Following on from RM Sotheby's Monterey auction in California last month, held during the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the most recent big collectable car sell-off was much closer to home. RM Sotheby's London event took place at the Battersea Evolution in Battersea Park yesterday evening.
Yet again the lot was packed with exceptional, highly desirable cars. Here are four of the best:
1960 Aston Martin DB4GT
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This Aston Martin DB4GT is fitted with a 3.7-litre, dual-overhead camshaft straight six producing 302bhp, it was an immensely fast powerful car when first introduced in 1959, capable of 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 153mph.
The GT was a gentleman's racer, built with weight-saving features such as a body made from thin, 18 gauge aluminium alloy and a wheelbase 13ins shorter than the standard DB4. This is one of 75 factory-made examples.
1995 Porsche 911 GT2
(Image credit: Remi Dargegen)
The London auction features an exceptional clutch of rare Porsche 911s, all on sale from the same private seller, though this one is the most expensive. It's a 1995 993 generation GT2, unmodified with its original drivetrain. The car is one of just 57 built for road use.
A car with motorsport pedigree, the GT2 is a homologation special – road car versions like this were necessary in order to go racing. The turbocharged 3.6-litre flat six produces 430bhp, driving the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. The car is dressed in a body that sports wide plastic fenders and a huge rear wing, complete with air scoops of its own. This one is finished in stunning riviera blue.
This Stratos is one of a handful of rallying legends in the auction. Styled by Bertone, the Stradale road car has a 2.4-litre V6 lifted from the Ferrari Dino 246GT and designed to produce 192bhp. This particular Stratos is the 44th of fewer than 500 examples ever built.
A stunning shape, the Stratos is more than just a looker – it won the World Rally Championship (WRC) three times in 1974, 75 and 76. This one is in a highly original condition, with around 43,000 miles on the clock.
Another car with classic rallying to thank for its reputation is this Audi Sport Quattro – the homologated, road-going version of the Group B rallying legend.
A pioneer of the all-wheel-drive, the car is one of only five road-going versions sold in the UK, and boasts a 306bhp, turbocharged inline-five engine mated to a five speed manual gearbox. The Quattro won the WRC title twice in the 1980s, before Group B cars were banned. RM says "it will make a brilliant addition to any serious collection of high-performance rally cars".
Other notable sales
(Image credit: Cymon Taylor via RM Sotheby's)
The list of cars at the Sotheby's sale is exhaustive. It includes a 2003 Ferrari Enzo, a 1960 Ferrari 250GT Cabriolet Series II – both with valuations over £1m – and a 1939 Alfa Romeo 6C Sport Cabriolet by touring. The sale also features newer collectable cars including a 2012 Aston Martin V12 Zagato, some 1990s Porsche 911s and an excellent 1999 Lamborghini Diablo GT.
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