Amid the many highlights of the NEC Classic Motor Show – including a celebration of Ferrari’s 70th anniversary. A healthy contingent of Bond cars and a raft of motorsport icons on display – were the 120-plus cars under the hammer at Silverstone Auctions.
A Classic Ford Escort RS2000
Air-cooled Porsche 911s found new owners and a host of Ferraris changed hands too. But it wasn’t the Italian exotica that commanded enormous prices nor shocked the most. That honour went to Ford. While it’s increasingly argued that the classic car market is settling, the prices of choice cars to wear the blue oval, it seemed, bucked that trend.
Unsurprisingly, a well documented and unrestored but cherished 1966 Ford Lotus Cortina Mk1 fetched a healthy £54,050. A delivery mileage 2011 Focus RS was knocking on the door of £45,000 and a 1955 Torch Red Ford Thunderbird sold for £63,563. All sit just within the realms of justifiable price tags.
Above all else, it was the Escorts that shocked most. An ex-PCA Team total Mk2 RS1800 rally car built for Group 4 competition was listed at £97,750. But if you could stretch another £75 then a 1980 RS2000 could have been yours.
The Diamond White car eventually went for £97,825 before buyer’s premiums, so actually topped £100,00. In its favour it has covered just 900 miles and is the more desirable Custom model. That meant, from the factory, the owner bought ‘fishnet’ Recaro seats and a carpeted boot, finished in Chocolate Brown.
Other notables from the auction included a Wheeler Dealers restored Ford Escort XR3i cabriolet and custom-built Sports Racer. Both were sold for £22,500, with the money going towards charities chosen by the show’s presenters Mike Brewer and Ant Anstead.
Boasting celebrity ties, a Chris Evans-ordered and, at the time of the auction. Sir Chris Hoy-owned purple 2010 Ferrari 458 Italia sold for £137,250.
The most expensive car listed was a one of only 12 right-hand drive Lamborghini Diablo SE30s. As the name suggests, it was built to celebrate the company’s 30th anniversary. This Super Fly Yellow variant of the lightened and more powerful Diablo is still listed with Silverstone Auctions for a ‘Buy it Now’ price of £281,750.
