Monarchs’ Motor Cars Enjoy Success at Bonhams Zoute Sale 2020


1959 BMW 507 Series II Roadster s_n 70227 Estimate €1,900,000 - 2,300,000 £1,700,000 - 2,100,000

1959 BMW 507 Series II Roadster s_n 70227 Estimate €1,900,000 - 2,300,000 £1,700,000 - 2,100,000

 

Zoute, 12th September, 2020 

1959 BMW 507, first owned by King Constantine II of Greece, was the top lot at the Bonhams Zoute Sale on Sunday 11 October 2020, selling for more than €2 million to a telephone bidder, earning applause from the saleroom

Another regal ride, a 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 3.0-litre sports saloon, originally owned by King Baudouin of Belgium, successfully sold for €264,500 in the 36 lot sale, which realised a total of more than €8.4 million and had a very respectable sale rate of 75 per cent. 


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The monarchs’ motor cars holding court at the eighth Bonhams auction were both sought-after models of the 1950s. The BMW 507 was one of the era’s most expensive and exclusive convertibles, with only 252 cars produced. 

King Constantine’s car, fitted with options fit for a king including a Nardi steering wheel, was fully and beautifully restored in the early 1990s and has since taken part in the world’s most prestigious motoring events.


The Aston Martin DB2/4 was also restored, in the early 2000s, to the original specification of King Baudouin, which included the aptly named ‘Royal Crimson’ coachwork with contrasting beige Connolly leather. Originally supplied by the Belgian Aston Martin concessionaire Mannès, the royal motor car was delivered to the Belgian embassy in Paris, for security reasons, and registered on diplomatic number plates.

Another strong performer at the Bonhams sale was the 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta. The subject of a Ferrari-certified concours-standard restoration in 2018, the Pininfarina-styled grand tourer achieved €1,782,500. The Lusso was the second most valuable motor car in the sale.

The top ten lots all achieved their pre-sale estimate prices, with highlights including: 

1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster with Hardtop, a rare ‘triple black’ liveried and fully restored example, sold for €851,000


1957 AC Bristol Roadster, which campaigned in the 1960 Le Mans 24 Hours, sporting number 57, for the Rambaux-Boutin team, sold for €454,250, a particularly high figure for this model, accounted for by its sporting provenance and unique specification.

A 1956 Bentley S1 Continental Coupé, one of 33 left-hand drive Park Ward derivatives produced and first owned by the 'King of Hollywood' Lew Wasserman, sold for €368,000.

 

Another motor car catching the interest of the bidders was an ex-Belgian Gendarmerie 1976 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 MFI Targa, one of twenty ordered by the Belgian government which were the fastest police cars of their day, sold for €189,750

Philip Kantor, Head of Department, Bonhams Motor Cars Europe, said: “We were honoured to have been in the company of automotive royalty this weekend and are delighted to have had such a successful sale in these challenging times.

“The overall results – and indeed the number of registered bidders - show that the appetite for exceptional motor cars with interesting provenance and potential is still very strong.

“We are grateful to have had the co-operation and support of the Zoute Grand Prix organisers with hosting this successful auction. We look forward to returning to Knokke-Heist next year and hope to see a number of the motor cars sold this weekend taking part in the 2021 Zoute Grand Prix Rally.” 

The Bonhams Zoute Sale was conducted as a traditional live auction, with the Bonhams auctioneer in the saleroom at the CWART in Knokke-Heist, in accordance with current local COVID-19 guidelines, also live streamed across the globe via Bonhams.com. 

 


The next Bonhams Motor Car Sale will be the Goodwood SpeedWeek Sale on Saturday 17 October at the celebrated Motor Circuit in West Sussex.
 

Lot

Description

S/N

Estimates

Price

06

1963 FIAT 500 Jolly Beach Car

273192

€80,000 - 120,000
 (NR)

Not Sold

07

1966 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL 'Pagoda' ZF 5-speed

113-042-10-
017125

€100,000 - 150,000

€125,350

08

1956 Austin-Healey 100/4 BN2 Roadster

BN2/L/231401

€90,000 - 140,000
(NR)

€97,750

09

1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 3.0-Litre Sports Saloon

LML/785

€250,000 - 300,000

€264,500

10

1957 AC Ace-Bristol Roadster

BEX365

€400,000 - 500,000

€454,250

11

2019 Porsche 911.2 Speedster

WP0ZZZ99ZKS
170870

€270,000 - 350,000

€299,000

12

1931 FIAT Tipo 514 CA 'Coppa del Alpi' Competition Roadster

224393

€250,000 - 350,000

Not Sold

14

1958 BMW 503 3.2-Litre Series II Cabriolet

69264

€350,000 - 450,000

Not Sold

15

1958 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Coupé

1201GT

€390,000 - 470,000

Not Sold

16

1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster

85.00255

€700,000 - 900,000

€851,000

17

2019 Mercedes-AMG GT R PRO Coupé

WMX1903791A
028265

€160,000 - 200,000
(NR)

€166,750

18

1954 Austin-Healey 100/4 BN1 Coupé

BN1-L/156167

€120,000 - 180,000

€126,500

19

1976 Porsche 911 2.7 Carrera MFI 'Belgian Gendarmerie' narrow body Targa

9116619025

€170,000 - 250,000

€189,750

20

1969 Lamborghini Espada Series I Coupé

7063

€140,000 - 180,000

Not Sold

21

2018 Ford GT Coupé

WAHURWA
2AX2AABAAQA

€700,000 - 1,000,000

Not Sold

22

1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso

5017GT

€1,600,000 - 1,800,000

€1,782,500

23

1962 Facel Vega Facel II Coupé

HK2 A146

€250,000 - 300,000

Not Sold

24

1969 Lamborghini Islero S Coupé

400GT2216634

€220,000 - 300,000

€287,500

25

2005 Ford GT

1FAFP90S45Y
401089

€300,000 - 400,000

Not Sold

26

1961 Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2

2255GT

€360,000 - 420,000

Not Sold

27

1959 BMW 507 Series II Roadster

70227

€1,900,000 - 2,300,000

€2,070,000

28

1965 Jaguar E-Type 4.2-Litre 'Series 1'

1E 10552

€110,000 - 130,000

€111,550

29

1956 Bentley S1 Continental Coupé

BC59LAF

€330,000 - 390,000

€368,000

30

1954 Jaguar XK120 SE Roadster

S676340

€130,000 - 150,000

€138,000

31

1940 BMW 327 Sport Cabriolet

87268

€180,000 - 240,000

€201,250

32

2005 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti Shooting Brake

143566

€150,000 - 250,000

€207,000

33

1995 Ferrari F512M

101013

€150,000 - 180,000

€166,750

34

1980 Ferrari 512 BB

30933

€250,000 - 300,000

Not Sold

35

2005 Ferrari F430 Spider

143896

€80,000 - 90,000

€82,800

36

2010 Alfa Romeo 8C Spider

ZAR920000000
52986

€190,000 - 250,000

Not Sold

 

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