We’ve already covered two rather yellow stars of the show – the Alfa Romeo RZ (£50,000-70,000) and Bugatti EB110 SS (£600,000-770,000) – in the magazine. But there’s plenty more to whet the appetite at the RM Sotheby’s annual (and ever-popular) London sale next week. Take the headline lot, a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT ‘Tour de France’, for example – an early single-louvred car with matching numbers and period competition history, to boot. Eligible for almost any historic event, be it on or off the track, it’s estimated to fetch a strong £4.5m-5.5m.

Pristine ponies

Ferraris – particularly those with outrageously low mileage – appear to be the flavour of the auction, in fact. Hot on the TdF’s heels is a genuine 1973 Daytona Spider (est. £2m-2.4m), boasting not just a scant 3,800 miles on the clock and Classiche certification, but also a truly elegant colour combination: Marrone Colorado over Beige Scuro. Then there’s the ‘as new’ right-hand-drive 328 GTS, which has covered a scarcely believable 556 miles (sacrilege?) and is estimated at an almost-as-startling £170,000-200,000. A desirable (and rare) manual 612 Scaglietti (£80,000-100,000) and a one-owner F40 (£780,000-900,000) are also of note.

Seldom-seen classics

Two less familiar Italian classics, but both with sought-after Mille Miglia eligibility, caught our eye: the charming Ghia-bodied 1953 Cisitalia 505 DF (£130,000-150,000) and the 1955 Moretti 750 Sport Barchetta (£175,000-225,000).

Judging by the photo, the matching-numbers Lancia Stratos HF Stradale (£270,000-320,000) looks to be a riot to drive, while those after an eligible historic racer with fantastic provenance should look at the rare MGA Twin Cam (£120,000-160,000).

Fame fascination

If celebrity provenance is something you look out for, how about the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I Drophead Coupé offered by the famous James Bond set designer Sir Ken Adam (£175,000-200,000), or the quite exquisite and highly original Maserati Mistral Spyder, formerly owned by the ‘English Marilyn Monroe’, Diana Dors (£475,000-575,000)?

Black and gold

Which car would we most like to drive home (through Central London, naturally)? It simply has to be the black Bizzarrini GT 5300 Strada, estimated at £495,000-700,000. It might not have its original engine, but its history is well documented and, well, just look at it…

Photos courtesy of RM Sotheby's