2019

'When it was first announced by Mercedes-Benz, the production 300 SL Coupé was a startling car built to the German concern's customarily startling standards, but above all what left the general public most open-mouthed about the new car was its upward-opening Gullwing doors...!' - Motors, 1963.

Mercedes-Benz returned to post-war competition in 1952, fielding two of its new 300 SL (W194) sports cars in the Mille Miglia. The pair finishing a creditable 2nd and 4th overall in this most difficult of events and this promising start was followed up by a win in the challenging Carrera Panamericana. The works first raced the 300 SL (Sport Leicht) in open form, but for the Le Mans 24-Hour Race in June a trio of 'Gullwing'-doored coupés was entered. High sills were a feature of the multi-tubular spaceframe chassis, and while access was not a problem of the open car, the coupé bodywork required innovative thinking - hence the Gullwing doors. Karl Kling and Hans Klenk duly brought their 'Silver Arrow' home in first place and the 300 SL was on its way to becoming part of motor sporting legend.

Launched in 1954, the production 300 SL retained the spaceframe chassis and lightweight aluminium-alloy bodywork of the W194 racer while its mechanical underpinnings, like the latter's, owed much to the contemporary Mercedes-Benz 300 luxury saloon. A 2,996cc overhead-camshaft inline six, the 300 SL's engine was canted at 45 degrees to achieve a low bonnet line and produced 215bhp (DIN) at 5,800rpm using Bosch mechanical fuel injection. A four-speed, all-synchromesh manual gearbox transmitted power to the hypoid bevel rear axle. Suspension was independent all round: by wishbones and coil springs at the front, with swing axles and coil springs at the rear.

A production 300 SL (W198) was tested by Road & Track magazine in 1955, accelerating from 0-60mph (0-97km/h) in 7.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 140mph (225km/h). Half expecting the long-awaited 300 SL to provide an anti-climax, R&T were delighted to find the new car, 'far beyond our wildest expectations. In fact, we can state unequivocally that in our opinion the 300SL coupé is the ultimate in an all-round sportscar. It combines more desirable features in one streamlined package than we ever imagined or hoped would be possible. Performance? It accelerates from a dead start to 100mph in just over 17 seconds. Dual purpose? A production model 300 SL can make a very acceptable showing in any type of sportscar competition. Yet the car is extremely tractable and easy to drive in traffic. Comfort? The fully enclosed 300 SL is the most comfortable (and safe) high-speed 'cross-country' car built today.'

A 300 SL roadster featuring conventional doors was first exhibited at the Geneva Salon in May 1957 and, although built in greater numbers, has never matched the immortal Gullwing for desirability. Its racing parentage notwithstanding, the 300 SL remains a thoroughly practical car, as civilised in city traffic as it is exhilarating on the autostrada. By the time 300 SL Coupé production ceased in 1957, some 1,400 examples had found customers. Today the model is both rare and most sought after by connoisseurs of fine automobiles.

The accompanying copy of this Gullwing's factory data sheet, issued 7th June 1955, shows that it was sold new to Mr Alfred Rogers of Montreal, Canada. This document also records that the car was originally finished in black with red leather interior, the same colour scheme it has today, and that it was ordered with, among other options, special high-gloss paintwork, sealed-beam headlights, instruments in English, and special upholstery. The Mercedes stayed in Canada until at least 1989 when it was owned by Mr Fred Wegner of Woodbridge, Ontario. Previously owned by Mr Jochen Hackbarth of Hamburg, Germany, the Mercedes was purchased by the current vendor from Axel Schuette in August 1993.

Also on file is a professional condition and valuation report, compiled in December 2016 after the Gullwing had been restored, which confirms that the numbers on the chassis, body, and engine match those on the aforementioned data sheet. The odometer reading when the car was inspected was 1 kilometre, the same as it is today. This report is highly complimentary, remarking on the quality of the body, paintwork, brightwork, glass (replaced in its entirety), interior (fully re-trimmed), and chassis frame (plastic coated). It also states that the engine and differential had been overhauled, and it is worth noting that the body repairs and paintwork were entrusted to master craftsman Karl Lindermüller, one of the best specialists in the business.

Offered with German Fahrzeugbrief, this outstanding example of, arguably, the most charismatic of all post-war sports cars is presented in excellent condition and is worthy of the closest inspection.