In 2020, the already well-established Gstaad auction of the Oldtimer Galerie Toffen had to be canceled, but the tradition will be resumed on December 29, 2021. 44 classic cars will then be up for bidding in the festival tent.
The total value of the vehicles amounts to CHF 7.7 million (EUR 7.3 million). On average, the 40 cars, three motorcycles and one children's car are 51 years old and are estimated to cost around CHF 174,000 or EUR 169,000 per lot.
Porsche in the lead
With seven vehicles (including a 936 for children), the Porsche brand is the most strongly represented, followed by Alfa Romeo (4), Ferrari, Jaguar and Mercedes-Benz (3 each). On average, the vehicles are 51 years old.
The round-tail Zagato
One of the highlights of the auction is certainly one of the very rare Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint with Zagato round-tail bodywork. The red car dates from 1959 and is expected to fetch CHF 430,000 to 460,000 (approx. EUR 413,000 to 442,000).
The Zagato is accompanied by an Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 from 1952 as a Sport Berlina GT and two Bertones, a Giulia Sprint 1600 GT Veloce from 1966 and a GT 1600 Junior from 1973.
Rare Siata Daina
The Siata Daina of the 1950s even made it into the Museum of Modern Art in New York as a coupé. The shape is somewhat reminiscent of the Lancia Aurelia B20, the technology comes from the Fiat 1400.
Only around 40 of these coupés are said to have been built, so an estimated value of CHF 180,000 to 220,000 seems quite realistic.
James Bond's Lotus Esprit S1?
Roger Moore loved Gstaad, he often spent his skiing vacations there. And Roger Moore also played agent James Bond in the film "The Spy Who Loved Me". Alongside Barbara Bach, the most important supporting actor in this film was a white Lotus Esprit from the first series, which could not only drive fast, but could also dive like a submarine.
One such early Esprit S1 from 1977 in white is now also coming under the hammer in Gstaad, although it is not suitable as a submarine. But it certainly stands out from the crowd of modern cars on the road. Whether this is worth CHF 60,000 to 65,000 is of course up to you to decide.
A Talbot-Lago from Graber
The Swiss Hermann Graber became internationally famous primarily in the 1950s and 1960s, but his history as a coachbuilder goes back much further. In any case, he shaped the body of the 1936 Talbot-Lago T120 long before his famous Alvis creations. There are not too many variants of it.
The car is equipped with a Wilson pre-selector gearbox and is now expected to change hands for CHF 400,000 to 450,000.
The Talbot-Lago is one of three pre-war classics on offer, along with an elegant 1927 Hispano-Suiza H6B with a body by Spohn in Ravensburg and a Rolls-Royce Phantom I Ascot Tourer from 1930.
On the trail of the most expensive classics
Anyone who has always fancied one of the famous Grand Prix Bugattis, but can't afford or doesn't want the original, has an alternative with the 1:1 replica by Pur Sang from 2012.
At CHF 175,000 to 200,000, the estimated value is around 10 to 20 % of the original.
The same applies to an even greater extent to the replica of the Jaguar D-Type produced by Proteus. Built in 1974, the sports car looks very similar to the original, which won at Le Mans, but is said to cost only CHF 225,000 to 250,000, whereas original D-Types often change hands for sums in the multi-digit millions and even Jaguar's own "recreations" cost around two million.
Shelby duo
Two Shelby Mustang derivatives from the same year, 1968, will go under the hammer in Gstaad on December 29, 2021. While the GT500 Fastback with automatic transmission has been estimated at CHF 175,000 to 200,000, the manual GT350 Fastback is expected to cost CHF 140,000 to 160,000.
Also up for auction from America are a 1966 Chevrolet Corvette C2 and a Chevelle SS396 from the same year, both with an estimated value of just under CHF 100,000.
Maserati rarities
With two cars, the Maserati contingent in Gstaad may not be large, but both are rare cars, namely a Quattroporte I from 1965 and a Sebring 3500 GTI from 1963.
While the Sebring was estimated at CHF 175,000 to 200,000, expectations for the four-door are a moderate CHF 75,000 to 85,000.
Ready for the racetrack
For those who prefer to drive their classics on the racetrack rather than on the road, Gstaad has a car with Le Mans history and famous drivers behind the wheel.
The specialists have estimated a value of CHF 195,000 to 235,000 for the 1976 Sauber C5, which certainly seems more than acceptable in view of its fairly secure starting position at events such as the Le Mans Classic.
For those looking for something a little closer to a production car, the 1988 Porsche 944 Turbo in Cup version could be an alternative. CHF 75,000 to 85,000 is the estimate here.
Fast youngtimers
They are coveted and relatively rare, the "hot hatches" from Renault and Lancia.
On offer is a Renault Clio 3.0 V6 24V Phase 1 from 2002 with mid-engine. Interested parties should have CHF 40,000 to 45,000 ready here, which seems almost cheap, as the Lancia Delta HF Integrale Evo II from 1993 is expected to cost CHF 100,000 to 110,000.
Meanwhile, a 964 Turbo II from 1993, estimated at CHF 400,000 to 450,000, is tempting from the Porsche camp.
However, the 1995 Lamborghini Diablo VT, which at CHF 160,000 to 180,000 is even cheaper than the Porsche, is likely to attract more attention on the road.
Valuable new classics
With a Ford GT from 2018 (CHF 950,000 to 1.1 million) and a Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport from 2002 (CHF 530,000 to 560,000), the neoclassics are the most expensive cars at the auction.
But it can also be much cheaper, for example with a Willys Station Wagon from 1960 (CHF 25,000 to 35,000) or a VW Beetle 1300 Cabriolet from 1966 (CHF 35,000 to 40,000).
Seven cars will be offered without a reserve price, including one of the rare Lancia Thema 8.32 from 1989, a Jaguar XK120 OTS from 1952, a Ferrari 412i from 1987 and a Porsche 911 S oil flap model from 1972.
There are many more interesting cars to mention, such as the Jaguar E-Type Series 2, the Lamborghini Espada and the Mercedes-Benz 190 SL, but at the end of the day, it will probably be necessary to take a look at the extensive catalog anyway to get an idea as an interested party.
Further information and many pictures of the cars at the Gstaad auction can be found in the auction catalog and of course on the website of the Oldtimer Galerie Toffen.
