Take your pick
Some of the world’s finest classic cars will gather in Florida, USA, from 5-8 March 2026 for The Amelia Concours.
Pristine and polished vehicles will vie for the Best of Show trophy in Saturday’s competition.
Away from the concours lawn, hundreds of eye-catching classics will go under the hammer in two separate auctions.
A Broad Arrow sale, the event’s official auction, takes place from 6-7 March at The Ritz-Carlton hotel, while Gooding Christie’s takes over the Omni Amelia Island Resort from 5-6 March.
We’ve browsed the auction catalogues and picked some of our favourites – but there’s a twist. We’re celebrating great ‘eights’ with 17 V8-engined classic cars for sale, presented in chronological order. Enjoy!
Prices are given GBP£, US$ and EUR€; all conversions were correct at the time of writing
1. 1936 Cord 810 (est: £111,500-149,000/$150-200,000/€127,500-170,000)
Cord introduced a number of groundbreaking models in the inter-war years.
The L-29 was the first American car with front-wheel drive. It was followed by the striking, Gordon Buehrig-designed 810.
The latter kept the L-29’s front-drive set-up, but shifted more weight over the front axle to improve handling.
Available as a four-door saloon, a two-seat sportsman convertible and a Phaeton drop-top, just 2320 were built. A Lycoming V8 sits under the long bonnet.
This Phaeton’s first owner kept it until 1950. In the 2000s, it joined the collection of Robert Stempel, a former General Motors CEO.
Its current custodian bought it in 2012. Following a four-year restoration, it won Best in Show at Misselwood Concours d’Elegance.
It will be offered without reserve in the Gooding Christie’s auction.
2. 1948 Allard M1 (est: £55,300-73,700/$75-100,000/€63,300-84,400)
Sydney Allard’s post-war M1 paired a box-section chassis with lightweight bodywork and Ford’s 3.6-litre flathead V8.
This drophead coupé has been in the collection of enthusiast Frank Rubino for more than two decades.
In that time, the Allard’s aluminium body was restored and its eight-cylinder engine was rebuilt with Edelbrock cylinder heads.
The car was repainted in the two-tone colour scheme it wears today and the cabin was retrimmed with dark-green leather.
This prize-winning Allard has been displayed at concours events across North America.
It will go under the hammer without reserve in Broad Arrow’s sale.
3. 1953 Cadillac Eldorado (est: £129-166,000/$175-225,000/€148-190,000)
The Harley Earl-penned Cadillac Eldorado was heavily inspired by a Motorama show car that was unveiled in the early 1950s.
It made one of General Motors’ ‘dream cars’ a reality, and became one of the conglomerate’s flagship vehicles.
This car has a red-leather interior, Black Orlon soft-top and Aztec Red paintwork that was exclusive to the Eldorado.
This 1953 model was specified with E-Z-Eye Glass tinted windows and Firestone tyres, too.
Its 331cu in V8 is original, but was rebuilt as part of a three-year restoration between 2009 and 2012.
It will be offered with no reserve in the Broad Arrow auction.
4. 1953 Siata 208S (est: £811,000-1.03m/$1.1-1.4m/€928,000-1.18m)
Fiat’s famous 2-litre Otto Vu motor was developed for the marque’s own 8V sports car.
The Italian maker then offered the eight-cylinder powerplant to compatriot Siata. Before long, the latter revealed a striking, V8-powered car of its own design.
It fettled Fiat’s engine by modifying the cylinder heads and camshafts, then added a bespoke exhaust.
According to Broad Arrow, just 53 Siata 208s were built, including 35 spiders.
This Giovanni Michelotti-styled 208S was originally owned by California-based racers Ernie McAfee and Bill Doheny.
It went to a new keeper in Hawaii in the mid-1950s, shortly before it was entered into the Hawaii International Sports Car Speed Week in 1957.
It won its class in the hands of Dan Hogan; the trophy is included in the sale on 7 March.
5. 1962 Chevrolet Corvette (est: £88,500-103,000/$120-140,000/€101-118,000)
The C1 ‘Fuelie’ is one of the most desirable versions of the first-generation Chevrolet Corvette.
The American sports car is powered by a 327cu in V8 that can propel the two-seater to 140mph, according to Broad Arrow.
More than 14,500 Chevrolet Corvettes were built in 1962, of which just 1918 were ordered with the more powerful RPO 582 motor, a $484.20 option.
What’s more, this fuel-injected car has a four-speed gearbox and a limited-slip differential.
Restored between 1998 and 2000, this award-winning Chevrolet was honoured with a Bloomington Gold Certificate (an endorsement that recognises highly original Corvettes) in 2001.
It will be presented without reserve in Broad Arrow’s auction.
