Icons Of Present And Past Lead Australia Sales

A varied offering across price points and categories was key to a strong October for Collecting Cars in Australia, with everything from desirable classics to supercars, four-wheel-drive heroes to rare bikes, and even a few exciting projects making their way to new custodians during the month.

A handsome 2021 911 Carrera GTS with just 3,400 kilometres on the clock was the highest performer for October, selling for A$370,000 following significant interest. This 992-generation Porsche had a high specification including the desirable GTS suspension set-up based on the 911 Turbo with PASM adaptive dampers, as well as Turbo centre-locking alloy wheels and brakes.

The 21st century Porsche was joined by two sought-after modern classics, including a fetching example of the marque’s last air-cooled 911, a 993 Carrera, which sold for A$134,500, and a distinctive Rubystone Red 964 Carrera 2 which fetched A$165,000.

We were pleased to offer another stunning 1970s Ferrari to the Australian market in October, with a 512 BB reaching A$290,000 during its online auction. This stylish supercar was presented in the marque's iconic Rosso Corsa paintwork and represented one of only 101 right-hand drive examples, equipped with a 4.9-litre flat-twelve paired with a five-speed open-gate manual transmission.

From the States came a bright blue 2021 Chevrolet Corvette (C8), which sold for A$195,000. This celebrated American sports car was imported by the seller from Japan in order to skip the five-year wait list on an Australian-delivered car, and was a great opportunity for others in the market to do the same.

Some charming and more affordable classics were sold at auction in October, including a 1969 Alfa Romeo 1750 Berlina and 1975 Triumph Stag Mk II, but a restored 1969 Jaguar E-Type Series 2 4.2 2+2 stole the show, reaching A$94,500.

The Aussie team has a great love for classic four-wheel-drive icons, and brought together a strong set of consignments last month, including a 1949 Land Rover Series 1 80" project, a 1977 Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser and a 1975 Range Rover Classic two-door which led the group at A$66,000. This car featured a replacement fuel-injected 4.6-litre V8 with its original engine also included in the sale, and an original LT95 four-speed gearbox rebuilt with uprated transfer gears and clutch.

It was also an interesting month for modified and project cars. An 'outlaw' 912 featuring 930 Turbo styling cues was a crowd-pleaser, reaching an attainable A$74,650 early in the month. Originally supplied to the US, it spent some years in the UK where it received more than £20,000 worth of upgrade and conversion work, its air-cooled flat-four bored out to 1.8 litres along the way.

Moving to two wheels, it was a great month for Ducati fans, led by a 1992 Ducati 888 SP4. This bike was number 384 of only 500 built and sold for A$50,138. Late in the month, a 1983 Ducati 900 Mike Hailwood Replica reached a winning bid of A$45,000. The ‘MHR’ was initially produced in a limited run celebrating the legendary rider's win in the 1978 Isle of Man TT and this bike was reported to be in highly original condition, featuring an 864cc air-cooled L-twin and Conti exhausts.

These were joined by a more modern Ducati – a 2009 1098R Troy Bayliss with just 277 kilometres on the clock. This limited-edition World Superbike Championship homologation special, understood to be number 223 of just 500 built, sold for A$48,250.

We head into November with an exciting collection of cars lined up, including a 2023 Porsche 911 Carrera T with delivery mileage, a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT coupe, 2020 McLaren 720S Spider Performance, 1971 Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III XY, and even a 2017 Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II.

If you have a special car to sell, and want to find out how to achieve a great result at auction, contact the Collecting Cars consignment team today to speak to one of our market specialists.