These incredible British classics are all for sale at the same auction

Icons and oddities gather for Silverstone’s Sale of British Marques

In the market for a great British classic? You’re in luck: Silverstone Auctions is hosting a big sale exclusively for British cars next week – and there are some real treasures up for grabs.

From restored sports cars and gleaming grand tourers to iconic compacts and the rarest of ’90s supercars, the catalogue for the Sale of British Marques reads like a who’s who of legendary makes and models.

So, whether you’re after an Aston, an AC or an Alvis, here are 25 of the most alluring motors up for grabs on 11 May – and how much they’re likely to sell for.

1965 Aston Martin DB5

Estimate: £675,000 – £750,000

No sale of British classics would be complete without a DB5 and, as examples of the iconic grand tourer go, this lovely number from 1965 is pretty special.

Impeccably restored and shipped in Bond’s favoured shade of Silver Birch, there’s more to the red-lined Aston than its remarkable condition.

See, back in 2013, chassis 2249/R found fame in its own way: fresh from a full engine rebuild, the stunning ’60s machine was featured on a special-edition Royal Mail postage stamp, then promptly bought by presenter and car nut Chris Evans. 

Want to continue its lineage? Expect to pay at least £675k.

1967 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 2+2

Estimate: £60,000 – £70,000

Fancy an iconic motor that’s not an Aston? Cars don’t come more quintessentially British than the fabled E-type – and there are no fewer than nine examples of the legendary Jaguar model up for grabs at the Silverstone sale.

Besides the usual slew of hard-tops and roadsters, this impeccable 2+2 is something of a practical sibling to what Enzo Ferrari called “the most beautiful car ever made”.

Usually touted as a more affordable entry into E-type ownership, a concours-quality restoration in 2010 means this Series 1 machine is rather more costly than your average four-seater: you’ll need at least £60k to take it home on 11 May.

1973 Jaguar E-Type Roadster Series 3 Manual

Estimate: £80,000 – £100,000

If, on the other hand, you only need room for two, the Sale of British Marques will leave you spoilt for choice when it comes to stunning E-types.

Meatiest of the lot is this late Series 3 machine from 1973. Its muscular styling and bigger grille won’t be to every taste, but it’s hard to argue with the 5.3-litre roadster on the open road.

Finished in a fitting shade of British Racing Green, the burly Jag has been stabled with the same owner for 22 years and received a thorough restoration back in 2000.

Worth between £80k and £100k today, it goes to auction with its original engine and a 2016 London to Brighton run under its belt.

2000 Rover Mini Cooper Sport

Estimate: No reserve

Looking for something less subtle at the Silverstone Auctions sale? Try this millennium-era Mini Cooper Sport – a late example of the pocket rocket from the final run of Rover models built before BMW called time on the original design.

Going to auction from the collection of Jamiroquai frontman Jay Kay, the compact Cooper’s sporty body kit belies an altogether jazzier interior.

Slip inside the custom classic and you’ll find upholstered red leather seats, a crimson velvet roof lining and a disco light in the ceiling. As for the boot, that's a fully featured bar. A Minibar, if you will. And there’s no reserve.

Want something more mainstream? There’s also a 1971 Morris Mini Cooper S up for grabs – less handy for a lay-by rave, far classier for a daily drive.

1956 Bentley S1 Pickup

Estimate: £25,000 – £30,000

Speaking of custom machines, this unmissable Bentley S1 is quite the beast to behold – and a darn-sight finer than your average pick-up.

Finished in ’56 as a standard 4.9-litre saloon, the luxury motor was later acquired by the 6th Earl of Stradbroke – Keith Rous, to those in the know – who had it shipped from London to New South Wales, Australia.

Once there, it was worked over by coachbuilder George Williams to become the Banana Yellow ute you see today, complete with timber loading bed and room for two up front. Fancy a classic hauler? Expect to pay £25k-plus next Saturday.

1991 Bentley Continental Convertible

Estimate: £80,000 – £90,000

Prefer drop-top to chop shop? This Continental won’t take a load of palettes, but it can carry a raft of passengers in stylish cruising comfort.

Finished in 1991, the convertible Bentley shares its underpinnings with the Rolls-Royce Corniche III but, whereas some 4500 of the latter were made in convertible guise, just 421 were built as Continentals. So it’s something of a rarity, and the 6.8-litre machine certainly cuts a dash in Mason Black.

