Classic Car Shows, Classic Rallies & Vintage Racing News

RM Auctions, the official auction house of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, continued its strong track record in Florida this weekend, posting in excess of $19 million in total sales with an impressive 88% sell-through at its 12th annual Automobiles of Amelia Island event.

Returning to the prestigious Ritz-Carlton Hotel, the single-day sale saw 112 cars cross the block before a packed house, with four cars breaking the magic million dollar mark and 15 lots exceeding their pre-sale estimates. The sale once again acted as a prelude to Sunday’s world-famous Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, where RM President and Chief Operating Officer, Ian Kelleher, returned as a judge and RM presented two awards: The RM Restorations Award for the Best Unrestored Car, and The RM Auctions Trophy for the Best Open Car.

“Simply put, RM Auctions enjoyed unqualified success at this year’s Amelia Island sale,” said Ian Kelleher, President and Chief Operating Officer, RM Auctions.

“World record prices, standing room only attendance and the most outstanding line-up of cars every offered at Amelia Island, solidified RM’s dominance and long-term standing as the official auction house of the concours weekend. Clients walked away from the auction with a great feeling of confidence as many cars met pre-sale estimates with a number exceeding expectations, illustrating RM’s expertise in the collector car market,” he added.

The top-seller was a supremely elegant 1930 Duesenberg Model J Sport Berline from the estate of noted American collector, the late Mr. John O’Quinn. One of 54 examples offered from the collection at this weekend’s sale, the stunning ‘Whittell Mistress Car’ attracted strong interest on the block, exceeding its pre-sale estimate and selling for an impressive $1,705,000. A second Model J Duesenberg from the collection – a majestic and beautifully restored 1932 Convertible Coupe – realized a final sale price of $825,000.

 

Click on the picture to enlarge
See all Barons Heritage Sale Photos

Barons’ Jaguar Heritage, Classic and Sports Car Sale at Sandown Park, Surrey on April 27th celebrates the 75th anniversary of Jaguar. The entry list already includes several very desirable examples, including a 1933 Jaguar SS1 coupé, a stunning, rare 1958 XK150SE DHC auto and some glorious E-types, including a 1973 Series 3 roadster by Vicarage.

The 1933 SS1 coupé is one of just 1099 produced. Finished in its original coffee and cream colours, it is fitted with its original - and very rare - R.A.G carburettor, all original running gear and the original wipers driven from the gearbox. The car has been repatriated after spending many years in Australia and is offered in good condition, having been restored some years ago. Estimate: £70,000-90,000.

The 1958 Jaguar XK150SE DHC auto was originally delivered to John Bloom as a present from his business partner Mr Barry Humpman. The pair became household names in Britain in the 1950s and early '60s by marketing washing machines - gaining over 10% of the UK market share. The car was subsequently owned by Bentley specialist Stanley Mann. In recent years it has been completely rebuilt, including a bare metal respray, engine and transmission rebuild, a full re-trim in high quality Connolly red leather with black piping and a new mohair hood. The car has lived in Cyprus since 2008 and was shipped back to the UK in February this year. It has covered only 24,250 miles in its lifetime - and just 100 miles since 2008. Estimate: £60,000-£70,000.

Early entries for the sale also include three excellent variants of the ever-popular Jaguar E-type. The primrose yellow 1973 S3 V12 Vicarage roadster is in mint condition, (estimate £78,000-£85,000). Earlier E-types are represented by a sleek, black 1962 S1 3.8 fixed-head coupé, a left-hand-drive car which spent the first 36 years of its life in California. It has been meticulously restored and carries an estimate of £28,000-£34,000. And the sale also includes a later Series One E-type - a 1968 Series 11/2, to be precise - which has covered 38,800 miles from new. It is offered complete with an extensive file of bills relating to the restoration and various upgrades incorporated during the rebuild, which includes tuning by TAG Racing team mechanic (estimate £26,000-£29,000).

 

Huntington Beach Concours d’Elegance is a two day event offers the family live entertainment while admiring some of the most beautiful automobiles and motorcycles in Southern California on the picturesque lawns of Huntington Beach Central Park.

Saturday’s “Back to the Beach” offers a wide variety of hot rods with a salute to Ford and “HEMI” and a tribute to “Donut Derelicts”. Grand Marshall Fireball Tim Lawrence, movie car designer, as seen on Discovery’s “World’s Most Expensive Cars”, will be filming “Fireball Tim’s World of Cars” and conducting DragTracks® racing. The Mai Tais Surf band and South Pacific dancers are sure to pick up the pace during the day.

Sunday features the traditional Concours with Ford and Ferrari and Ducati and Goldwing motorcycles as the honored marques. John Clinard, Ford’s western regional manager for public affairs, is the Grand Marshall. Dave Kunz, KABC-TV automotive specialist, will be the master of ceremonies. Free ice cream and Hot Wheels racing for the kids and a live band for the adults highlight the event. Also, the Sixth Annual Student Art Contest will be conducted at the VIP Luncheon.

The Concours hosts 120+ classes (19 for Ford alone) and over 400 cars, motorcycles and bicycles, as well as entertainment, food and vendors will bring back the good ole days with a dash of the future.

The “World’s Fastest Indian” motorcycle will be on display both days. Remember the movie? Proceeds are donated to the Huntington Beach Children’s Resource Center at the Huntington Beach Central Library by the Huntington Beach Concours d’Elegance, a non-profit corporation.

 

The final countdown to this year's Race Retro has begun, with just over a week until the doors open at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry - and whether you like your historic motor sport on two wheels or four - there's something for every motoring enthusiast.

Starting on Friday 12 March and lasting three days, the exhibition halls and rally stage will bring historic motor sport to life through the cars, bikes and competitors who made their names in the past, but are still highly regarded today.

Race Retro is celebrating 100 years of Alfa Romeo, and a delectable line-up of competition models down the decades will demonstrate just why this highly- successful manufacturer's cars are still competing today, despite their age.

Outside, there's an action-packed tribute to a later classic model - Audi's all-conquering quattro - with numerous models being put through their paces in the hands of the real Stig - acclaimed driver Stig Blomqvist.

Meanwhile, fans of 1970s and 1980s rallying are in for a treat, as Russell Brookes gets behind the wheel of the "Andrews Heat for Hire"-sponsored cars, including the Talbot Sunbeam.

The rally stage is always a big draw at Race Retro and - while many people will be waiting to see several Group B cars - for those who like their cars from an earlier period, Brian Culcheth is back behind the wheel of a Triumph 2.5PI, proving that four-door saloons can be just as much fun as any two- door.

Bringing the action right up to date is reigning British Rally Champion Keith Cronin, who will be at the wheel of the mighty Aston Martin V8 Rally GT, trying to beat the legends at their own game!

But for enthusiasts who like their motorsport in quarter- mile, straight-line style, Race Retro welcomes the UK's first dragster, which was constructed by Sydney Allard. Built to run in its home country, but mimicking Stateside dragsters, the Chrysler Hemi-engined car is currently being fully restored to its former glory.

 

Last week the Tour Britannia organisers had confirmation from the Llandudno Council that the four and half mile Marine Drive round the famous Great Orme can be used as a special stage on this year's event. It will run on the middle day of the Tour Britannia, Wednesday, September 8th.

The Great Orme is a limestone headland that stretches out into the Irish Sea to the north-west of Llandudno with the town sitting literally in its shadow. The Marine Drive has been used in the past, most notably on the RAC Rally. The road clings to the side of the cliffs with a good view down on the other side to the sea. In many ways it is similar to the Oliver's Mount stage that was so popular on the 2009 Tour Britannia though it is double the length. It also has echoes of some Irish stages like Donegal's Atlantic Drive and Cork's Cod's Head. For certain, it will be a stunning addition to the special stages of the Tour Britannia 2010.

It is normally in use as a toll road with one-way traffic circulating in an anti-clockwise direction. Tour Britannia does not allow reconnaissance of its stages so it has been decided to run the stage in the reverse direction, i.e. clockwise, to eliminate any competitive benefit that might be gained from a weekend spent in Llandudno prior to the event.

That is not to say that a weekend spent in Llandudno might not have its cultural and health benefits. The Great Orme is a nature reserve and possesses eight wells that in the past supplied water for the local copper mines. There is a tramway that takes visitors to the top of the Great Orme.

The headland also hosts two dry ski slopes and one of the longest toboggan runs in the UK. Down in the town, there is Llandudno Pier and the Parade, a curving Victorian promenade that looks out on Llandudno Bay. And for the nautical, there is the unique lifeboat station that is located inland so that the lifeboat can be launched to either the West Shore or the North Shore as required.

We are also pleased to announce the very positive news that entries for Tour Britannia 2010 are comfortably ahead of the numbers received by this time last year, but the house is not full yet and places are still available. Entry Forms and Regulations can be downloaded from our website www.tourbritannia.com