For sale! Is a monthly feature on Automotive Views focusing on cars available for purchase in Europe. None of the ads selected are featured in this blog due to any kind of sponsorship by the sellers.
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1966 Shelby GT350
So we start the New Year with one of the all time American greats, the Shelby GT350. Following the old recipe of more power and less junk in the trunk, Shelby made sure the 289 4.7L Mustangs were healthy completion for anything the Europeans could come up with in this class. Currently in classic Wimbledon white and Guardsman blue Le Mans stripes, this particular GT350 is not one of the extremely coveted R cars, but it doesn’t means it’s a cheap old thing either. It has had an interesting history which I urge you to read on Sotheby’s auction page, but the most captivating thing about this spectacularly cool 350 is that it was drivem by Sir Stirling Moss, one of the most accomplished and well know drivers that ever lived. Full of racing history (including Classic Le Mans), you can continue to drive the hell out of it in the circuits or register it for road use. Either way, you’ll have a hell of a time with it; classic Shelby rides dislike being garage queens.
Price: Auction, estimated € 164.926 to 183.251 (180.000 to 200.000 USD)
For Sale in France
Seller: Stotheby’s
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1968 OSI 20M TS 2.3 Coupe
One of the most often forgotten European cars of the 1960’s is the big and very good looking Ford powered OSI 20M Coupe. What’s the deal with this thing, you ask? Well, back in the 60’s there was something called the Officine Stampaggi Industriali (OSI), a firm headed by former Ghia front man Luigi Segre. OSI would work with different manufacturers but it would also come up with its own models, the case with the 20M TS Coupe, their best known product. Designed by Sergio Sartorelli, the man who gave us the drop dead gorgeous Fiat 2300S Coupe and the hugely popular 126 and Ritmo, the 20 M Coupe features all the smooth and sexy Italian lines you’d expect in a ride of this period. Equipped with the V6 Ford engine of a 20M Ford Taunus, the OSI Coupe isn’t exactly what you’d call sporty but it is a pure joy to look at. These cars are usually inexpensive because people keep forgetting they even exist. Can’t imagine that out of the couple thousands made, many are still around. You can track down a few examples needing a bit of work around the 15 grand mark. Compared to those, the one being offered for sale is extremely expensive at 55.000 Euros. However, there are a few things to have in mind attached to that price tag. The seller points out the Automotoclub Storico Italiano gold plate which certifies that the car is exactly as it left the factory and that its history is known and documented from that point until right now; it’s also mentioned that the car features some rare Jaeger instruments for this particular model and of course, a restoration has been performed. The good news is that if you do happen to wanna spend the 55 grand, value has nowhere to go but up and you’ll have the plus of originality and obscurity, something that always ends up paying in the long run.
Price: € 55.000 (60.027 USD)
For Sale in Italy
Seller: Private Seller
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1997 Ferrari F50
Another high point of the Sotheby’s Paris sale will surely be this 1997 F50. Ferrari’s birthday gift to itself, the F50 is one of the most controversial cars of the manufacturer, inspiring love and hate in equally massive doses. Pretty much just a couple of seats bolted to 4.7L V12 (that may seem like an exaggeration but apparently it’s just what it feels like, the vibrations are said to become a point of serious discomfort for the driver), the 520 hp F50 will do 0 to 60 in just over 3.5 seconds, not too bad for something conceived 20 years ago. So in case you have a million and a half bucks lying around, consider it as your next daily (Ha-ha…).
Price: Auction, estimated € 1.191.131 to 1.374.382 (1.300.000 to 1.500.000 USD)
For Sale in France
Seller: Stotheby’s
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1991 Lamborghini Diablo
The definitive supercar of the early 90’s, the Diablo is always prominently featured on the “cars most likely to kill you” lists; a tremendously powerful V12 dating back to the Miura (with tinkering, of course) coupled with rear wheel drive and inexperienced drives itching to impress their little friends got it right up there with the Viper and original 911 Turbo.
