BUGATTI, FERRARI AND MERCEDES-BENZ – CLASSIC COLLECTOR MARQUES AT CHRISTIE’S IN MONTEREY Exceptional Motor Cars at the Monterey Jet Center. August 17, 2006
News-Antique.com - Nov 30,-0001 - New York – Christie’s International Motor Cars 2006 flagship sale takes place on Thursday August 17 at the Monterey Jet Center in California. It serves as the perfect introduction to a much-anticipated long weekend of car enthusiast events surrounding the annual Monterey Historic race meeting and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The evening Exceptional Motor Cars at the Monterey Jet Center auction features 50 cars and is expected to realize in excess of $10 million.
Led by a strikingly beautiful 1928 Mercedes-Benz Torpedo Roadster estimated at $3 million to $4 million, the sale features a comprehensive selection of collector classics, including an impressive single-owner collection of Porsches, a sports-racing 1952 Ferrari 225, an important 1947 Bugatti Type 73C and a 1954 Volkswagen van.
1928 Mercedes-Benz 26/120/180 TYP S Torpedo Roadster
This spellbinding and dramatically-styled car, one of only 124 Typ S models built in 1928, was ordered by a Mrs. Charles Levine from Mercedes-Benz, with Saoutchik coachwork from Paris. Mr. Levine may have known nothing of his wife’s plans, for he refused to pay when presented with the bill, having lost all his money in the stock market crash. The car stood unwanted in the Mercedes showroom in New York until it was bought by a Mr. Bedford and dubbed the ‘yellow peril’. Among many other stories, Mr. Bedford drove his future wife home in the car when they first met at a party in Pennsylvania even though she arrived at the event with another date; the car has stayed with the family ever since (estimate: $3,000,000-4,000,000).
The ultimate supercar of its time, the S was a sportswagen for select, successful owners who prized quality, flair and performance above all else. The S racers of 1928 won 53 events and set 17 records, including one at 110.4mph. This particular example has only been shown once, in an Antique Automobile Club of America concours in 1982 – and it was awarded a National First Prize.
Eight Porsches from a Private Collection (separate press release available)
A stunning collection of eight Porsches sourced directly from a private U.S. collector is expected to fetch between $2,600,000-3,330,000, and each car presents a unique insight into the history of the illustrious German manufacturer. The eight will be sold separately and include a 1960 Porsche 356 GTL Carrera Abarth (estimate $600,000-800,000), a 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS (estimate $450,000-550,000), and a 1967 Porsche 911R (estimate $475,000-575,000).
1952 Ferrari 225 Sport Spyder, coachwork by Vignale
To this day few vehicles entice more excitement and passion than a Ferrari mid-1950s big-engined sports racer. Developed during a period of triumph and passion at Ferrari, these racers personify every aspect of the marque’s road racing legend. This particular example was built in two months at the start of 1952, and was race ready by March 9. Entered in the XII Tour of Sicily on behalf of Scuderia Ferrari and wearing race number 443, this 225 posted the fastest overall time. In September of the same year, it was raced at the
