Car fans with eclectic tastes and deep pockets will undoubtedly be interested in RM Sotheby’s upcoming Abu Dhabi auction taking place on 30 November at the Yas Marina circuit. While each vehicle has its own appeal we’ve saved you many hours of scrutinizing each one by selecting some of the very best lots on offer.
The Porsche Carrera RS 2.7 has long been hailed as one of the highest of high points in the air-cooled 911 range. It is a textbook example of the perfectly balanced machine with just the right amount of power (210hp) allied with a biddable chassis that rewards a skilled driver.
This is a 1973 Touring model and comes with a few more luxuries such as power windows, sunroof and a Blaupunkt radio. It has gone through a few color changes and two full restorations including an engine upgrade to 2.8-liters and pressure-fed chain tensioners. It is now presented in Concours condition in its original Signal Yellow over black leatherette and the odometer shows 58,640 km (36,650-miles).
If you fancy your air-cooled Porsche with a modern twist then the 1993 Porsche 911 Reimagined by Singer is unmissable. The ‘Fiona’ commission was built in 2016 and has covered 4500km (2812-miles) since then. It comes packed with some of Singer’s top options such as a 390hp 4.0-liter flat-six engine allied with upgraded G50 gearbox and suspension system.
The interior is a perfectly crafted combination of Cognac and Espresso leather, Ivory headliner and subtle modern touches. For the ultimate in timeless elegance allied with modern performance, this car is hard to beat.
However, if your tastes lean more towards the weird and wonderful world of concept cars then the 2006 Lamborghini Concept S is a good place to start. This intriguing car came into being as a design study conceived by then head of design Luc Donckerwolfe to gauge interest in a more extreme variant of the Gallardo Sypder variants.
Despite an enthusiastic reception, the planned run of 100 cars ended with just this one vehicle. It is fully functional with all the performance of a contemporary 520hp V10 Gallardo but has a unique split cockpit design. Having accumulated just 200km (125-miles) mostly from initial testing and being transported between Concours events, this is a very rare opportunity to acquire one of the rarest Lamborghinis in existence.
You don’t see one for ages then two come along at once. The 1996 Zagato Raptor Concept is another one-off concept based on a Lamborghini although this one uses Diablo VT running gear and received a completely new body by legendary coachbuilder Zagato.
Thanks to extensive use of carbon fiber, the Zagato Raptor weighs in at almost 300kg (661 lbs) less than the donor car and it was rumored to be capable of a 0-60mph time of under four seconds. Eschewing ABS and traction control in the interest of weight saving, it is undoubtedly an immersive driving experience. While the total mileage is not stated, RM advises its next owner to carry out a full mechanical service prior to use.
On the rare occasion that a concept car makes it into production, it inevitably tends to be a watered-down version of that original initial outlandish design, unless of course it happens to be the Aston Martin One-77.
In truth when the car was first (partially) unveiled at the 2008 Paris Salon plans were afoot to put it into limited production but thankfully those exaggerated supercar proportions were retained largely unchanged and beneath the carbon fiber bodywork was the most powerful naturally aspirated engine at the time, a 750hp 7.3-liter V12.
77 cars were made and demand greatly outstripped supply so used values tend to be rather higher than the original £1.15-million ($1.48-m) that Aston charged. This 2011 model is the 38th car built and its owner, Danish conservationist Markus Jebsen, has put on a mere 1000km (620-miles) in seven years of ownership. Proceeds of the sale will be donated to African Parks, which manages 15 national parks in Africa.
Rare classics, one-off concepts and supercars are all fine and well but for the ultimate thrill you will need to get behind the wheel of an actual Formula 1 car. Fortunately, RM has two on offer… the first is a 1992 Benetton B192 driven by Michael Schumacher in the 1992 F1 season. His best achievement in the car was a third place in Germany in front of his home crowd, and the car comes perfectly presented with the correct spec Ford V8 engine and is ideal for a variety of Historic events.
Arguably the crown jewel of the Abu Dhabi auction is the 2002 Ferrari F2002. Once again driven by Michael Schumacher, it helped him secure his fifth world championship with victories at the San Marino, Austrian and French Grands Prix. Included in the sale is a complete rebuild of the engine and transmission by Ferrari at the consignor’s expense. It comes complete with Ferrari Classiche certification and is race-prepared for Ferrari Corse Clienti events. A portion of the proceeds will also go towards the Keep Fighting Foundation.
Images courtesy of Ferrari and RM Sotheby’s