6. 1962 Chevrolet Impala 409 (est: £59,500-74,000/$80-100,000/€68-85,000)
Imagine cruising around in this. In your mind’s eye, you’re probably thinking of sunset drives down Californian boulevards, with a V8 burbling in the background.
But this big drop-top would be more at home on a drag strip: prod the throttle and you’ll rouse the Chevrolet’s raucous 409cu in V8, which makes a staggering 409bhp at 5800rpm.
Beefier shock absorbers and springs, as well as quicker power-assisted steering helped to keep all that power in check.
This example has been restored by Nicks Old Car Specialty in Redlands, California, and will cross the block with Gooding Christie’s at Amelia 2026.
7. 1963 Ford Falcon Sprint (est: £40,800-55,600/$55-75,000/€46,700-63,600)
In 1963, Ford entered a trio of V8-engined Falcons in Rallye Monte-Carlo, and the car of Bo Ljungfeldt and Gunnar Häggbom impressed by achieving the fastest time in six special stages.
Later that year, the marque fitted roadgoing Falcons with the 260cu in motor.
This V8-engined Ford Falcon was built in San Jose, California, on 17 June 1963.
It is finished in Corinthian White with a Red Crush Vinyl cabin and the optional four-speed manual gearbox.
Bucket seats, a three-spoke steering wheel and a dashboard-mounted rev counter were among the Sprint-specific upgrades.
In 2025, this Ford Falcon completed the 700-mile Tejas Turismo tour in Texas.
Now, it’s set to cross the block without reserve in the Broad Arrow Amelia Auction 2026.
8. 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra (est: £1.07-1.22m/$1.45-1.65m/€1.23-1.4m)
Early Shelby Cobras were powered by Ford’s 289cu in motor.
But when the model began to be eclipsed by on-track rivals Ferrari and Chevrolet, it was back to the drawing board.
The solution was to create a more powerful Cobra, propelled by the Blue Oval’s 427cu in V8.
Broad Arrow describes this example, chassis CSX3203, as one of the most original 427 Cobras in the world.
The Rangoon Red car spent many years in Shelby enthusiast Lynn Park’s collection. Today, it has just 25,000 miles on the clock.
From the engine and chassis to the four-speed gearbox and most of the paintwork, this unrestored Cobra remains largely untouched.
9. 1966 Sunbeam Tiger (est: £55,500-74,000/$75-100,000/€64-85,000)
A British classic with American muscle, this Mediterranean Blue Sunbeam Tiger has been refurbished by specialist David Crouch.
The Tiger’s story began when Australian racing driver Jack Brabham suggested a V8 version of the Sunbeam Alpine.
The first-generation Tiger was fitted with Ford’s 260cu in eight-cylinder, capable of 164bhp.
This car spent 25 years in a Texan enthusiast’s collection before being sympathetically restored.
The workshop retained original components where possible. It was presented with a Certificate of Authenticity from the Sunbeam Tiger Owners Association.
The Sunbeam will be offered with no reserve in the Gooding Christie’s event.
10. 1968 Shelby GT500 KR Fastback (est: £104-133,000/$140-180,000/€119-153,000)
If you’re not a Cobra fan, how about this unrestored Shelby Mustang, instead?
The ‘King of the Road’ is muscle-car royalty. Underneath its bulging bonnet – and behind its distinctive nostrils – hides a 428cu in V8 that officially produced 335bhp.
Supposedly, Ford downplayed its performance, though, and 400bhp-plus is apparently more realistic.
This 60,483-mile car has been owned by the same family since 1970, but now it’s been submitted as a no-reserve lot in Broad Arrow’s sale.
Apparently it was the family’s everyday car in the ’70s, but it was rolled into storage in 2003. Since then, it’s covered just 71 miles.
11. 1971 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3 (est: £744,000-1.04m/$1-1.4m/€850,000-1.19m)
In 1969, the Alfa Romeo Tipo 33’s V8 engine was increased to 3 litres.
These later cars – of which around 20 were built, according to Gooding Christie’s – were known as Tipo 33/3s.
Alfa Romeo’s motorsport division, Autodelta, didn’t keep accurate records of which cars competed in which events, but historians have pieced together this car’s history.
Its competition highlight was a second-place finish in the 1971 Targa Florio, in the hands of Andrea de Adamich and Gijs van Lennep.
It then spent 13 years in Autodelta’s workshop, until it was purchased by collector David Cohen. A six-year restoration ensued.
In 2002, it finished first in class at the inaugural Le Mans Classic.
This no-reserve lot will be one of the stars of the Gooding Christie’s sale.
