As part of the 17th Internat. Concours d'Elegance Classic-Gala Schwetzingen, selected rare and exclusive classic cars will be auctioned online via Catawiki this year. Starting Friday, September 3, everyone will have the opportunity to participate in the auctions.
Catawiki is Europe's leading online auction platform for special objects, where hundreds of auctions curated by experts take place every week.
Rarities such as the Lancia Aprilia Aerodinamica with special Viotti bodywork from 1939 will be offered there between September 3 and 19, 2021.
Selected vehicles will be on display at the 17th ASC Classic Gala Schwetzingen at the beginning of the auction period.
Overall, car auctions on Catawiki are becoming increasingly popular in Germany. In the first three months of 2021, German users spent twice as much money on cars on Catawiki as in the first quarter of the previous year. This shows that confidence in buying and selling online has risen sharply during the pandemic.
The Lancia Aprilia Berlina Sport from Viotti
Among the rarities to be auctioned is a Lancia Aprilia Berlina Sport Aerodinamica by Viotti from 1938. The car is an Italian masterpiece, designed by the ingenious constructor and mechanic Vincenzo Lancia and the most famous automotive designer of his time, Mario Revelli di Beaumont. Vincenzo Lancia presented the Lancia Aprilia at the 1937 Paris Motor Show.
Thanks to its specifications, the car was able to compete with old-fashioned cars that easily had twice or three times the engine capacity. The result was a sales boom. The car to be auctioned was produced in 1938 and sent to the famous Turin coachbuilder Viotti.
The one-off body was an "aerodynamic sports berlinetta" in a two-door, four-seater configuration. Franco Vigorito, classic car expert at Catawiki, estimates the value of the car at 300,000 to 350,000 euros.
The Alfa 6C from Pininfarina
Another find is the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Super Sport Cabriolet by Pininfarina. The vehicle left the factory in 1949. It has been completely restored since 1990 and is in excellent condition - the engine, gearbox, brakes and suspension work perfectly. The Super Sport version is significantly lighter than the saloon and can exceed 160 km/h without any problems. Only 383 examples of this model were produced up to 1951.
The car to be auctioned is fitted with a two-seater convertible body by Carrozzeria Pininfarina and is estimated by Franco Vigorito to be worth between 450,000 and 500,000 euros.
Rare BMW 503
The BMW 503 on offer at this year's Classic Gala Schwetzingen is one of the first vehicles from the 1956 series, of which only 136 were produced. It still has the original engine and chassis - making it "matching numbers".
Painted in blue-grey metallic and with a beige leather interior, this vehicle still presents itself in its original color combination. According to Franco Vigorito's estimate, the BMW could go to a new owner for around 220,000 - 245,000 euros.
Other rare automobiles
In addition to the three classics mentioned above, there are fourteen other special beauties on the list at the exclusive auction, such as a blue Lancia Flavia Sport Zagato from 1966, a red Lotus Elite Series 2 from 1960, a gray-blue Fiat 125 S Samantha Vignale Coupé from 1969, a blue Maserati 3500 GT from 1958, a brown Ferrari 330 GT Series 1 from 1964, a silver Mercedes-Benz 190 SL from 1960 or the Jerry Cotton Coupé Jaguar E-Type S1 3.8 Litre from 1962, to name just a few examples.
Catawiki and Classic-Gala - a proven partnership
"At Catawiki, we are always on the lookout for the most exceptional vehicles for our users. Classic-Gala is one of the most internationally renowned events for classic cars. The offer in Schwetzingen is unique and so we quickly realized that Classic-Gala is the perfect partner for us to offer particularly high-quality and rare models on our auction platform," says Federico Puccioni, General Manager Mobility at Catawiki.
"Thanks to the partnership with Catawiki, we can offer our visitors particularly rare vehicles at the 17th Classic Gala. We also benefit from the digital purchase option, which allows anyone to participate in the online auctions from anywhere and at any time. The interesting profile of the buyers from Catawiki complements the existing international clientele of visitors to the Classic Gala, so that we can achieve more together," says organizer Johannes Hübner.
Many photos and all information on the 17 rarities on offer can of course be found on the Catawiki website.
