Silverstone Auctions’ recent two-day sale at the Classic Motor Show in Birmingham, England, posted an 80 percent sell-through rate and total sales of £5.8million ($7.2 million).
The star lot was a 1958 Lotus Elite Series I, which sold for a record price — £121,500 (nearly $152,000) — which was well beyond its pre-sale estimated value. The car will be featured on the British television program For the Love of Cars and had been restored by Ant Anstead, who was joined on the stage for the bidding by the Channel 4 television crew.
Anstead also restored a 1969 Aston Martin DBS 6 Vantage Spec that brought £174,375 (nearly $217,000) from a collector in Austria.
In its post-sale news release, Silverstone also pointed to prices paid for Porsches, including $381,000 for a 1957 356A T1 Speedster, $262,000 for a 1989 911 (930) Turbo Flachbau, and nearly $252,000 for a 1985 911 (930) Turbo SE “flatnose.”
Seven Jaguar E-types were on the docket and each of them topped its pre-sale estimated value in bidding, including a 1962 3.8 roadster being offered by its owner of 43 years and selling for $212,000.
“What a sale!” Nick Whale, Silverstone managing director, exclaimed in a news release. “One of our best ever and the most successful we’ve had at the Classic Motor Show since we first hosted the auction back in 2012.
“I’m delighted that we’ve achieved such strong prices for our vendors and it’s a delight to see buyers going home so pleased with their new purchases.”
Silverstone’s first sale in 2017 is scheduled for February 24-26 as part of the Race Retro event at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire.
