Bonhams’ 1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7 that starred in the James Bond film On Her Majesty's Secret Service set a new auction record for the model, smashing its £100,000 – 150,000 pre-sale estimate when it was hammered away for £356,500 at the Bond Street Sale on 16 December. Owned in the movie by ‘Bond Girl’ Contessa Teresa 'Tracy' Di Vicenzo, the Cougar was purchased by the consignor in 1990, and recently emerged from a nut-and-bolt restoration where it was returned to its original Bond-spec in Candy Apple Red with a chrome ski rack and Kneissl ‘White Star’ skis.
[ Bonhams Bond Street Sale – view auction results here ]
A 1957 AC Aceca previously owned by the President of the Aceca Club headed the results at Bonhams’ MPH Sale at Bicester on 11 December, fetching £94,500 (estimate £70,000 – 90,000); while the top three was rounded off with a two-owner, left-hand drive, 3,822-km, 2012 Ferrari California at £90,000 (estimate £60,000 – 80,000) and a 1965 Jaguar E-Type Series I 4.2 Coupe – restored in the 1990s – at £74,250 (estimate £45,000 – 55,000).
[ Bonhams MPH December Sale – view auction results here ]
Brightwells’ timed online auction saw a two-owner left-hand drive 1964 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL change hands for an above-estimate £42,000 (estimate £37,000 – 39,000), contributing towards a healthy 85% sell-through rate and a £573,000 sale total . Both the Sunbeam Alpine Series Vs on offer found new homes, the 1965 example with just 7,000 miles covered in the past 24 years went for £10,920 (estimate £9,750 – 10,750) and the 1968 car, in need of recommissioning, took £9,520 (estimate £9,000 – 11,000).
[ Brightwells December Sale – view auction results here ]
Fast Fords sold well at Classic Car Auctions’ season-ending live online sale on 12 December, topped by a 12,047-mile 1987 Sierra RS 500 at a bang-on-estimate £100,000. A 1971 Escort RS1600 from The Mike Bell Collection raised £83,250, and a 1993 Escort RS Cosworth, dry stored since 1997 with just 13,800 miles on the clock, made £65,490 (estimate £65,000 – 75,000).
Elsewhere, a 1970 Rover P5B 3.5 Coupe with an equally scant 21,070 miles from new blitzed its £20,000 – 25,000 guide, selling for £45,510; a Hillclimb Championship-winning 1972 Porsche 911 S 2.7 did likewise, bringing £88,800 (estimate £45,000 – 55,000); and a 1964 Jaguar E-Type Series I 3.8 Coupe, recently converted to right-hand drive, achieved £72,150 (estimate £70,000 – 80,000).
CCA reported a £2.3 million sale total and an impressive 89% sell-through rate.
[ Classic Car Auctions December Sale – view auction catalogue here ]
A 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS was the star performer at Historics’ Ascot sale on 12 December, making £287,528 (estimate £240,000 – 310,000). Restored in 2000 with a colour change to Rosso Corsa, the Dino came with a comprehensive history file and Ferrari Classiche certification.
[ Historics Ascot Sale – view auction results here ]
Rolls-Royces led proceedings at H&H’s 16 December sale, where a 1937 25/30hp Sports Saloon with coachwork by Thrupp & Maberly drew £37,688 (estimate £35,000 – 45,000), and a 63,000-mile 1974 Corniche Convertible recorded a sale at £29,250 (estimate £30,000 – 34,000).
Other highlights included a three-owner 2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage N400 Roadster with 82,750 miles at £27,250 (estimate £28,000 – 32,000). Number 188 out of a planned production run of 240 limited edition roadsters, it was supplied new by Stratstone in Derby and recently received a £2,000 service and brake disc change.
[ H&H December Sale – view auction results here ]
Classic car auction results and prices for: Mercury | AC | Ferrari | Jaguar | Mercedes-Benz | Sunbeam | Ford | Rover | Porsche | Rolls-Royce | Aston Martin
From leading auction houses: Bonhams | Brightwells | Classic Car Auctions | Historics | H&H Classics
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