Rolls-Royce
November 21st, 2008 by NZ Classic Car
An audience of over 1,500 people witnessed a virtual sell-out of the 532 Lots of motor cars, motorcycles and automobilia auctioned by Bonhams in Harrogate, UK on Wednesday. Five hundred people registered to bid from around the world resulting in 95% of the Lots finding buyers and a sale total of £1,041,348 ($2.9m NZ).
Eighty-three out of 87 motor cars found new owners and top price of the day was £63,100 ($177,340 NZ) for a magnificent 1921 Rolls-Royce 45/50hp Silver Ghost Saloon, which had been expected to fetch £40,000-50,000 ($112,400 – $140,000 NZ). A 1938 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Sports Limousine, once owned by Lord Beaverbook and the Manchester-based architect Joseph Sunlight, fetched the second highest price – £49,900 ($137,700 NZ) – double it’s high pre-sale estimate.
Top motorcycle price was £13,800 ($38,700 NZ) for a 1969 Velocette 499cc Venom Thruxton and the highest price for an item of automobilia was £1,380 ($3,800 NZ) for an Austin J40 pedal car, complete with headlamps.
October 30th, 2008 by NZ Classic Car
A 1971 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, formerly the property of the Greek State in the service of President Konstantinos Karamanlis (1907-1998), will be sold at Bonhams next sale of Greek Art on 10th November in the UK.
The Silver Shadow is estimated to sell for £100,000 ($276,600) to £150,000 ($414,900), and is offered with a folio of photographs with President Karamanlis. It also comes with a Greek registration document as a state car; the owner’s wallet containing handbook, instruction manual and servicing book; plus general correspondence and sundry bills.
Art Expertise, Bonhams agents in Greece, comment: “This car is part of Greek history, as President Karamanlis played a crucial role in the story of modern Greece, being a statesman of note who took us into the European Union.”
This long-wheelbase Shadow limousine displays a total of 59,067 kilometres on the odometer and is in excellent condition throughout. The car is finished in midnight blue with dark blue leather interior. It has a left hand drive configuration and is described as being in very good overall condition, the body and paint being particularly good.
Introduced in 1965, the Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow (and Bentley T1) represented a complete break with tradition, being the first of the Crewe factory’s models to employ unitary construction. All-round independent suspension and power-operated four-wheel disc brakes appeared for the first time on a Rolls-Royce, and production cars boasted a roofline 4″ lower than that of the preceding Silver Cloud.
The power unit was the well-tried 90-degree V8, introduced on the Silver Cloud II, that would be enlarged to 6,750c in 1970. The long-wheelbase variant (know as the Formal Sedan in the USA) did not appear until 1969, its introduction coinciding with the entire range’s standardisation around the Federal Safety Regulations. In addition to the 4″ wheelbase stretch and lengthened rear doors, the long-wheelbase Shadow came with a discreetly smaller rear window, Everflex roof covering and, if ordered with limousine division, separate air conditioning for front and rear compartments.
Konstantinos Karamanlis died on April 23, 1998 at the age of 92. His political career spanned five decades and he served as Prime minister of Greece from October 1955 to November 1963 and from July 1974 to May 1980. He served two terms as President, firstly from May 1980 to May 1985, and the second, from May 1990 to May 1995.
October 1st, 2008 by NZ Classic Car
Bonhams international auctioneers, attracted the attention of collectors from around the world September 25-26, 2008 to the Owls Head Transportation Museum in Owls Head, Maine, USA, as the Richard C. Paine, Jr. collection of more than 60 motorcars, selected motorcycles and automobilia achieved high prices, totaling nearly $8,500,000 ($12.7m NZ)
Two collector motorcars drew prices near the million-dollar level, while nearly a half-dozen others were sold for more than a quarter of a million each. The standing-room only crowd, estimated at 500, enthusiastically bid against international telephone bidders, driving prices for some lots well above their pre-sale estimates.
