Healey and Lola to star at Bonhams

| 25 Nov 2011

With a string of £250,000-plus estimates for its star lots, including an expected half a million or more final bid on an ex-works Austin-Healey 100S, Bonhams could well double its takings for its second annual December sale at Mercedes-Benz World.

Last year Bonhams raked in £3.72m, just over half the gross of top guide prices on the 68 lots it has lined up for next Thursday, 1 December – and that’s excluding NOJ 393, the 100S that Lance Macklin drove in the ill-fated 1955 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Top price could go to another competition car: the ex-1969/70 Lola Chevrolet T70GT (below, £500-600,000) – that boasts period racing history in the hands of Brian Redman and Denny Hulme.



Other potential big earners include a 1913 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Roi-de-Belges Silver Ghost (£450-500,000) and the ex-Gilbert ‘Gillie’ Tyrer 1937 Frazer-Nash BMW 328 Roadster that failed to sell at Bonhams’ sale in early October.

Also predicted to help bump up takings are two Vintage Bentleys, a Martin Walter-bodied 1929 41/4-litre Drophead Coupe (below, £400-450,000) and the ex-Woolf Barnato 1926 3-litre Speed Model (£300-320,000) with Brooklands Six Hours history.



Rarity should drive up the hammer prices on some lots including, AHX 11, the ex-Turin Motor Show pre-production 1953 Austin-Healey 100 and a 1926/7 Arab 2-litre Low Chassis Super Sports, each are expected to sell for £100-120,000.

More affordable – but still rare – is a 1963 Panhard PL17 (below, £13-15,000) while a two-owner-from-new 1973 Mercedes-Benz 450SL is up for £10-12,000.

See: Bonhams 'The December Sale' for more.