Adapting to the rules of social distancing, Bonhams organized the auction on 30 May 2020 in Bicester without a live audience, but with several online partners. Bidders were of course also able to buy by telephone or by pre-bid. The auction of around 120 lots lasted almost five hours. 99 cars were supplemented by several motorcycles, license plates and an engine.
The two Bonhams auctioneers Rob Hubbard and Malcolm Barber swung the hammer in front of the camera, with the staff sitting opposite them talking to the telephone bidders. Online bids could be placed via various platforms and there were also absentee bids for many of the cars.
On average half a century old
The cars on offer are on average around 50 years old. The total value was set at £4.3 million, so the average price per lot was around £42,000. A good quarter (26%) of the lots were offered without a reserve price.
Heterogeneous offer
The interested parties gathered in front of the computer or connected by telephone were able to bid on a fairly wide range of cars and also on some motorcycles, some of which fetched surprisingly high prices, and license plates.
Not all of the vehicles on offer were genuine classics. Auctioneer Malcolm Barber said: "A few years ago I auctioned a 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, today I am delighted to be selling a 1988 Honda Accord. I wonder if it will achieve a record price? The GTO certainly did."
Well, despite Barber's praise (reliable, good design), the Honda saloon did not achieve a sales record; at £ 950, the "spirited bidding" came to an end.
Some sports cars from Aston Martin
The most strongly represented brand was Aston Martin. At least one sports car from almost every post-war era was on offer. However, the bidders had to wait almost four hours for the whole bunch of 11 Astons to come their turn.
A DB2/4 from 1954, which was estimated at £ 50,000 to £ 80,000, stood out positively. The car was suitable both for the "Preservation Class" and for restoration, Barber explained, probably meaning that there was still some work to be done. Interested parties were not deterred and went as high as £ 80,000, which meant a selling price of EUR 99,900 or CHF 107,100 (incl. surcharge/commission).
The 1966 DB6 was also sold, albeit below expectations. For EUR 162,338 or CHF 174,038, you could hardly have bought a DB6 in good condition a year or two ago.
The entire horde of V8 Astons remained unsold, as did two DB7s; only one DB9 and one DB7 V12 Vantage as a coupé made the minimum price hurdle.
Sales success with the pre-war cars
With 21 cars, the pre-war generation was well represented. The oldest car is a Wolseley 16/20 Booth Brothers from 1912, the most prominent perhaps the Frazer Nash Boulogne Super Sport from 1927 (estimated value £ 140,000 to £ 180,000).
The latter was the only pre-war car that could not be sold (highest bid £ 110,000).
All other cars from the years up to 1939 found new owners. Prices did not soar, and the EUR 16,858 or CHF 18,073 that was enough to buy a 1933 Riley 9 Monaco Saloon was certainly modest.
The pretty Alvis SA 16.95 Saloon from 1933, which passed into new hands for EUR 28,721 or CHF 30,791, was also inexpensive.
The most expensive pre-war car was a Talbot AV105 as a Three Position Drohpead Copué from 1934, which cost EUR 68,681 or CHF 73,631.
Surprises among the cars of the fifties
The average bid for cars from the post-war years up to 1960 was almost on a par with the estimated values, and some were even significantly higher. For example, a Peugeot 403 from 1958 sold for almost double the estimate, while an Austin Mini Seven Deluxe from 1960 achieved a sale price of EUR 14,985 or CHF 16,065 at an estimated £6,000 to £8,000.
A 1952 Riley RMB Saloon also sold for almost twice as much as expected, although the estimate was very low.
A 1949 MG TC also performed above (low) expectations, selling for EUR 24,975 or CHF 26,775 (including commission).
Less successful youngtimers
Friends of younger cars certainly got their money's worth, although in some cases they did not win the hammer. The 1987 Ford Sierra RS Cosworth, for example, stopped at the highest bid of £45,000, as did a 1996 Mazda MX5 owned by a lady at £2,800. Anyone who looked under the hood could understand why.
At least the BMW Z3 Roadster 2.0 from 2000 found a new owner, albeit for a modest EUR 4370 or CHF 4685. A Westfield "Seven" from 1992 only cost EUR 7992 or CHF 8568.
Super classics were largely absent apart from the Aston Martin sports cars and some Jaguar E-Type and XK variants, which performed mediocrely. Demand for both BMW 6-series coupés was also manageable, with bids remaining in four figures.
The Lamborghini Urraco P300 and the Ferrari 208 GTB were certainly interesting from a buyer's perspective, both of which passed into new hands in respectable condition for reasonable prices.
Bonhams was able to sell a total of 68 cars (69%), while 31 cars were left standing. The average bid was 82% of the median estimate, the average price per car sold leveled off at £25,600, with an expected average of £42,113, a clear indication that the more expensive cars in particular suffered. Nevertheless, the "online-only" auction can certainly be considered a success, and Bonhams will continue to conduct the next auctions in a similar fashion.
Offered and Sold Vehicles
The following table lists all offered and sold vehicles with estimated prices, highest bids, and sale prices. The price conversion was made at the exchange rate valid on the auction day. All information is provided without guarantee.
| Lot | Car | Year | £ Est from | £ Est to | £ HP | £ SP | CHF SP | EUR SP | % Est | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 012 | Austin Seven | 1933 | 5000 | 7000 | 7000 | 7875 | 9371 | 8741 | +31.25%
|
V |
| 014 | Riley 9 Monaco Saloon | 1933 | 10'000 | 15'000 | 13'500 | 15'187 | 18'072 | 16'857 | +21.5%
|
V |
| 015 | Austin APD Seven (Military Tourer) | 1934 | 7000 | 10'000 | 8000 | 9000 | 10'710 | 9990 | +5.88%
|
V |
| 016 | Austin 7 Box Saloon | 1934 | 5000 | 7000 | 6500 | 7312 | 8701 | 8116 | +21.87%
|
V |
| 017 | Morris Oxford Flatnose | 1927 | 10'000 | 15'000 | 9000 | 10'125 | 12'048 | 11'238 | -19%
|
V |
| 018 | Morris Oxford 'Bullnose' Doctor's Coupé with Dickey Seat | 1926 | 14'000 | 18'000 | 11'500 | 12'937 | 15'395 | 14'360 | -19.14%
|
V |
| 019 | Sunbeam 16HP Doctors Coupé with Dickey | 1931 | 15'000 | 20'000 | 12'500 | 14'062 | 16'733 | 15'608 | -19.65%
|
V |
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All information is provided without guarantee.
Legend: Column S = Status (V = Sold, N = Not sold, Z = Withdrawn, U = Under reserve)
Est = Estimate, HP = Hammer Price, SP = Sale Price
