For many classic car and youngtimer enthusiasts, the spring auction in Toffen has been as much a part of the start of the season as redeeming their classic car or planning their first tours for many years. On Saturday, March 26, 2022, the time has come again and the specialists from Toffen have put together an interesting portfolio of younger and older classics. The total value has been estimated at CHF 3.071 million (EUR 3.001 million), with an average of CHF 34,506 or EUR 33,816 expected per vehicle.
Broad spectrum
Among the 89 vehicles on offer, there are 30 open cars, 25 coupés and a total of 81 cars. The remainder is made up of bicycles, motorcycles and a boat.
On average, the vehicles are 50 years old, but the range of ages is greater than this average age would suggest. Four vehicles, including a penny-farthing and a work tool, are over 120 years old. There are also four other pre-war automobiles and a pre-war motorcycle.
At the other end of the age spectrum, there are 15 vehicles that are less than 30 years old. And the youngtimer segment comprises a dozen cars.
34% of the lots are offered without a reserve price.
The 68s
13 cars were built between 1968 and 1971, so they are just over 50 years old.
And the variety on display here gives a good impression of the overall range. A Volvo P 1800 S from 1968, an Alfa Romeo 1600 Spider Duetto from 1968 and a Dodge Challenger 318 V8 from 1971 may not have appeared in the TV series "The Saint", the movie "The Graduate" or the Hollywood movie "Vanishing Point San Francisco", but they look almost exactly the same.
A Lotus Europa S2 from 1969 represents the British small-series sports cars, while the Lancia Flavia 1.8 ie Coupé from 1968 and the Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV from 1971 represent the Italian delicatessen manufacturers.
There is also a Citroën SM, a Jaguar E-Type and a 1971 Ford Mustang to make the selection even more appealing, not to mention the Fiat 500, MGB or Oldsmobile Toronado.
Young savages
Not everyone wants a 50-year-old car. But there are also attractive offers for youngtimer fans. There are three convertibles, for example, as they were conceived in the sixties and were still being built in the nineties.
The MG RV8 from 1995 is basically a refreshed and significantly more powerful MGB with a Rover V8 engine and catalytic converter, while the two Vipers from Dodge and Chrysler are a combination of Cobra and muscle car.
Eight liters of displacement, around 400 hp and 620 Nm of torque were a statement back then and they still are today.
For those who think a little more compactly and like to think back to the World Rally Championship of the early nineties, the Lancia Delta HF Integrale from 1991 might be an option.
And then there's a BMW 850i, a Mercedes-Benz 500 SL or a Porsche 996 GT3 Clubsport from 1999 if performance is required.
Convertibles for the spring
The range of convertibles is extensive, just in time for spring.
The British in particular are well represented with several Jaguar XKs, Triumph TRs and MGs. But Mercedes-Benz can also score points with a 190 SL from 1961, which is looking for a new owner for CHF 130,000 to 140,000.
An Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider Veloce from 1959 was estimated at CHF 75,000 to 85,000, and a Chevrolet Corvette C1 from 1959 at CHF 95,000 to 105,000.
And the Alvis TC21/100 from 1954, which is looking for a new owner for CHF 55,000 to 65,000, is certainly truly exotic.
Away from the norm
In addition to many well-known classics, you can of course also discover and buy exotic items in Toffen.
There is the MEGA Club 4x4 from 1998, for example. Similar to a Citroën Méhari, an all-terrain leisure vehicle was built on a galvanized chassis with a plastic body and Citroën AX, which can certainly be a lot of fun and is reasonably priced at CHF 5500 to 6500.
The 1981 Fiat Ritmo 75, which was built as a Group 2 rally car and is now estimated to cost CHF 25,000 to 30,000, is hardly less suitable for off-road use.
And, of course, the Poncin VP 2000 6x6 from 1982, which, as the name suggests, has six wheels, is very special. However, this amphibious device is more suitable for the duck pond at home than for the big road, as the floating vehicle is not permitted there. CHF 5000 to 8000 was the estimated price for the Poncin.
Finally, the Sbarro-Ferrari 550 Maranello "Large" from 2000 is exotic in a different way - after all, it's not every day that you see a Ferrari converted in Switzerland. CHF 100,000 to 125,000 was the estimate here.
Projects for long evenings
A Citroën 2CV 4x4 Sahara from 1961 definitely deserves a mention. Although you can't simply buy it for CHF 40,000 to 45,000, with a little craftsmanship the restoration that has been started can be completed within a reasonable time frame.
And then you have one of 694 twin-engine ducks built, which regularly sell for six-figure sums at auctions.
The 1929 Ford A Tudor Sedan is likely to be a little more work, although it was still on the road until 2020. However, a vehicle fire disfigured the sedan and the engine is blocked. The estimated value is only CHF 8,000 to 10,000 and the car could also pass as a "great decorative object".
More information and pictures of the individual cars as well as access to the catalog can be found on the website of the Oldtimer Galerie Toffen.