Idle Torque: Buyers have no reservations
Who doesn't love a no-reserve auction?
When it comes to cars at least, an auction lot that is going to sell regardless of where the bidding stops is always going to get the bargain-hunters sniffing.
The term bargain, though, rarely applies.
Take for example the Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint which had no reserve and sold for $30,000 at a Shannons auction in Sydney on Monday night.
Before the sale, Shannons said it was expecting the car to sell for between $32,000 and $38,000. So in that sense it may be seen as a bargain, especially because a car similar to this - and it may have been the same one - had been advertised online for approximately $50,000.
However, looking at world prices, $30,000 is about right for a 2600 Sprint like this, in the much rarer right-hand-drive form.
Two classic Mercedes-Benz cars did sell for very reasonable prices though - a 1966 230SL went for $50,500 and a 1964 220SE for $55,000.
Good examples of both these models of Mercedes are regularly advertised with asking prices nudging six figures.
Whether they actually sell for anything near that is unknown, but it seems that on Monday night the market was in the $50,000 range.
If the 220SE was a genuine factory-built convertible, this would have been particularly good buying.
A 1969 Marcos GT V6, painted in the classic orange and powder-blue Gulf Racing colours, sold for $26,000. It did appear to need some sorting though, and the paint scheme would not have had universal appeal.
Early Jaguar XJs are continuing their gradual rise in value after hitting rock bottom several years ago.
A no-reserve 1983 XJ6 in excellent condition sold for a strong $10,000 on Monday, though bids for a 1967 E-Type didn't reach the $100,000- plus expected for the car.
Clearly the latter's gaudy whitewall tyres would not have been helping matters.
MASERATI MAGIC *
A 1956 Maserati 450S has won the coveted Best of Show trophy at one of the world's most prestigious concourse competitions, the legendary Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2014 on the banks of Lake Como in northern Italy.
The immaculate Swiss-owned 450S is one of just 10 built, and is powered by a 4.5-litre, 400hp V8 engine. People at the show obviously had superlative taste, because the people's choice award winner was a 1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 GS.
Maserati did well at the event, also winning the Concept Cars and Prototypes category with its Alfieri.
Motor Moments
Today-Tomorrow
Albany Classic. Mt Clarence Hillclimb and Round-the-Houses. See vsccwa.com.au.
June 14-15
WA Hot Rod and Street Machine Spectacular, Claremont Showgrounds. Admission $20 adults. See wahotrodshow.com.au.
July 13
Super Model Car Sunday. 9am-4pm. 12 Cusack Rd, Malaga. Admission $5 adults, kids under 17 free. Phone 0419 192 904 or email ausbodies1929@hotmail.com.
Send event details acforro@gmail.com