After spending time in both Japan and California, the well-kept tourer returned to the UK in 2005 and goes under the hammer next week with a record of excellent care, with fewer than 27,000 miles on the clock.

1954 Jaguar XK120 DHC

Estimate: £75,000 – £85,000

E-types aren’t the only classic Jaguar cars at the Sale of British Marques. Besides a few Mk2s, a trio of XK120s are also up for grabs – including this dashing drop-head from 1954.

A picture of mid-century sporting elegance, the Racing Green machine shipped new to fighter test pilot ‘Dizzy' de Villiers – a true legend of the air and the first man to fly at supersonic speed without a cockpit. Because the canopy flew off.

After its time with the daredevil flying ace, the Jaguar came into the ownership of a Mr Thomas, who would spend the next 30 years painstakingly – read: obsessively – restoring the sports car to a staggering standard. It’s not all-original, but boy is it a beauty. 

1959 Jaguar XK150 S 3.4-litre

Estimate: £45,000 – £55,000

Looking to undertake a restoration of your own? This XK150 S is quite the promising project. 

A true speed demon of its day, the 210bhp British sports car was bettered only by its SE sibling, but both models could deliver a jolly good time in the ’50s – and, deftly refinished, this 1959 example would surely be a thriller today.

Kept in storage since 1975, the matching-numbers machine has never been refurbished and goes to auction complete with its factory 3.4-litre motor, manual gearbox and overdrive – giving you all the ingredients for an excellent restoration.

1960 Jaguar XK150 S 3.8-litre

Estimate: £120,000 – £150,000

Alternatively, if you want to skip the labour and head straight to the track, this XK150 S is the one for you: born as a fixed-head coupe back in 1960, over the intervening years it’s received countless restorations, modifications and upgrades – to the tune of more than £200k – leaving it a speedy stunner today. And one without a roof.

Far from a butchered classic, though, the stripped-back Jag has been crafted in the sporting spirit of the period and retains the dashing good looks for which it was famed. 

It heads to auction complete with Sigma competition engine, Getrag five-speed gearbox and, erm, an Alpine Sound System – a package that’ll set you back upwards of £120k.

1956 Allard Palm Beach Mk2

Estimate: £75,000 – £95,000

Sticking with the ’50s, this next lot is a proper rarity – one of just six Mk2 machines built by Sydney Allard’s marque and the very prototype shown on the brand’s stand at the 1956 Earls Court Motor show.

Wrapped in an understated but arresting shell hand-crafted from aluminium, the Ford-powered 2.5-litre two-seater had plenty of sporting promise, though sadly not enough to drum up orders.

Used as a demonstrator after the show, chassis 72/70002 was later stabled with the firm’s manager, before entering storage in 1976.

There it remained until, in 2012, it was bought by Allard’s son and grandson, who disassembled the machine, fabricated fresh parts to replace what had rotted, then pieced the whole thing back together. All of which surely justifies the £95k upper estimate.

1960 AC Aceca

Estimate: £110,000 – £130,000

Calling the AC Aceca a hatchback is like calling the Queen an elderly lady: true, but not quite the whole story. See, the stunning Aceca took the sporty Ace and wrapped it in a gorgeous hard-top shell – complete with, yes, a hatchback boot.

All that extra wood and metal meant it lost some of the roadster’s spunky performance, but the Aceca’s long-nose GT looks more than made up for it – and this 1960 machine is a fine example.

Equipped with its original six-cylinder engine, it’s had just four owners from new and has received meticulous care – including a full restoration – over its lifetime.

1975 Jensen Interceptor III

Estimate: £60,000 – £70,000

The third coming of the Jensen Interceptor was to be the last, with the marque’s financial difficulties curtailing production in 1975 – the same year this late example left the factory.

And what an example it is: finished in white over red leather, the Touring-styled British GT has covered just 9000 miles over the past 44 years. What’s more, it’s had just three owners in that time – the current custodian, his father and a family friend, all of whom took impeccable care of the distinctive classic.

As a result, it heads to auction in remarkable, highly original condition, with a £70k upper estimate to match.

1989 Railton F29 Claremont

Estimate: £60,000 – £70,000

Few motoring reincarnations are worth the paper they were sketched on. Then again, few motoring reincarnations are designed by William Towns – the man behind the Aston Martin DBS V8 and angular Lagonda – as an homage to famed engineer Reid Railton, creator of several land-speed record cars in the ’30s.

