Classic Auction Review - all you need to know about Classic Car auctions

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Two more World Records were set by Iconic at NEC in Brum, where £486k Group B RS200 was only £17.5k behind Monterey record

After only 12 miles from new in 1986, Group B Ford RS200 Number 086, one of 24 Evolutions with Brian Hart developed BDT-E 2.1 motor, one of only four in RHD and the only one built by Ford rather than retro-converted, had been in temperature-controlled storage since 2011.
Optimistically estimated to cost the fourth owner £500,000-700,000, a bid of £435,000 from a member of the Saturday 11 November audience at The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show was accepted and ‘C73 CFG’ has been declared sold by Iconic Auctioneers for a buyer’s premium inclusive £486,000, just £17,500 short of the $615,000 invested in the World Record Left Hooker during Monterey auction week in August.
In third place in Group B Ford RS200 race, was a 1985 Evo sold for $533,000 (£437,060) by Broad Arrow on Amelia Island Florida in March.
Iconic (and the same team under the previous Silverstone brand before them) have sold 4 other RS200s during the last year - a 1988 at the NEC Show sale last November for £292,500, a 1986 S for £315,000 at Race Retro Stonleigh February, another 1986 for £231,750 at SupercarFest at Sywell May and a 1987 Tickford for £253,125 at Silverstone Classic August. 

Two New World Record Auction Prices
Despite two potential World Wars in the making in invaded Ukraine and on two fronts in Israel, and the UK economy being destroyed by HMG mismanagement, striking Trade Unions and falling productivity, two more World Record auction prices were paid in manufacturing decimated Motor City Brum.
For the late HMQE2 personal Range Rover L322 4-Door 4x4 in Epsom Green with Sand Hide, supplied by LRSVO in 2004 since when 107,675 mileage has been recorded, had been forecast to fetch £50,000-60,000, but flew to a Royal £118,000 bid on the gavel, costing the successful Commoner £132,750 with premium to huge applause from the gobsmacked subjects.
This vehicle had been bought at auction only four months ago for £33,000, when suggested Royal provenance had not been clarified. With the benefit of confirming video footage being located with the late Queen at the wheel and the 'BN04 EPU' reg displayed, the car made £99,750 more, a very Royal £75% more during a summer when achieved auction prices of most classics have fallen by 32%..
The other global record breaker was a 1974 Ford Escort RS2000 Mk1 that came to market fresh from 5-year 200 image pro-restoration with Type 49 shell with stampings and original Pinto lump surviving. The resultant masterpiece by the Julian and Rick partnership at J A Richardson Body Repairs’ Whitstable workshop had been guided at £70,000-80,000 on a good day, but was bid to £96,000 to enormous applause and valued by the buyer at £108,000 with premium. The previous record for the RS2000 Mk1 single carb standard road car was modest by comparison £48,000.

Ford Tranny Van is again applauded in Brum.
Another milestone Ford valuation, also applauded by the NEC punters, was the £46,125 paid for a No Reserve 1984 manufactured, first UK-registered in 2015 Ford Transit Twin-Rear Wheeled LWB Custom Van. With 18,855 mileage indicated, the history-devoid worker had been fully stripped, repainted and carefully reassembled.

Latest Fast Ford prices paid 
Notable Fast Ford to fail the auction test was a 1997 Escort RS Cosworth with a mere 402 mileage during one registered ownership which ran out of road at £110,000 when a below world record £125,000+ had been suggested.
Whereas after 34 years ownership, a fresh to market ex-Ford Press road test 1987 Sierra Cosworth RS500 driven 12,530 promotional miles raised £137,250 and the final right-hand drive Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth 4x4 to leave the Ford Genk production line of 1993 was successfully auctioned ‘Without Reserve’ for £84,375.
A remarkably original whale-tail 1986 Sierra RS Cossie from 32 years ownership was cashed in for a within estimate band £67,500, a Frankfurt built, UK-reg Q-plated No Reserve 1995 Escort RS Cosworth Group N in Works Team colours with 12,000k stage mileage for a more than forecast £46,125 and a 1979 Escort RS2000 Custom in Signal Amber for an estimated £43,000.
An Escort RS Turbo S1 with 27,000 mileage from new in 1985 fetched a mid-estimate £37,687, a No Reserve 1973 Escort 2000E Special 2-Door Mk1 a more than forecast £34,875, a 32,962 mileage since 1985 Escort RS Turbo S1 £30,937, and one of 78 examples of the locally produced Rouse Sport 304R featuring bespoke Sport Package a below estimate £29,250.

