October Round-Up: £23 Million In A Month

October 2022 saw Collecting Cars hit an incredible record monthly total of £23 million in global sales across cars, bikes, automobilia and number plates. This was thanks in no small part to The MWVMNW Collection – a fantastic assembly of landmark performance cars - with 19 lots selling for a total of £5.4 million in one evening.

The MWVMNW Collection

A stunning assembly of sought-after supercars and sports cars from one private owner, and the ninth collection sale on Collecting Cars, The MWVMNW Collection featured numerous modern-era performance icons.

Among the 19 cars sold was a 2017 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Volante which found a winning bid of £329,000, a 288-mile 2020 Lamborghini Aventador LP770-4 SVJ Roadster at £402,000, and a very rare E30-generation BMW M3 Convertible, which had covered just 1,145 kilometres from new, that sold for £143,000.

The highlight of the impressive results was undoubtedly the sale of the owner’s 2004 Ferrari Enzo. One of only around 40 examples finished in black and with only three owners from new, its auction sparked a fierce bidding war, resulting in a final hammer price of £3,276,005 – a new European record price for a car sold by an online-only auction platform – with the buyer paying an equivalent premium of just 0.15%.

Mercedes-Benz SL: nearly 70 and still turning heads

An undeniably popular model series, the Mercedes-Benz SL has enthralled motorists the world over since its introduction in 1954, with the nameplate still gracing the marque’s refined roadsters seven generations and nearly 70 years later.

As a testament to the SL’s wide audience, no fewer than 19 examples were sold on Collecting Cars in October throughout the UK, Europe, and Hong Kong, the earliest of which was a gorgeous 1960 190 SL in Sweden, which secured a hammer price of €73,500 after 52 bids, while a 1967 230 SL ‘Pagoda’ in Australia sold for an impressive A$157,500.

Jumping forward a couple of decades to an era when crisp, chiselled lines and creature comforts were of the utmost importance for high-flying executives and gentleman drivers; the SL was still at the top of its game, with few open-top cruisers rivalling the range-topping R107-generation 500SL.

Finished in the ever-popular and appropriately eye-catching hue of Signal Red, this well cared-for 1988 Mercedes-Benz 500SL sold for £23,320, while a particularly smart 1989 300SL secured a winning bid of £24,000.

More contemporary versions of the SL have blended advanced technology with thrilling performance. Equipped with the desirable Performance Pack and producing a riotous 510bhp, a 2007 R230-generation SL55 AMG with comprehensive main dealer history found a winning bid of £30,000, while another example sold for £32,000.

Stranger things

With Halloween looming at the end of the month, no October round-up would be complete without tales of the weird and wonderful. Our curated consignments process ensures there are no monsters, but last month certainly saw some unusual cars and bikes finding their way onto the platform.

A 1979 Honda Z50J Gorilla with subtle upgrades was offered at No Reserve, shortly followed by a wet and wild Sea-Doo GTR jetski (£11,255).

Custom creations also caught the eye of bidders looking for something different, including a 1930 Ford Model A ‘Rat Rod’ powered by a 283ci Chevrolet V8 (£36,250), a hot-rod 1965 Volkswagen T1 Splitscreen powered by a 3.0-litre Porsche engine (£35,001), and a ballistic 2022 MK Indy RR, which channels the fury of a 220bhp 1,340cc Hayabusa engine (£23,000).

Finally, one last costumed reveller arrived in the form of a 1972 Reliant Regal Supervan III, which was customised as a faithful tribute to the ‘Trotters Independent Trading’ vehicle which appeared in the iconic sitcom ‘Only Fools and Horses’. After attracting plenty of attention on our Instagram page, it secured a winning bid of £7,200.

As always, our expert Consignment Teams around the world are ready and waiting to help motivated sellers to get a great price at auction – so if you have a special car or bike to sell, then contact us to take the first step.