Penned by Towns and funded by propane magnate John Ransom, the Railton F29 took a powerful Jaguar XJ-S, wrapped its shell in streamlined, aerodynamic aluminium coachwork and offered it for thrice the price.

Just two were ever built by the Railton Motor Company, including this one, Claremont. Kept by Towns himself until his death, there are fewer than 14,000 miles on the clock today and, with a truly unique story, it’s little wonder the lower estimate is £60k.

1956 Jaguar C-type Recreation

Estimate: £90,000 – £110,000

From one rebirth to another, this recreation of Jaguar’s mid-century featherweight racer is as accurate as they come – colour scheme and all.

Built around a 1956 Jaguar Saloon that already carried a replica shell, Jim Marland’s C-type recreation is a picture of authenticity, from the tubular spaceframe and hand-crafted aluminium shell to the four-speed Jaguar gearbox and period 3.8-litre straight-six engine.

It’s also genuinely fast, stunningly finished and heads to auction with a mere 1500 miles on the clock. All of which makes it the best thing this side of a real C-type – and one that will set you back considerably less than the genuine article.

1954 Triumph TR2 ‘Long Door’

Estimate: £25,000 – £30,000

Looking for a bonny roadster runaround for the summer months? You could do far worse than this early Triumph TR2.

A ‘long door’ example of the plucky compact classic, it ticks every box for fans of mid-century British sports cars: lightweight and well looked-after, it’s had just three owners since new and has covered a mere 1500 miles since its comprehensive restoration back in 1988.

Chassis TS3770 hits the Silverstone Auctions block with a re-bored engine and recently refurbished suspension and brakes, not to mention that lovely all-white shell. It’s all you could need for a zip about the B-roads.

1960 Triumph TR3A

Estimate: £30,000 – £35,000

From Triumph to Triumph, the TR3A was the ultimate iteration of the sidescreen sports car – a distinctive two-seater with low doors and a lively 104bhp motor. And this 1960 number is no ordinary example.

More than restored, chassis TS78309L has been treated to bespoke alloy panelwork to make the whole package lighter and leaner, while the engine has been reworked to rally spec and an overdrive fitted to the gearbox – all of which delivers even better performance.

And you’ll never lose it in a concours car park, thanks to that bright yellow finish – deftly offset by a green interior and tonneau cover. A steal at around £30k.

1934 Alvis Speed 20 SB Vanden Plas Tourer

Estimate: £105,000 – £120,000

The oldest of the lots at the Sale of British Marques is this magnificent Alvis machine, still looking as good at 85 as it did when Vanden Plas first fitted its sweeping coachwork in 1934.

A dashing machine with performance to match, this particular Speed 20 – an SB model complete with independent suspension and synchromesh transmission – once belonged to the father of Classic & Sports Car’s own James Page, who upgraded it with the 118bhp engine from an SP25.

Later sold and treated to an exacting, three-year restoration that saw the addition of several gentle modern tweaks – including electronic ignition – it subsequently toured a host of European events. It remains in excellent condition today, hence the £120k upper estimate.

1935 Bentley 7.4 Litre V12 Special

Estimate: £100,000 – £115,000

A second stunner that’s ostensibly from the 1930s, this Bentley’s story is actually more modern than its competition coachwork would have you believe.

Sure, it was born in 1935 as a two-door coupé, but it was in the late ’80s that it received its bespoke, low-slung aluminium bodywork from specialist Alan Padgett. And that wasn’t the end of the changes: in 1999 it gained a 7.4-litre V12 engine from a Rolls-Royce Phantom III – fitting, given it was Rolls that had saved Bentley some 70 years before.

Shipped with its original blown-six motor in tow, this new-old Derby racer is a familiar sight at historic events – its twelve-cylinder engine took it up the Harewood Hillclimb to a win in 2003 – and remains a racing force to be reckoned with. 

1995 Jaguar XJ220

Estimate: £325,000 – £375,000

Say what you will about its divisive styling: few machines have entered motoring folklore quite like the XJ220 – once the fastest production car in the world.

Built to the tune of just 275 examples between 1992 and 1994, the Jaguar hypercar was an exercise in superlatives. It fired 540bhp from the twin-turbo V6 through the rear wheels. It did the 0-60 drag in a staggering 3.5 secs. It could theoretically hit 220mph. And it was staggeringly expensive.

Its chief rival at the time was the McLaren F1, and it’s almost as rare today as that other modern British classic. To find one that’s covered just 700 miles from new and received a £25k service in 2015? Let’s just say the £375k upper estimate tells the story.