Bad day for Coventry Alpines
Considering it had 1963 Le Mans entrant provenance, the no sale of ex-Rootes Factory Team 1962 Sunbeam Alpine 1600 ‘9201 RW’ was surprising, but then the £150,000-180,000 estimate may have deterred bidding which ran out with £115,000 on the screen.
But then there was no new keeper either for the preceding Alpine, the 1962 Scottish and RAC rallied 1962 Harrington Le Mans ‘2 EGG’ guided at £40,000 or more, but bid to £33,000. There was a tamer with £36,000 however for a left to right-hand drive converted, Minilite-shod 1967 Sunbeam Tiger Mk1A with walnut-finish dash.

West Brom Interceptor makes £135k
Claimed to be in receipt of a 1,000 plus man-hours spec that would cost circa £400k today, an £80,000-90,000 estimated 1973-dated Jensen Interceptor III ‘S’ re-engineered by Jensen Automotive International in 2010 to be capable of 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds thanks to a Corvette LS3 motor and 6-speed auto tranny powered to a £135,000 premium-inclusive result.
Other market-noteworthy sales in this most significant annual shop window for what have become mainstream collector cars were one of the 250 UK-supplied 2001 Mitsubishi Evo VI Tommi Makinen Editions which raised £95,625 with premium, the lower estimate. While a Belfast-produced 1982 DeLorean DMC-12 Manual Gullwing with a mere 1,008 mileage flapped to a near lower estimate £67,500 valuation.
A just over top estimate £131,625 with premium was paid for one of only 80 right-hand drive 2016 Jaguar F Type Project 7s that been depreciated to just 488 miles from new. While a mid-estimate £95,625 was required to own an only 106 miles from new in 2020 Jaguar XE SC 592bhp Project 8 with all-wheel drive.
A 1990 Audi UR Quattro 2.2 Turbo RR 20v made the required £83,250 and a just over guide £67,500 was needed to land a 1962 Lotus Elite SE Type 14 with Climax engine rebuilt to 1,460cc FWB-spec. A restored and cosmetically sharp 1979 Esprit S2 JPS 68/100 made a close to estimated £54,000.
A once Met Police 1961 Daimler SP250 rang its bell for a buyer with a below forecast £52,875, a 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X GSR FQ-360 with upgrades and ‘EVO’ reg flew to a more than guide £37,687, as did a 1999 Lancer Evo VI GSR Ralliart UK-market car sold for £36,000.
The latest going rate for a 2022 Toyota GT Yaris with Circuit Pack was confirmed to be £31,500, a  more than estimated £29,250 was required to bag a 2001 Subaru Impreza WRX UK and a 1994 Renault Clio Williams Phase One was valued at a below forecast £28,687 by a buyer.
The same premium-inclusive money was raised for The Kids Club Kampala by the donation of a Lotus Elise S1 with Rover K Series in the tail, driven only 1,900 miles since new in 1997.

And the vital statistics were...
By the end of the weekend, 109 of the 163 cars crossing the block had sold for £5,645,462 including 12.5% Buyer’s Premium. While 36 classics, 30% of those cars that sold, went for below estimate prices, 42 cars or 37% sold for within their guide price bands and 36 cars or 33% made more than top estimate money..
An average of £51,793 paid per collector car, 4x4, commercial and tractor sold was impressive, but a 67% sale rate and 54 unsolds, 33% of the entry, were reality checks in what continues to be more than a seasonal retail slowdown.
By the time the 225 Classic Bikes, including a 1938 Brough Superior SS100 990cc had made £241,500 and a 2004 Agusta F4 1000 Ago 998cc £22,425, plus 150 lots of Automobilia, had been auctioned ‘live’ and on-line, the vital statistics for the entire weekend had risen to a £7m sales total and a 70% sale rate. RH-E

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