The Diablo is a benchmark of design and if you’re going to think about getting one, you’ll want it to be in the right color too. That’s exactly why AV is featuring this particular Diablo finished in stunning “Viola”, a color made especially for Lamborghini’s 30th anniversary and which became immensely popular due to the fact that massive scale manufacturers like Bburago and Maisto made thousands and thousands of little Viola Diablos. I know I have one…and like many other kids back then, I grew up wishing I could have a real Diablo and any other color simply wouldn’t do. If we share a childhood dream, then for the love of our 8 year old selves pick this one up!
Price: € 157. 571 (171.973 USD)
For Sale in the U.K.
Seller: Furlonger Specialist Cars
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1993 Mercedes Benz 500E
One of the bargains of the century, the 500E combines the refinement and reliability of Mercedes’ good ol’ years with extremely respectable performance. After suffering a few growing pains, the W124 turned into one of Mercedes most recognized and celebrated models, a good looking and hard working machine which when messed with by Porsche turned into one of the best sleepers ever made. Find out more about it in a previous AV post here.
Price: € 16.900 (18.445 USD)
For Sale in Austria
Seller: Auto Phuringer
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2002 BMW Z8
Arguably one of the prettiest, sexiest cars of the 20th century, the Z8 was the result of BMW’s effort in reimagining the glorious 507. It’s no wonder the Z8 is stunning to look at, after all it was designed by Henrik Fisker, the same gentleman that gave us the DB9 and V8 Vantage, turning Aston Martin around and putting it on track to the success it enjoys today. Despite being devastatingly beautiful and featuring the same glorious engine as the borderline perfect E39 M5 (oh, and being a Bond car in “The World is Not Enough”), the Z8 was met with mix feelings performance wise with some saying it couldn’t find a comfortable place between being a Grand Tourer or going for a more sporting focus. Personally, I don’t think I’d care in the slightest if the Z8 had a 1.0 ecotec and did 40 mph, I’d still love it to death and be happy such beauty could exist in the world.
Price: Auction, estimated € 180.000 to 220.000 (196.452 to 240.108 USD)
For Sale in France
Seller: Bonhams
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1972 Renault Alpine A110 1600S
In AV’s humble opinion, the A110 is the 3rd greatest looking car France has ever produced (right after the Citroens DS and SM, both created with a bit of input from Italy as well…). A triumph of one of the most prolific cars designers of all time, Giovanni Michelotti, the A110 doesn’t seem particularly impressive on paper with its 4 cylinder Renault engine pumping out under 140hp but don’t let it fool you. Weighing little over 600 kilograms, the Alpine was a proper racing car, snagging 6 different WRC victories in 1973.
Price: Auction, estimated € 90.00 to 130.000 (98.226 to 141.882 USD)
For Sale in France
Seller: Bonhams
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2010 Maserati GranTurismo S
The GranTurismo was a misunderstood car from the start and for the life of me I can’t understand why. It says exactly what it is right there in the name, what’s difficult to get about it? Still a lot of people seem to be expecting a supercar and that this is not. But it doesn’t mean the car is slow…granted, at 400hp in 2007 the GranTurismo was underpowered even for its intend job as a grand tourer but thankfully, from 2008 on Maserati introduced the S, bringing a modest but effective upgrade in power. This still wasn’t enough to convince everyone and the company has since continuously upgraded the platform with the MC, MC Sport and MC Stradale, all fantastic cars. So why are we focusing on the S today? Well, once more it comes back to looks. Maserati got it right the first time, I mean they knocked it out of the park like pros! The GranTurismo is gut wrenchingly stunning. With the introduction of the new variations, the aero package changed and the cars lost a lot of their initial personality. It’s actually amazing how deeply the GranTurismo’s looks were transformed with just a few modifications to the front and back (mainly), so we’re going with the original is always best policy, just packing a little bit more grunt.
These are not what you’d call cheap yet and they certainly won’t be the most reliable car you’ll ever own, not by a long shot, but they are endlessly good looking and charismatic. If you get one, even with its…idiosyncrasies…you’ll love it to death.
Price: Auction, estimated € 72.160 (78.756 USD)
For Sale in the U.K.
Seller: Romans International
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