September Round-Up - Chasing Modern Hero Cars

There is no escaping the fact that for many, September was characterised by uncertainty, but one thing bidders seemed sure about was wanting to get their hands on a great mix of contemporary ‘hero cars’. While the term ‘modern classics’ tends to refer to cars from the ‘80s through to the early ‘00s, there are also many cars and bikes from much more recent years that can already lay claim to ‘collectible’ status.

One of the most popular segments of the market is BMW M cars of all eras, with die-hard enthusiasts always on the hunt for very good examples. Two that caught our eye in September included the 42,000-mile Z3 M Coupe in striking Dakar Yellow (one of just 41 such UK cars) that sold for £34,750, and the 1M Coupe with comprehensive main dealer history and just 17,555 miles from new, which sold for £48,000.

Rare AMG models are equally sought after, and few more so than the C63 AMG Black Series, with just 800 built. In September, an original UK car with low mileage, fresh from a recent main dealer service, flew over its reserve price and sold for £96,500. Audi’s RS model line was also well represented, not least by a superb RS2 Avant in the fantastic Nogaro Blue, which found a winning bid of £60,550. This was among the most expensive examples we have sold to date – and Collecting Cars still holds the world auction record of £77,000.

A trio of acclaimed Ferrari grand tourers showcased Collecting Cars’ global reach; starting with a 599 GTB Fiorano in Sweden equipped with dealer-fit HGTE Package (€102,000), followed by a well-presented UK 550 Maranello in Argento Nurburgring over Bordeaux leather (£70,499), and rounded out by very stylish and low-mileage 612 Scaglietti consigned by our North American team, which sold for CAD$99,500. We have sold nearly 20 examples of the 612 across three continents, and given the performance and refinement on offer, they represent great value within Ferrari’s back catalogue.

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Collector’s Edition consigned by our Australian team might have similar power to the Ferrari 612, but that’s about all they have in common. Capable of 0-60mph in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 190mph, this particular Corvette Z06 was packed with factory options and had just 2,225 km from new, and it sold for A$130,000. Another rare V8 was sold by our European team: an Aston Martin V8 Vantage S Forest Edition – one of just four examples built and with just 6,000 km from new – with a winning bid of €92,000.

Hot hatches are a popular choice for many enthusiasts, delivering an ideal blend of practicality and pace. Some superb examples were sold in September, including a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X in Sweden, still in delivery condition with just 62 kilometres from new (€28,250); a sought-after VW Golf GTI Clubsport S in the UK (£38,250); and a Toyota GR Yaris in Australia with well-judged modifications, which sold for A$48,000.

Last month also saw the platform host its third dedicated motorbike-only auction event. The Factory Collection was a remarkable assembly of rare road and track-focused bikes, centred around bespoke ‘specials’ and limited edition models.

Among the highlights was a Triumph Scrambler 1200 ‘Bond Edition’, built to celebrate the release of the latest Bond movie ‘No Time to Die’, and with just 37 miles from new. One of just 250 produced, it sold for £30,000. Another popular Triumph was the Rocket 3 TFC, also in as-new condition with 350 miles on the odometer (£25,000). Among other rare ‘specials’ was a Ducati 1098R Troy Bayliss; a limited-edition WorldSBK-homologation sports bike that had been part of the collection for eight years, which found a winning bid of £22,500.

Porsche’s ‘GT3’ moniker adorns some of the most memorable high-performance cars of the modern era, and the latest model is no different. Early in the month, our team in the Nordics sold a 992 GT3 Clubsport with an extensive specification for €217,000, while a 992 GT3 Touring in Germany sold two weeks later for €208,000. Elsewhere, our North American team consigned a well-used and well-maintained 997.2 GT3 RS – one of the most coveted GT3s of all – which sold for CAD$260,888.

Of course, there were plenty of other head-turning supercars from other manufacturers on offer; including a striking Ferrari 550 Barchetta in Bianco Avus over Verde and Nero leather, and with less than 4,000 km from new – and the ensuing bidding war meant it sold for £335,500. In the Netherlands, we offered an exceptionally rare Audi R8 V10 LMX, notable not only for being chassis ‘001’ but also having just 234 km on the odometer; and the winning bid was €175,000. The highest-value consignment of the month was the McLaren Senna in stunning Mira Orange and with an extensive MSO specification, selling for £705,000.

There are many classics that never really go out of fashion, which find fans through the generations; and the VW ‘Type 2’ is undoubtedly one of them. In September, we sold two great examples, including a T1 Splitscreen in Australia that had been upgraded to 23-window specification (A$65,000), and an outstanding custom-built T1 Splitscreen Camper in Finland, complete with matching caravan, which sold for €70,000.

Other classic icons that found new homes last month included a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL in Sweden benefiting from an older refurbishment (€85,000), a beautifully restored 1961 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 ‘Flat Floor’ FHC (£124,500), and a wonderful 1973 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS in the superb colour combination of Blu Sera over Tan leather (£286,500).

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.