Validating the phrase last but not least — the final lot of the sale, the 1910 Mercedes 45hp 4-Seat Tourabout, drew the highest bids, selling for $887,000 ($1.32m NZ) while “The Hordern Ghost,” a 1913 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost 40/50hp Roi-des-Belges tourer, sold for $832,000 ($1.24m NZ) to a bidder in the room competing against multiple phone bidders from around the world. The Ex-Dr. Samuel L. Scher 1906 American Tourist Roi-des-Belges touring car 1783, which graced the cover of the auction catalog, sold for $612,000 ($914,000 NZ)after a slow volley between international telephone bidders.
Rupert Banner, Bonhams Director of Business Development remarked, “This was an euphoric auction event which captivated local, regional, national and even international interest for the ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ of collector automobiles, motorcycles and motoring accessories assembled by Richard Paine — a man whose myth was well-fabled within the collector car hobby. The results showed collectors’ passion for supporting his legacy and for his taste — as they competed to secure the items on the auction block, many of which had not been offered for sale for over 50 years.”
Other top lots of the Friday/Saturday sale include: the ex-Dr. Samuel L. Scher 1910 Peerless Victoria selling at $469,000($701,000 NZ); the 1913 Pierce-Arrow 48-B 7-Passenger touring car sold for $315,000 ($470,000 NZ); and the Ex John Scheve, Matt and Barbara Browning and Tom Lester1923 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Pall Mall Dual Cowl Phaeton brought $315,000 ($470,000).
April 30th, 2008 by NZ Classic Car
A few months ago Penn fell in love with the Cutten Special — a very good example of one man’s creative urges being brought to fruition. So it’s apposite this month to have a look at a product of one of the most respected engineering firms in the world, as far removed as possible from the one-off of the passionate solitary creator
In my late teens and early 20s I was a worshipper of Rolls-Royce, a fully committed subscriber to the legends — i.e. mechanics sent out to foreign climes to fix a broken down Roller, and no bill being sent because ‘Rolls-Royce cars don’t break down.’ Naturally I believed that RR was the world’s best motor car — I also believed in the Empire, the all-round superiority of being British, and the innate wisdom of our political leaders.
But the spells all wore off over the years, at least until recently, when I’ve at least come back to respecting the marque for its quality and engineering, after looking closely at several examples.
I still believe there is no definitive ‘best car in the world’ except to the biased. You have to always ask the question, ‘best at what?’ But if there were a title, Rolls-Royce would have to be amongst the top contenders for it. It has always made beautifully designed, built and performing cars for those who can afford to pay for noexpense- spared quality.
Read the rest of this entry »March 31st, 2008 by NZ Classic Car
Very rare Bizzarrini 5300 GT Strada
The Concorso d’Eleganza once again invites the world’s most attractive classic automobiles to Lake Como on the last weekend of April (25-27.04) for this highly traditional automotive beauty contest. “Our commitment to the event underscores the high regard in which we hold an automotive aesthetic that goes far beyond the bounds of brands and models,” says Karl Baumer, Chairman of the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and Director of BMW Group Mobile Tradition, of the BMW Group’s longstanding patronage of the Concorso d’Eleganza. Jean-Marc Droulers, President of Villa d’Este SpA, also looks
back with satisfaction on the collaboration with the BMW Group since 1999: “The Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este today ranks as one of the outstanding events of its kind. I believe we can all be a little proud of that.”
Milestone of a longstanding tradition
This Bavarian-Italian partnership, as cultivated in the Concorso d’Eleganza, enjoys a longstanding heritage at BMW. One milestone of this tradition is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year – the BMW M1. It has prompted BMW to devote its 2008 Concorso exhibition to the iconic sports car that came from the drawing board of Italian stylist Giorgio Giugiaro. Alongside the production model, the various racing versions will also be on show at Lake Como.
The Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupe
The unique ambience of Villa d’Este will once again provide the stage for a Rolls-Royce heading straight from its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show to the shores of Lake Como. The 101EX Experimental Car had already given a foretaste here of a potential new coupe model to come; now the fully-fledged Phantom Coupe is ready for presentation this year. The fourth member of the Phantom family is the latest, driver-oriented Rolls-Royce to emerge from the fold. In it the timeless proportions of a Rolls-Royce are combined with modern lines, cutting-edge materials and the finest interior finishes. A driving experience such as this enables long distances to be covered in relaxed yet pacy style.
