Highlight in the July calendar was Bonhams' Goodwood Festival of Speed sale which went ahead in front of a live audience after the event itself was given an eleventh-hour reprieve and joined the government's Events Research Programme, allowing capacity crowds to attend the four-day Festival. Top result went to the ex-Corrado Cupellini Ferrari Dino 246/60 Formula 1 (above) which was campaigned in Historic races in the 1980s and later put on long-term display at the Enzo Ferrari family museum in Modena. Estimated to fetch in the region of £900k-1.2 million, it was hammered away at £967,000.
Ferrari F40 – © Bonhams
Ferraris locked out the next three slots, with the 17,789-km, ex-Paul Vestey F40 taking £883,000 (est. £800k-1.2m); a one-of-50 1958 250 GT Ellena, restored by DK Engineering from 2005-2008, went for £514,166 (est. £700-900k); and a 22,086-mile 575M Superamerica, one of only five UK-supplied right hand-drives, drew £379,500 (est. £450-600k).
McLaren-Mercedes MP4-25 – LAT ©2021 Courtesy of RM Sotheby's
Billed as the largest audience ever for a live auction, RM Sotheby's sale that took place after the sprint qualifying race at the British Grand Prix was the first time one of Lewis Hamilton's F1 GP-winning cars had been offered for public auction – the iconic car commanding a winning bid of £4.73 million (est. £3.6-5.0m). The unique event was staged in front of an estimated 140,000 race fans whilst the 2010 McLaren-Mercedes MP4-25 was demonstrated on the Silverstone circuit by McLaren test driver Rob Garofall. Hamilton claimed victory at the 2010 Turkish Grand Prix in chassis 25A-01, which was retired from racing duties at the end of the 2010 season, remaining in storage until restored by McLaren Racing Heritage in 2019.
Porsche 911 3.8 RSR Carrera Cup – © Silverstone Auctions
Silverstone also provided the action two weeks later when Silverstone Auctions held its flagship sale during The Classic. Heading the results was a 1997 Porsche 911 3.8 RSR Carrera Cup, one of only 45 produced. In private ownership from new and displaying less than 14,000km, it found a new home at £652,500 (est. £580-650k).
Audi Quattro – © Silverstone Auctions
As ever 'young timers' proved popular, with the sale establishing four new auction records. Fierce bidding for a 10,000-mile 1991 Audi Quattro 20 valve, the last right-hand drive built, saw the £75-95k estimate blitzed, selling to a buyer in the room for £163,125. An 11,000-mile 2000 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI 'Tommi Makinen Edition' (UK-spec, chassis 001) sold for £146,250 (est. £115-125k) and the 2002 Volkswagen Golf GTi 25th Anniversary with just 8 miles from new made £38,250; while an unregistered 1990 Mini Cooper RSP with 39 delivery-miles set the final record at £31,500 (est. £25-30k).
Lamborghini Miura – © Kevin Van Campenhout
Artcurial returned to Monaco for its July sale were a 1968 Lamborghini Miura with known history from new was the star performer, joining a Monegasque collection for €977,440 (est. €850k-1.2m). The sale also featured two homologation specials; a 49,700-km Pioneer-liveried 1985 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 originally owned by the renowned collector and head of Pioneer France, Jacky Setton, going for €274,160 (est. €240-300k), and a 1981 Renault 5 Turbo with 35,700km brought €152,576 (est. €100-150k).
Lancia Stratos – © Dorotheum
A matching-numbers 76,000-km 1974 Lancia Stratos crossed the block at Dorotheum's Austrian sale, owned by the consignor since 2006 it raised €383,800 on the day (est. €300-400k), while a 1971 Ferrari Dino 246 GT with 50,291km on the clock also changed hands, comfortably exceeding its €350-450k estimate at €495,800. The focus turns to the US in August with Monterey Week bringing out the blue-chip entries. This year's highlights include Gooding & Company's McLaren F1 with only 390km (est. $15m+), RM Sotheby's Gulf-liveried Porsche 917 K (est. $16-18m) and Bonhams' Ford GT40 Mk IV (est. $3-3.5m).
Full July results here:
