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Bonhams Butterfields celebrated the thirteenth anniversary of its renowned motorcar auction at the sunny Quail Lodge in Carmel Valley with resounding success.

Comprising a very diverse and newsworthy selection of 102 cars, 1 airplane and 1 boat – of which 77 sold (a 74% sell rate), the auction represented three major collections headlined by the Michael Amalfitano collection of competition cars, which blew through all pre-sale expectations and set the tone for a buoyant two-day sale.

A world record for any Porsche sold at auction was achieved with the ex-Jurgen Neuhaus/Jurgen Barth 1972-73 European Interserie and David Hobbs/Mike Hailwood Gulf-JW Automotive team 1972-73 Porsche 917 Interserie Spyder neé 1970 Gulf-JWA Le Mans 917K Coupe realizing $3,965,000.

 

Credit: Pawel Litwinski/ Gooding & Company
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Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, achieved a new world record yesterday on the first eve of its prestigious two-day Pebble Beach Auction with a $7.26 Million sale of a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione. The final price of the car is the new world record for a LWB California Spider.

Last night's automotive star will be followed by a long list of sparkling consignments for this evening's Sunday Auction, which include the 1928 Mercedes-Benz S Boattail Speedster, 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta SEFAC Hot Rod, 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza and 1995 McLaren F1.

The 2010 Pebble Beach Auctions are held at the Pebble Beach Equestrian Center. Public preview and admission will be open all day until the start of this evening's auction, which commences at 6:00 p.m. Gooding & Company's Pebble Beach Auction catalogues are available for $100 and admit two to the viewing and the auction. The auction tonight will be broadcast live on goodingco.com.

Bidder registration forms, press credentials and additional auction information are also available on goodingco.com or by calling (310) 899-1960.
For additional vehicle information and up-to-the-minute results, follow Gooding & Company on Facebook and Twitter @GoodingCompany.

 

A record 212 entries have been accepted for the 2010 Leyburn Motor Sprints on the Queensland Darling Downs on 21-22 August.

The 15th annual celebration of the 1949 Australian Grand Prix at Leyburn will see racing cars, sports cars and touring cars as old as 1932 and as new as 2010 race against the clock on a one-kilometre street course.

Cars will come from as far as Townsville and Victoria to the historic former gold-mining town, where the 1863-licensed Royal Hotel of retired rugby league great Shane Webcke allows spectators with a glass in their hand a view of the cars forming up for the starting line.

The Sprints will welcome three guest drivers from V8 Supercars, Dick Johnson, Shane Van Gisbergen and Tim Slade, and South American Dakar entrant Bruce Garland. (Van Gisbergen and Slade will attend on Sunday only.)

All will do demonstration runs in classic Ford touring cars from the Seventies and sign autographs for fans.

The oldest car entered is the 1932 Triumph Wolseley Special of Steve Anderson, while other pre-war models are the 1934 Ford V8 Indy Special of Barry Smith, Paul McMullin’s 1935 Ford Indy special, Mike Collins’ 1937 Ford Indy Car and the 1935 MG N Type of Ross Kelly.

 

An exquisite 1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C Lago Speciale Teardrop Coupe with coachwork by Figoni et Falaschi, and an exceptional 1954 Ferrari 375 MM Berlinetta, the fifth of only seven examples built, each sold for $4,620,000 at RM’s Sports & Classics of Monterey Saturday night, leading an impressive group of 14 individual million-dollar-plus sales.

TV personality and former racer Alain de Cadenet joined auctioneer Max Girardo onstage for the six-hour sale, which saw 84 motor cars cross the podium before a packed house.

Unofficial Million-Dollar Sales from Saturday, August 14:

Lot 359: 1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C Lago Speciale Teardrop Coupe (pictured left) - $4,620,000
Lot 351: 1954 Ferrari 375 MM Berlinetta - $4,620,000
Lot 353: 1949 Delahaye Type 175 S Roadster by Saoutchik - $3,300,000
Lot 360: 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spyder - $2,612,500
Lot 347: 1955 Jaguar D-Type - $2,090,000
Lot 365: 2007 Ferrari FXX Evoluzione - $1,925,000
Lot 335: 1959 Ferrari 410 Superamerica Series III Coupe - $1,760,000
Lot 345: 1933 Packard Twelve Coupe - $1,622,500
Lot 346: 1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet - $1,622,500
Lot 342: 1954 Ferrari 500 Mondial Berlinetta - $1,567,500
Lot 341: 1933 Duesenberg SJ Riviera Phaeton - $1,430,000
Lot 349: 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy Berlinetta - $1,155,000
Lot 339: 1966 Ferrari 500 Superfast - $1,127,500
Lot 363: 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 Berlinetta - $1,045,000

The Saturday night sale marked the conclusion of RM’s 2010 Classics of Monterey event, which attracted record bidder registrations from 29 countries, including Monaco, Brazil, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates.

Complete official results from the three-day sale will be posted online at www.rmauctions.com early next week.

 

With the excellent news that the FIA track inspection has been successful, it’s all systems go for Masters Historic Racing at Donington Park on the first weekend in September.

The event, to be run from September 3rd to 5th, will be preceded by a test day on Friday August 20th. There will be sessions for single-seaters, sports cars and GT/Touring cars Masters taking bookings now.

The race weekend will also boast a host of off-track events. On Friday evening, all drivers are invited to join a VIP drivers’ reception and guided tour of the famous Donington Collection by Kevin Wheatcroft. A donation of £10 per head in advance or at the door for Tom Wheatcroft’s charity, Hope for Cancer, is requested and the evening will begin with a champagne reception.

On Saturday, there will be a Celebration Dinner to commemorate Tom Wheatcroft, and the re-opening of the circuit, in the central Paddock Suite. This will be raising funds for Hope for Cancer, and bookings for the three-course meal can be made via the Masters office.
On Sunday, there will be rare cars from the Donington Museum out on track, a chance to view Britain’s newest exclusive motorbike from Norton, plus single make car club displays and much more.

In addition, Masters is asking for help to recreate the original Wheatcroft ownership Donington track opening, back in May 1977. Two 25 minute races for 1970s ‘club racers’ including Touring 70s and Stars of the 70s are planned, and, one or two drivers who actually raced at Donington that famous day 33 years ago will be out again.
As they said in 1977, don’t be square, just get there!