1997 Jaguar XJ220

Estimate: £300,000 – £350,000

Ultra-rare? Hard to find? It’s true, we promise – which only makes the presence of a second XJ220 at the Silverstone sale that much more remarkable.

A left-hand drive example delivered new to Germany, it might have more kilometres under its belt than the previous example, but 21,000km is hardly far for a 22-year-old car.

What’s more, the world-beater recently enjoyed a thorough service from Jaguar’s factory Classic Works outfit, leaving the legendary machine in fantastic condition today and ready to bring joy to its new owner.

1992 Vauxhall Lotus Carlton

Estimate: £40,000 – £48,000

What’s a boy-racer’s Vauxhall doing in a catalogue of fine British motors? Well, souped-up it may be, but there’s more to the Lotus Carlton than a beefy body kit – as the £40k lower estimate suggests.

See, to make this very British super saloon, Lotus took the standard Vauxhall straight-six, bored it out to 3.6 litres, bolted on a pair of turbochargers and strapped the whole lot into the unremarkable Carlton.

The result was a four-door with 377bhp, a newspaper-baiting top speed of 177mph and so much torque that only the transmission from a Corvette ZR-1 could take the strain.

Quite the meaty motor, then – and this 1992 number is as lovely as they come. Heading to the Sale of British Marques from a line of careful owners, its clock displays a respectable 73,000 miles – testament to a life of careful enjoyment. And perhaps a little bit of hooning.

1998 Lotus Esprit GT3

Estimate: £32,000 – £36,000

From a Lotus tune-up to a Lotus proper, the GT3 was the last four-cylinder Esprit before the British marque bolted a V8 into its distinctive sports car.

More bulbous by the ’90s than Giugiaro’s original ’70s wedge, the later Esprit was nevertheless a speedy thing – and the GT3 was no exception, deriving 240bhp from its turbocharged 2-litre motor and doing the 0-60 dash in around 5 secs.

Finished in a lovely shade of metallic racing green, this late-’90s example has been stabled with the same owner since new and heads to auction in fantastic condition, with just 33,000 miles on the clock.

1961 Lotus Elite

Estimate: £65,000 – £75,000

Staying in Hethel but winding back the clock, this well-kept Lotus Elite is a featherweight racing coupé par excellence.

Tastefully finished in the marque’s distinctive green and yellow livery, it’s a lithe picture of Colin Chapman’s commitment to lightweight fun – a glassfibre lesson in handling purity, plucky performance and drag reduction.

Shipped new to Sweden in 1961, it saw track action and road use before returning to England in the late-’80s, where the current custodian acquired it and went rallying – but not before an exacting restoration.

After contesting several historic events, the bonny Brit then entered storage in the ’90s, where it would remain until a return to the road in 2011. Ready and raring to race, you’ll be hard-pushed to find a more handsome example.

1973 Rolls-Royce Corniche

Estimate: £70,000 – £80,000

Quite the opposite of a compact racer, this drop-top Roller is a picture of elegant ’70s cruising – and one of unrivalled originality.

Despite its stately appearance, the Corniche packed a proven 6.8-litre aluminium V8 under the imposing nose and delivered plenty of punch when the moment called for a motorway dash – though never at the expense of comfort, thanks to independent suspension and a self-levelling system.

Finished in a suitably regal shade of Regency Bronze, this 1973 Corniche has never been restored, instead enjoying a life of careful ownership and meticulous maintenance.

As a result, it heads to the Silverstone sale in entirely original condition with just 29,000 miles on the clock and a suitably grand £80k upper estimate.

1950 Aston Martin DB2 ‘Washboard’

Estimate: £475,000 – £550,000

As we started, so we finish: with a stunning Aston Martin. Only this one’s an earlier model, a concours-quality example of the race-bred DB2.

And, as the £550k upper estimate would suggest, it’s quite the car: one of just 49 built with distinctive three-piece grille and ‘washboard’ side vents, chassis LML/50/16 was the sixth DB2 finished by the factory – and the first to be fitted with a floor-mounted gear shift.

Delivered new to Australia, the stunning sports coupé – with its fastback shell penned by Frank Feeley – still wears its original Almond Green colour scheme following an extensive restoration between 2004 and 2007. Work that, it’s worth saying, saw it win plaudits at Pebble Beach in 2015. Dashing indeed.

The Sale of British Marques 2019 by Silverstone Auctions takes place on 11 May. Click here for more details