The major Zoute Concours d'Elégance had to be canceled in 2020, but Bonhams held on to the auction in Belgium and put 30 classic cars worth EUR 11.7 million (as well as five mini motorcycles) under the hammer in Knokke-Heist on October 11, 2020.
Knokke-Heist is located in the north of Belgium and almost by the sea. The auction took place in front of an audience, and the use of adjoining rooms ensured the necessary social distancing due to Covid-19.
Wide range on offer
With seven Ferrari sports cars, the Italian brand led the list of lots, followed by BMW (3 cars). Especially exotic brands were missing.
Two pre-war cars were on offer, but seven neoclassics, of which only four could be sold, including both Ford GTs (2005/2018) and an Alfa Romeo 8C Spider from 2010 (offered at EUR 170,000).
A good two thirds sold
19 of the 30 cars were sold during the auction, and a Ferrari 250 GTE from 1961 was subsequently recorded as sold.
A total of EUR 7.99 million was generated with the cars, with an average of EUR 420,537 paid per car, which was above the average estimate of EUR 390,167. The reason for this was that the three most expensive cars all found a new owner.
The BMW 507 of Prince
Only 252 BMW 507s were built, chassis 70227 from 1959 went to Prince Constantine II of Greece. At the end of the 1980s, the car underwent a complete restoration at Brummer in Munich.
Despite not having completely matching numbers, the buyer paid EUR 2.07 million for the feather-white BMW.
The Aston Martin DB2/4 of the King
Newly ordered by King Baudouin of Belgium, the 1955 Aston Martin DB2/4 with French diplomatic plates was delivered to the King in Paris, probably for security reasons. In 2001, the car was restored to its original specification.
Now the highest bidder (incl. surcharge/commission) paid EUR 264,500 for the elegant sports car.
The AC Ace Bristol with Le Mans history
The AC Ace Bristol from 1957 with chassis number BEX365 is an early example with the famous straight-six engine. The Ace not only took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1960, but also in many rallies in Beaujolais, Dieppe and Touraine-Normandie. During the Le Mans race, however, the Ace failed after 130 laps due to engine problems.
The car, which still has the special Le Mans windshield and the racing fuel filler neck, has now been handed over to a new owner for EUR 454,250
The valuable Lusso from Ferrari
The Ferrari 250 GT Lusso is one of the most beautiful cars ever built in Maranello. Chassis 5017GT with its elegant silver paintwork is no exception, especially as it was restored to concours standard and was once owned by Charles Pozzi. What's more, it once even pulled a caravan, which is certainly not something every Ferrari can claim.
The car was worth EUR 1.783 million to the buyer, making the highest bid just short of the lower estimate.
Other Ferraris were less successful, a 250 GT Series 1 from 1958 was left with a top bid of EUR 340,000, a 512 BB from 1980 fetched a maximum of EUR 230,000, not enough for a sale.
The more recent sports cars from Maranello fared better, with a 1995 F512M selling for EUR 166,750 and a unique 612 Scaglietti Shooting Brake from 2005 for EUR 180,000.
One of six Belgian Austin-Healey Coupés in new hands
The Belgian importer and coachbuilder D'Ieteren converted six Austin-Healey 100 BN1s into coupés in the mid-fifties. Chassis BN1-L/156167 was the first of these six and was presented at the Brussels Motor Show.
Only two of these coupés are said to still exist; the one on offer eventually achieved a sales price of EUR 126,500.
Pre-war Fiat not sold despite Mille Miglia ticket
In 2006, 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2017, the 1931 Fiat 514 "Coppa del Alpi" took part in the historic Mille Miglia; there is a confirmation of participation for October 22-25, 2020.
But now chassis 224393 was supposed to come into new hands, estimated at EUR 250,000 to 350,000, but nobody wanted to bid that high, at EUR 210,000 it was over, not sold
Results in line with expectations
On the whole, the bidding was in line with expectations, on average slightly below.
A Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster from 1958 sold for EUR 740,000, a Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Roadster with a 4.2-litre engine from 1965 for EUR 111,550. There were no real bargains, partly because only three cars were called without a minimum bid.
Overall, however, the Bonhams team must have been quite satisfied with the result.
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 | EUR Est from | EUR Est to | EUR HP | EUR SP | CHF SP | % Est | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 006 | Fiat 500 Jolly Beach Car | 1963 | 80'000 | 120'000 | 100'000 | N | |||
| 007 | Mercedes-Benz 230 SL 'Pagoda' ZF 5-speed with Hardtop | 1966 | 100'000 | 150'000 | 109'000 | 125'350 | 135'378 | +0.28%
|
V |
| 008 | Austin-Healey 100/4 BN2 Roadster to 100M Specification | 1956 | 90'000 | 140'000 | 85'000 | 97'750 | 105'570 | -15%
|
V |
| 009 | Aston Martin DB2/4 3.0-Litre Sports Saloon | 1955 | 250'000 | 300'000 | 230'000 | 264'500 | 285'660 | -3.82%
|
V |
| 010 | AC Ace Bristol Roadster | 1957 | 400'000 | 500'000 | 395'000 | 454'250 | 490'590 | +0.94%
|
V |
| 011 | Porsche 911.2 Speedster | 2019 | 270'000 | 350'000 | 260'000 | 299'000 | 322'920 | -3.55%
|
V |
| 012 | Fiat 514 Coppa del Alpi | 1931 | 250'000 | 350'000 | 210'000 | N |
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