Classic beauties
Once again, more than 50 stunning classics covering six decades of motoring history have been selected for the Concorso d’Eleganza. Urs Paul Ramseier, the Selecting Adviser responsible for choosing the vehicles that take part in the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, already provided a few tasters from this select field of participants in Geneva.
Streamlining: Mercedes-Benz 540 K Autobahnkurier (1938)
Just two streamlined coupe bodies were mounted on the chassis of the Mercedes-Benz 540 K. In 1938 this model was acquired by Dr. Ignacio Barraquer and remained in family ownership until 2004. Then the Autobahnkurier was purchased by Deborah and Arturo Keller and subsequently underwent complete restoration before being presented again in 2006. 70 years after its world premiere, the Mercedes-Benz 540 K Autobahnkurier makes its reappearance in Europe at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.
Winning type: Ferrari 166 MM Touring Berlinetta, 1949
Count Giannino Marzotto bought the Ferrari 166 MM from Enzo Ferrari. Touring provided it with an aerodynamic coupe body in Touring Superleggera construction. The car had been presented at the 1950 Geneva Motor Show, and Count Marzotto’s aim was to drive it to victory in the 1950 Mille Miglia. He was not happy with the output of the 166 MM, however, and so Ferrari gave him with a new V12 Type 195 Colombo engine. This proved a resounding success: Count Giannino Marzotto and co-driver Marco Corsaro in car no. 724 swept to victory in the 1950 Mille Miglia.
Sporting the spurs of this challenging “1,000-mile race”, the Ferrari was exhibited at the Turin Motor Show that immediately followed. Whereas Raymond Sommer had been less successful in the 1950 Le Mans race, Marzotto went on to win the Rome 3-hour race in 1950 as well. In the late 1950s the Ferrari was deployed in smaller races in the USA before being sold to an American collector in 1965 along with its original engine of 1949. The new owner kept the car until 2001. Today’s owner acquired it in 2003 and had it completely restored to its original condition.
Ahead of its time: the ATS 2500 GT (1963)
The mid-engine sports car built by Carlo Chiti and designed by Franco Scaglione must have caused a minor sensation at the 1963 Paris Motor Show. The ATS was not destined to be a commercial success, however, and only very few examples left the ATS automobile factory before it closed its gates permanently.
After the Paris Show, the ATS 2500 GT went to a French collection, where it remained until 1984. Its current owner managed to obtain the car in 2003 and will present it at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este with its original odometer count of just 1,300 kilometres.
Pininfarina’s yellow masterpiece: the Dino 206 Competizione (1967)
The Dino Competizione Pininfarina was unveiled for the first time at the 1967 Frankfurt Motor Show. This concept car, built on the basis of the Ferrari 206S chassis, remained in the Pininfarina Collection until 2007 – more than 40 years. Ferrari enthusiast James Glickenhaus succeeded in purchasing this exquisite one-off and, as its first owner, will present the car in complete original condition at Lake Como.
Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2008
Over the weekend of 25-27 April 2008, the splendid grounds of the Grand Hotel Villa d’Este and the Villa Erba in Cernobbio on Lake Como will once again be transformed into a unique backdrop for the most beautiful cars from eras past and the most flamboyant concept cars of today. First staged in 1929 at this same location, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este today ranks as the world’s most tradition-steeped event of its kind.
After the event opening on Saturday for invited guests, Sunday sees the Concorso offering all car fans another chance to experience these dreams on wheels in the adjoining parkland of Villa Erba. In addition to the models presented the previous day, there will also be numerous other prestigious classics on display in special exhibitions. Admission to Villa Erba, which is located in Cernobbio on Lake Como, is 10 euros (single), 20 euros (family ticket) or 8 euros (concessions).
We will have photos from the 2008 event in May. In the meantime, enjoy the huge number of photos from the Concorso d’Eleganza from 1999 through to 2007 in our gallery below. Click any of them to view in higher resolution or to start from the first photo in the gallery click here.
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