Has the classic car boom misfired in our part of the world?
Two classic car auctions took place last weekend, around 600 km apart. Different offers, different visitor groups. Both auctions had a good selection of vehicles and both events were well organized. And despite the much-vaunted classic car boom, bidders remained silent or at least very cautious.
Many vehicles at the Klassikstadt Autumn Auctionand the auction in the Salzhaus in Wangen an der Aare were left standing, or had to be renegotiated at great expense after the auction was over. Yet over the last few months we have been amazed at the record prices (in Paris, Pebble Beach and Arizona). Even "normal" Porsche 911s or Citroën 2CVs reached unimagined price heights, gullwing cars broke the million barrier, Ferraris even broke the 10 million barrier several times.
Do the two results from last weekend indicate an end to the boom, or is the frequently expressed assumption that auctions in German-speaking countries have a particularly difficult time? Perhaps because Germans and Swiss are less willing to gamble and the bidding game is less their nature?
Well, perhaps we will know in around 10 days' time, as the results of the RM Auction in London (October 31, 2012) will then be available, where once again 82 interesting classic cars (alongside motorcycles and modern automobiles) will go under the hammer. The jackpot will be won by a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, one of 29 aluminum factory coupés with an estimated price of around £ 3 million. We are excited and will stay tuned!
