Ferrari and Rolls-Royce. Two of the greatest names in motoring and, at Christie’s next London Sale, 31 of the 42 lots will be from these marques. No less than 18 Ferraris, all from the ‘M’ Collection, are under the hammer including this alloy-bodied 1966 275GTB 6C estimated at £160,000 - 200,000.

Amassed over a period of time, all the ‘M’ Collection cars have been professionally maintained by a team of full-time staff, and are currently road legal and considered to be 'on the button'. Most production cars from the 60s, 70s and 80s are included, right from the 1964 330 GT, at £20,000 - 30,000, to the 1989 Ferrari 328GTS at £20,000 - 25,000. All are Right Hand Drive, and in some cases several examples of each type are represented. Such as three ‘Dino’ 246s, one coupé GT and two GTS. Worthy of mention is the Silver/Blue interior 1970 GT, the first RHD Dino in the country. Not in concours condition, this car looks a good buy at the £22,000 - 28,000 estimate. As ever with these cars, they are of 1970s’ Italian manufacture and can be very expensive to restore...

Of the V12s, the 275GTB is the star lot and judging by the price achieved by Bonhams at Hendon for their LHD restoration car (£196,637 including VAT) it will sell all the way at this estimate. The 1966 330GTC is an ex-London Motor Show car and expected to go for £40,000 - 50,000. Finished in the desirable combination of Blue Chiaro/Cream leather, it’s one of only 21 RHD examples brought into the UK. Always a personal favourite, this model could well be the ‘next 275 GTB’ or Lusso as a rapidly appreciating V12 Ferrari. There are also various V8s including a couple of the underrated Mondial models, a 1986 3.2 Coupé for £10,000 - 15,000 looks attractive, as does the 1988 light metallic blue convertible at £18,000 - 22,000. Boxers? Two again, both 1978 512 carburettor models and ranging in price from £25,000 - 35,000.

The Rolls-Royce motor cars are also property from a private collection, and their proceeds will benefit a Charitable Foundation. Mainly pre-war but including an amazing 1992 LHD Phantom VI Landaulette at £180,000 - 250,000 that, despite its stately 1950s’ presence, was actually only built in the last 12 years, one of the last cars of its type. A particularly fine-looking 1933 Phantom II Continental Coachwork by Park Ward is for sale at £30,000 - 40,000, while more American tastes are catered for by models such as the 1928 Phantom I Newmarket Convertible Sedan, Coachwork By Brewster, £50,000 - 60,000, and the 1927 Phantom I Permanent Salamanca Town Car £40,000 - 50,000 both genuine ‘Springfield Rolls’.

Of the other properties, and still on a Rolls-Royce theme, Christie’s had tremendous success at their December 2003 Sale with a 1912 Silver Ghost 40/50HP Limousine (£368,250 including buyers’ premium), so great things are hoped for with the 1910 Silver Ghost 40/50 hp Open Drive Limousine, one of the highlights of the sale; £300,000 - 400,000 in fact. Another Rolls-Royce of note is the 1982 Corniche, with only one owner from new it’s estimated at £45,000 - 65,000 that includes the numberplate '7R'.

Austin-Healey prices are on the rise, particularly in the US, one of the reasons being of course the tremendous success the cars achieved in the early ‘60s in rallying and racing. With drivers of the calibre of Makinen, Hopkirk and Pat Moss, the red and white ‘Big Healeys’ are now immortalised in the motor-sporting conscience. The example Christie’s have for auction is a 1960 Austin-Healey 3000, a genuine ex-Pat Moss car, URX 727, the one that won the 1960 Liège-Rome- Liège rally overall. In the same ownership since 1972, this particular car has been carefully restored and maintained throughout its latter life, rarely raced or rallied - a fact that helps its originality, by avoiding the inevitable accident damage and modern performance-improvements. A reasonable £70,000 - 100,000 will buy this Healey. Bet it goes for more than that.





Going out on a high note, how does an 8-litre engine and 13’ (some 4 mts) wheelbase appeal to you? Few cars have the road-presence of a Pre-War Cricklewood Bentley and, Le Mans Vanden Plas cars apart, the 8-litre can be considered the zenith of the type. This 1931 Dual Cowl Tourer, with bodywork by Lancefield of London, is estimated at £180,000 - 220,000 and is in delightfully original condition, being owned by the vendor since 1951, having raced at BDC and VSCC events in the 50s and 60s until going into long-term storage in 1967. Incredibly the car’s engine turns over and was run briefly recently, much to the delight of the octogenarian owner. Requiring restoration, it probably does not require a lot of restoration if a very usable ‘VSCC-type’ car is required. Absolutely marvellous.

As usual the motor-car sale is preceded by a selection of Automobilia, some 60-odd lots including many rallying items with connections to Pat Moss and husband Erik Carlsson and a very fine pastel and watercolour by F.Gordon Crosby depicting the 1930 Irish Grand Prix at Phoenix Park - £8,000 - 10,000.

All lots can be seen in detail, with colour photographs on the Classic Driver Car Database. Please CLICK HERE for full details.

For a full lotlist, please CLICK HERE.

Don't forget, Christie's will be holding a very significant auction at this year's Le Mans Classic on the 23rd of July, please CLICK HERE to read about the initial entries and how to consign your car.

Christie's International Motor Cars Ltd The Jack Barclay Showroom 2-4 Ponton Rd Nine Elms London SW8 5BA Tel: + 44(0)20 7389 2851 Fax: + 44(0)20 7627 8917 [email protected]

Text - Steve Wakefield
Photos - Christie's/James Mann