Tag Archives: Silverstone Auctions

Mr Bean To Auction Two Modern Classic Cars

Merc.Rowan Atkinson, the comedy actor, has appeared in the likes of Blackadder and Mr Bean and has presumably earned quite a lot of money over the years. He is also keen on cars and has owned a number over the years some of which have been modern classic cars.

In fact, we have previously commented on a McLaren FI that he became rather well known for owning. Unfortunately, that particular car made the news some years ago because it had been involved in a road traffic accident and the insurance company paid out over £900,000 to repair it which, at the time, was believed to be a record payout for a car insurance claim. At a later date, he sold the car for several million pounds.

Well, he is shortly to put a couple of modern classic cars up for auction that he is the proud owner of. The cars are being offered for sale at Silverstone Auction’s Race Retro Classic Car Sale 2018 that takes place in February.

There is a 1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E that has a left hand drive and is powered by a V8 4,973 cc engine. This car was capable of rocketing to 60mph in a mere 5 seconds and could get to 100mph (when legally allowed to do so) in 14 seconds plus. It is interesting that one of the things that makes this car rather sought after is the fact that it is hand built. It only has around 50,000 miles on the clock so it quite low mileage for its age.

The other classic car that Rowan Atkinson is offering for sale at the above auction is a 1989 Lancia Thema 8.32. It also has a V8 engine and is also left Enginehand drive. This was also a nippy vehicle capable of getting to 60mph in just under 7 seconds as it accelerated to a maximum speed of 150mph. It is believed that in the 7 years Mr Atkinson has owned the vehicle he has spent around £20,000 on maintaining it.

So, if you are a modern classic car enthusiast and fancy buying a car from a well-known celebrity, why not get along to the above auction and start bidding. If you require quality, tailor-made, competitive classic car insurance then feel free to give us a call on 02380 268 351 to discuss your requirements where we will be happy to provide a quotation without any obligation.

Cars Once Owned By Royalty To Be Auctioned

BentleyIf you are a car enthusiast and would like to own a vehicle that was once in the possession of Royalty then you may wish to get along to the Silverstone Auctions NEC Classic Motor Show Sale 2016 that is taking place next month. This is because someone has decided to sell a number of cars that include motor vehicles previously owned by the likes of the Queen, HRH Princess Margaret, Princess Diana, the Qatari Royal Family plus other well-known people such as Sir Elton John and Samantha Cameron (David Cameron’s wife).

One of the vehicles is a Bentley Mulsanne in Barnato Green with a 6,750cc engine that was delivered to the Queen in 2012 and was used to transport her on a number of occasions including when she attended a cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street. When it was used by the Queen it had various security features fitted including armoured plating and glass but when it ceased to be used by the Queen it was returned to Bentley and these security features were removed. This luxury car is obviously in wonderful condition and has done less than 6,000 miles. It is expected to be sold for between £215,000 to £235,000.Queens Bentley

Another of the cars, is a 1980 Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith 11 that was once owned by HRH Princess Margaret. It was painted in Cardinal Red and had a black roof. The interior of the car was fitted out to HRH’s requirements such as the rear seats being higher than normal so that people could see her. One of the occasions that it was used for was to transport members of her family at her private funeral in 2002 following which it was sold. This classic vehicle is in excellent condition and has an estimated price of between £90,000 to £110,000.

Back in 1994, Diana, Princess of Wales took ownership of a new, automatic 2.3-litre Audi Cabriolet. It was painted in Gomera Pearl. She only drove around 4,000 miles in the vehicle before returning it to Audi. It still has a very low mileage for its age at just over 21,000 miles and is in delightful condition. It has an estimate of between £50,000 to £60,000 and perhaps this just shows the impact that someone from the Royal Family having driven the vehicle can have on its value.

Fiat 500LMoving away from cars owned by members of the Royal Family, you may wish to consider a white 1972 Fiat 500L that was once bought by David Cameron for his wife Samantha’s birthday. It only had a 499cc engine. Apparently, a taxi driver who returned the Cameron’s to their home in October 2005 noticed the Fiat 500 on their drive and then bought it from them for £1,000. It has been extensively refurbished and has done below 15,000 miles and has an estimate of between £18,000 to £22,000.

You can find more information about the above vehicles and many more on the website of Silverstone Auctions.

Ferrari Once Owned By Boxing Champ To Be Auctioned

Sir Henry CooperSir Henry Cooper, who died at the age of 76 back in 2011, is well known as the holder of various heavyweight-boxing titles at British, European and Commonwealth levels. However, he was particularly famous for knocking down the great Muhammad Ali in a fight. When he retired from boxing he made many TV appearances including advertising Brut aftershave.

What you may not have known is that he had an extremely good taste in cars. He was also good friends with the racing driver Graham Hill who actually drove him around Brands Hatch at 140mph.

Back in the 1980s, he was the proud owner of a red Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 built in 1973. This delightful car that has 60,000 miles on the clock is to be auctioned by Silverstone Auctions at the NEC Classic Motor Show Sale that takes place on the 14th and 15th November 2015.

There were only 524 of these classic cars manufactured between 1972 and 1976. It had a 4.4 litre V12 engine producing 320bhp and had a 5 speed manual gearbox. It was a four seater fitted with electric windows, leather upholstery and even had air conditioning that was quite innovative for that period.

Ferraris are not only known for their stylish appearance but also their speed and this model is no exception. It was capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 6.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 155mph.

Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2So, if you are interested in bidding for a Ferrari 365 GT4 2+2 that has the added history of once being owned by a famous championship winning heavyweight boxer, why not get along to the above auction. No reserve has been placed on this vehicle.

It is also worth noting that here at AIB Insurance we have insured many expensive, desirable classic cars. So, why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 to speak with a knowledgeable member of our team who will discuss your requirements and obtain a competitive quotation for your consideration.