12. 1971 Maserati Ghibli SS (est: £130-167,000/$175-225,000/€148-191,000)
Another V8-powered Italian classic car, but this one is much more road friendly.
It’s still no slouch. The upgraded Maserati Ghibli SS was fitted with a 4.9-litre V8 fed by four Weber carburettors, for 330bhp with 341lb ft of torque.
This Rosso Fuoco example, which has been consigned to Broad Arrow’s Amelia event without reserve, was built in March 1971 and shipped to New York.
It remained in the USA until 2013, when it was registered and restored in Italy.
The overhauled car – fitted with refurbished Borrani wire wheels, brand-new Michelin tyres and an ANSA exhaust – returned to North America in November 2020.
13. 1980 Aston Martin V8 Volante (est: £130-167,000/$175-225,000/€148-191,000)
We spotted this British classic in the Broad Arrow catalogue. Aston Martin’s muscular, V8-powered Volante made its debut in 1978.
This 1980 example, finished in Jubilee Silver, was shipped to the USA two days after it rolled off the production line in Newport Pagnell.
The marque’s Texan dealer sold it to its first keeper in March 1981. It was later owned by film director Don Meier and subsequently made its way to Washington, where its current custodian bought it in 2005.
The Aston Martin’s 5.3-litre V8 was rebuilt by a Maryland-based restorer in 2011, when it was upgraded with European-spec components for improved performance.
The 61,500-mile car’s original, US-market Weber carburettors, airbox and more are included in this no-reserve sale.
14. 1989 Ruf 928R (est: £297,500-372,000/$400-500,000/€340-425,000)
Porsche tuner Ruf is best known for its 911-based creations, but it’s dipped its toes in other projects – including this, the sole Ruf 928R.
It was ordered by Lee Kun-Hee, former chairman of Samsung.
The 928R was completed at the Ruf works in Pfaffenhausen, Germany, in September 1989, powered by a modified, 5-litre, quad-cam V8.
It remained in Lee Kun-Hee’s collection for many years, before it was reacquired by Ruf.
In 2021, it was restored by its maker and fitted with new 19in wheels, carbon-ceramic brakes and a fresh exhaust system.
15. 1991 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC (est: £92,600-111,000/$125-150,000/€106-127,000)
Mercedes-Benz’s famous M117 V8 motor powers this mighty, early-1990s flagship.
The 5.5-litre engine is mated to a four-speed automatic gearbox and wrapped in Bruno Sacco’s stylish two-door bodywork.
The first owner purchased this 560SEC in Missouri, USA, in June 1992.
The list price was $85,850 – around four times the average US citizen’s salary at the time, according to auction house Broad Arrow.
They kept the car until November 2020, at which point the odometer displayed just over 10,000 miles.
In the last five years, the current keeper has added fewer than 3000 miles to that figure.
It will go under the hammer with no reserve.
16. 2004 Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale (est: £445-519,000/$600-700,000/€509-594,000)
A roadgoing version of Ferrari’s 360 racer, the Challenge Stradale was 110kg (243lb) lighter and 20bhp more powerful than the standard 360M.
It got carbon-ceramic brake discs derived from those fitted to the Enzo hypercar, revised bodywork, a redesigned exhaust system and lots more.
Fewer than 380 examples of the 186mph supercar were delivered to the USA, including this Rosso Scuderia example, which was specified without the bold racing stripe often applied to this stripped-out variant.
However, it does have painted brake calipers, a leather-trimmed dashboard and a bright-yellow steering wheel.
This is a one-owner car that has covered fewer than 4000 miles, and it will likely turn heads in the Broad Arrow auction.
17. 2012 McLaren MP4-12C (est: £74,100-92,600/$100-125,000/€84,800-106,000)
The McLaren MP4-12C’s V8 makes 616bhp, but did you know it was based on an endurance racer’s engine?
The turbocharged 3799cc motor was developed from the eight-cylinder that powered Nissan’s 1998 Le Mans car.
The McLaren is capable of 0-62mph in just 3.1 secs, en route to a 207mph top speed.
This example, from 2012, received $63,905 of options, including the $2290 bright-orange paintwork and $14,280 carbon-ceramic brake discs.
When the updated McLaren 12C arrived in 2013, the British supercar maker offered to upgrade MP4-12Cs at no extra cost.
This car’s owner accepted the free modifications, which included recalibration of the gearbox and remapping the engine. It will be offered without reserve in the Broad Arrow sale.
If you want to find out more about this McLaren, or any of the other cars in this slideshow, click here to view the Broad Arrow catalogue, or here to browse the lots in the Gooding Christie’s sale.
The Broad Arrow Amelia Auction takes place from 6-7 March and the Gooding Christie’s event is from 5-6 March.