It is a recurring annual event, the auction of the classic car gallery in Toffen in the fall. On October 19, 2019, the Gürbentaler were once again able to offer 95 vehicles, including seven motorcycles/scooters and three tractors, at their company headquarters.
Although the morning began wet and cloudy, the weather gradually improved so that visitors were able to enjoy their bratwurst outside before the auction.
A colorful mix
23 convertibles (and 2 Targas), 25 coupés, 30 limousines, 2 SUVs, 2 estate cars, a van, 3 tractors and 7 two-wheelers with an average age of 45 years came under the hammer on October 19, 2019.
Mercedes-Benz passenger cars were the most represented brand (16 vehicles), followed by Jaguar (10), MG (7) and Ferrari (5). All other brands were registered with less than a handful of lots, including rarely seen manufacturers such as Singer or Kaiser.
Two Beetles ...
Normally just one VW Beetle makes it into the catalog, but this time the Oldtimer Galerie was able to offer two examples, namely a 1300 from 1970 and a particularly beautiful 1200 De Luxe from 1962.
Both Beetles did not quite reach the minimum asking prices and were knocked down with reservations, the De Luxe Beetle at CHF 22,000.
... and two Ford T models
And while we're on the subject of "Volkswagens", we should also mention the two Ford Model Ts, the 1919 Touring Special and the 1923 Tudor Sedan, which represented the pre-war fraction of five vehicles.
Both T-models were auctioned without a minimum bid and were expected to fetch around CHF 10,000. At CHF 10,640 and even CHF 15,680, the two T models did well.
The admired Singer
One of the last vehicles at the auction was the 1935 Singer Nine Le Mans, which had already gone under the hammer in Toffen in 2011. The pre-war sports car reached its estimated price of CHF 55,000 to 60,000 at CHF 61,000, and many would not have expected the likeable Briton to climb so high.
However, considering that the owner had invested a large sum in restoring the roadster, the sale price was more than reasonable. It was the second most expensive car sold at the auction, beaten only by a 2003 Aston Martin V12 Vanquish.
Expensive cars knocked down with reservations
Almost all of the more valuable cars could only be knocked down under reserve.
For example, the Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 from 1969 reached a maximum bid of CHF 160,000, the Ferrari 550 Maranello from 1997 and the Jaguar XK 120 OTS from 1952 CHF 75,000 each. Intensive renegotiations will probably be necessary here to convince the consignor to part with his car.
Cheap convertibles
In keeping with the sunny and warm fall, there was a whole range of reasonably priced convertibles on offer at the auction. An Alfa Romeo Spider 2000 from 1987 with a Zender body kit typical of the era was knocked down for CHF 11,000 with reserve.
An MG TC from 1948 could be bought for CHF 28,000, an MGA from 1959 for CHF 23,520, an MGB from 1973 was knocked down for CHF 10,000 subject to reserve and a Triumph TR6 from 1973 for CHF 15,000.
A 1979 Monteverdi Sahara convertible was on sale for CHF 31,360.
The Mercedes-Benz 230 SLK from 2000, which passed into new hands for CHF 6720, was certainly a bargain.
Mustang and Eldorado twins
The two pairs of twins on offer were interesting. There were two cars of the Cadillac Eldorado Convertible from 1976 on the lot list, as well as the Ford Mustang March 1971 and 1972.
One of the two Cadillacs (lot 76) was sold, while both Mustang Mach 1s were only knocked down with reservations.
The younger cars did well
A good fifth of the vehicles were youngtimers or younger. However, their performance was quite successful, as practically all of them were either sold or sold under reserve.
A Porsche Boxster 2.7 from 2006 even exceeded its estimated value at CHF 20,160, while a Mercedes-Benz 500 SL R129 from 1991 equaled it at CHF 17,920.
A few super classics
There were only a few super classics from the sixties to eighties in Toffen.
A Ferrari 328 GTS from 1988 could not be sold, while a Jaguar E-Type 2+2 from 1966 found a new garage for CHF 56,000.
Only CHF 35,000 was offered for a 1978 Maserati Kyalami 4200.
Satisfactory result
With 47 vehicles sold outright and 26 sold subject to reserve, the Toffen team could certainly be satisfied, especially as some of the cars that did not quite reach the minimum price could still be sold with renegotiations.
The good result was certainly due in part to the fact that around a fifth of the cars were sold without a reserve price, but here too the highest bid was on average almost 70 percent of the average estimate, with the exception of the Volvo 760 GLE from 1983, which went to a new owner for the bargain price of CHF 3360.
22 vehicles, i.e. 23 percent of the offer, including all three tractors, were not sold.
But after the auction is before the auction, and the crew in Toffen is already looking towards Gstaad, where another 40 to 50 high-priced classics are to go under the hammer on December 29, 2019.
