4 spectacular cars going for £1million at the Bonhams|Cars Scottsdale Auction
A seven-figure budget isn’t a prerequisite to raise your hand at this month’s Scottsdale Auction by Bonhams|Cars. Set the online catalogue to list the lots from low to high and the first car you encounter is a one-off Frua-bodied Fiat 127 with a lower estimate of £8,000.
That seems like a very affordable way to get into a bespoke Italian classic. Ascend the ranks, though, and things top out with no fewer than four cars that are expected to sell for more than £1million. Which one would you give the nod to?
2021 Ford GT Heritage Edition
Estimate: £1million to £1.2million
Let’s start with something of a blue collar hero. The second generation Ford GT did more than simply commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Blue Oval’s 1966 Le Mans victory, it walked the walk at La Sarthe, too. For each year of production, a different Heritage Edition was offered and for 2021 the white, black and red colour scheme took inspiration from the 1968 Daytona 24-hour Continental Race winner driven by Ken Miles and Lloyd Ruby.
This one, delivered new to Canada where the colour scheme was a $41,700 option, also has optional 20-inch carbon wheels. Black brake calipers with red accents are another option to add to its jewel-like nature. And it really has been something just to look at. With just ten miles on the odometer, it remains in as-new condition. It’s one of just fifty examples produced.
1956 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing
Estimate: £1.2million to £1.3million
For decades the Mercedes-Benz 300SL, better known by its Gullwing nickname, has vied for position among the most desirable cars in the world. Developed from the Le Mans W194 coupé, the 300SL (for Sports Leicht) had a lightweight spaceframe chassis and body construction to compensate for the relatively heavy six-cylinder engine and drivetrain. It was New York-based importer Max Hoffman who persuaded the Germans to offer a production version of the 300SL for the American market, and it went on to find success in other territories.
This car was supplied new in 1956 to an owner in Germany, and is still finished in the original colour scheme of silver over navy blue. It was soon bought by an American buyer and has spent most of its life in the United States. It was restored as what is described as a 20,000-mile survivor and the numbers still match. Pleasing period details remain, too, such as the Becker radio and fitted blue luggage. It’s said to be run in and ready to use on the many events for which it’s eligible.
1956 Ferrari 250 Europa GT
Estimate: £1.4million to £1.8million
The second £1million offering from the 1950s is this Ferrari 250 Europa GT. The second series car was first shown at the Paris Auto Salon 1954. Visually similar to its forebearer, the new GT car’s Colombo-designed short block engine had been upped to 223PS (164kW) thanks to lessons learned with the 250 Mille Miglia. What’s more, the reduced wheelbase resulted in less weight and an extra 10mph on the top speed. The final production cars (fewer than fifteen in total) also benefitted from coil-sprung and double wishbone suspension up front.
The car here is the final Europa GT made, and therefore incorporates all the developments introduced throughout the model’s life. It was delivered new in 1956 to Belgian Ferrari racing team and importer Jaques Swaters Garage who displayed it at the Brussels Motor Show that year. The following year it was raced at Spa Francorchamps, and it remained in the ownership of Jaques Swaters until 1966 when it was exported to the United States. It has undergone a restoration this century and has since been a regular fixture at concours events. It comes with detailed history confirming its original chassis, body and suspension.
1967 Lamborghini Miura P400
Estimate: £1.8million to £2.2million
Here’s one that may reach beyond the £2million mark. While the Countach is probably best credited with setting a visual tone that Lamborghini has stuck with ever since, it’s the Miura that first saw the Sant’Agata firm move into supercar territory thanks to its low-slung proportions and mid-mounted V12 engine. First shown at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show, the Miura has been a poster car ever since and is arguably the first supercar as we still know it, six decades later.
This car’s first owner collected it from the Lamborghini factory before using it to tour Europe. The Miura was then taken to his home in America, but the owner sadly died soon after which meant the car spent much of the 1970s in storage. In 1978, it found a new owner who kept it for the next 25 years. At the Quail Auction in 2015, Bonhams|Cars offered it for sale for the first time since 1978. It has since had a no-expense-spared restoration undertaken by top US specialists. The P400 is the driver’s choice among Miuras, and this one is beautifully presented.
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