Another year has already passed, and we can still remember how David Bowie's Volvo 262 C took off at the auction in Gstaad in December 2017. Following the successful first edition, the second Gstaad auction is now scheduled for December 29, 2018.
The lot list (currently) includes 46 cars and a motorcycle, as well as various automobilia.
The total value of the vehicles is around CHF 9.3 million (EUR 8.2 million). On average, therefore, each car/motorcycle is expected to fetch around CHF 197,000 (EUR 174,000). The average age of the vehicles on offer is almost exactly 50 years, with extreme values in 1932/1934 and 2017.
Each of the vehicles on offer would actually be worth a comprehensive presentation, but we will limit ourselves here to a few examples.
The Porsche 356 Carrera GT with Swiss racing history
Robert Calderari, a well-known Swiss racing driver in the fifties and sixties who even competed at Le Mans, drove a Porsche 356 Carrera GT delivered by AMAG Schinznach in 1958. Among other things, he fought for top places in various slaloms and hill climbs (e.g. Mitholz-Kandersteg and Ollon-Villars) and even came close to becoming Swiss champion with the car. The 356 "traveled" almost around the world, with stops in the USA and Austria, and will now almost return to its place of origin, Gstaad.
An estimated value has not been communicated, but one can assume expectations in the high six-figure range (or higher).
Lancia trifecta
Lancia fans take note: three of the greatest rarities from the Turin-based car manufacturer's long and rich history are going under the hammer in Gstaad. There is an elegant Lancia Flaminia 2.8 3C Super Sport Zagato Coupé from 1968. Equipped with a V6 engine and a lightweight body, the car was one of the fastest cars on the road at the time and is now one of the most sought-after Lancia cars ever. CHF 195,000 to 245,000 was the estimated value.
The Lancia Stratos HF is considerably more expensive, but has become a sports car icon thanks to its countless rally victories. The Stradale version from 1975 in orange-red is expected to elicit CHF 550,000 to 575,000 from potential buyers.
The Lancia Delta HF Integrale was similarly successful in rallying.
The Evo 2 version from 1993 is one of the most sought-after variants and is now expected to find a new owner for CHF 90,000 to 100,000.
Mille Miglia candidates from Fiat
Anyone who would like to take part in the Mille Miglia should take a look at these two sporty Fiat cars from the pre-war era.
The Barchetta, which was created in the post-war years on the basis of a 1500 6C, already drove over the starting ramp in Brescia in 2010, 2013 and 2014 and can certainly do so again, CHF 250,000 to 275,000 provided.
The Fiat Balilla 508 CS Coppa d'Oro from 1934 has a real racing career. In the pre-war years, the car was already entered in several hill climb races under Emmanuel "Toulo" de Graffenried.
Now the open-top car is to find a new garage for CHF 135,000 to 155,000.
Charming neo-classics
Five cars in Gstaad are less than 20 years old, but that doesn't make them any less interesting. The Mosler MT900 from 2005, for example, is one of only a few dozen American super sports cars built between 2005 and 2010. The technology and the shape are more reminiscent of Le Mans than a road car, as is the enormous performance.
There is probably only one such car in Switzerland and perhaps even further afield, so the CHF 235,000 to 255,000 asking price seems quite realistic.
The Aston Martin Vantage GT8 from 2017 is expected to be similarly expensive; as a limited edition special model, the car has covered around 12,000 km on the road to date. The estimated value is CHF 265,000 to 285,000.
Four four-seater Ferraris
In addition to five Alfa Romeos, four Porsches and four Jaguars, Ferrari has the largest contingent in Gstaad with four sports cars. The four cars with a prancing horse are united by the fact that they are all four-seaters, which is actually a rare characteristic for Ferrari.
The most expensive of the four cars is a Ferrari 365 GTC/4 from 1971, estimated at CHF 250,000 to 280,000.
A very nice 400 GT from 1979 with manual gearbox can be purchased for CHF 95,000 to 105,000, a Mondial 3.4 T Cabriolet from 1991 for CHF 50,000 to 70,000.
Finally, the Neo Classics include the Ferrari 456 M GT from 2000, which is also in the catalog with the rarely delivered manual gearbox for CHF 60,000 to 80,000.
Cars with Hollywood and pop music glamor
Following the coup of 2017 with the Bowie Volvo, two cars with famous previous owners will once again provide for exciting bidding battles in December 2018. The first is the 1966 Austin-Healey 3000 Mk II BJ8, which once belonged to John Lennon but was mainly driven by Yoko Ono.
For Beatles fans, the estimated CHF 125,000 to 135,000 should not necessarily be an obstacle.
Richard Burton appeared as an actor in films such as "The Longest Day", "Cleopatra", "The Spy Who Came Out of thelte", "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf", "The Wild Geese Are Coming", "Exorcist II" and "1984". As Elizabeth Taylor's husband of two children, he was also often featured in the tabloids. He also liked to drink one too many, which is why he had an alcohol detector installed in the Mercedes-Benz 250 C (2.8) Coupé he owned in Switzerland. Unfortunately, the detector did not survive the years that followed, but the 1973 coupé did. Just like the original vehicle registration document.
Here, too, the Oldtimer Galerie has not yet announced an estimated value, but it will certainly be at the upper end of what these now rare coupés are worth on the market.
Roadworthy racing cars (almost) from days gone by
Would you like to drive a Bugatti 35B like the legendary Grand Prix winners Louis Chiron or René Dreyfus? Unattainable? Perhaps with the original. But the replicas from Pur Sang, which are almost identical down to the last screw, make this fun possible for considerably less money.
The example offered by Oldtimer Galerie comes with a freshly overhauled engine, Swiss road registration and an estimated price of CHF 350,000 to 375,000.
You can feel much cheaper than Juan Manuel Fangio in the A.S.A./AFF Tipo 61 from 1963. The Barchetta is modeled on the cars with the trident from Modena and is hardly less fun behind the wheel.
This car also has a Swiss road registration and the estimated price has been set at CHF 230,000 to 250,000.
Exclusives from the USA
For fans of American cars, there are some rarities for sale in Gstaad, such as a pink-colored Cadillac Series 62 convertible from 1959 with huge fins or the "Town and Country" version of the Chrysler Newport from 1950.
A Corvette (C1) also comes under the hammer, as well as an FIA-compliant Shelby Cobra 289 built in 1967.
And that just about sums up a third of the cars listed in the auction catalog.
More information and pictures of the auction can be found on the website of the Oldtimer Galerie Toffen.
