This weekend’s all about the classics
AMELIA ISLAND AUCTION: Sale is filled with dreamy vintage cars, but here’s our list of the top five to bid on
In 2016, more than $38 million worth of automobiles met new buyers at the Amelia Island auction.
Each year, the high-dollar auction features some of the most desirable classic cars in the world. Here are some of our top picks from this year’s sale, taking place Friday and Saturday and the amount they are expected to fetch. Which one would you take home?
1961 Ferrari 250 SWB US$9.5 million
We’re starting this list with the best car here. How can anything top a red-on-tan Ferrari 250 SWB? It got its name from the 250-cc capacity of each cylinder and the short wheelbase the car carried compared to other, less sporting Ferraris. The SWB would eventually morph into the famous 250 GTO, but the SWB was an altogether more gentlemanly affair. Its restrained yet purposeful design has aged like fine wine and the 3.0-litre V-12 sings a song that’s worth every penny of the auction estimate to hear.
1954 Mercedes 300SL US$1.3 million
A Mercedes-Benz 300 SL couldn’t look bad in any colour, but it’s particularly striking in dark blue. Arguably the world’s first supercar, it was the first production car that had fuel injection and it was an absolute sensation when it launched in 1954. This particular car was ordered from the factory with “white grey” paint, plaid seats and Rudge knock-off wheels. Of all those interesting options, only the super-cool wheels remain.
1965 Aston Martin DB5 US$1 million
How can you not love an old Aston Martin? These early in-line six variants have so much raw appeal to classic car lovers. This particular DB5 was not a Vantage-spec model when new, but had its engine rebuilt to 4.2-L specifications and makes an even 300 horsepower. Still wearing its factory blue-on-tan colour combination, this DB5 is a GT car in the truest sense of the word. We hope the new owner lets this car run freely.
1937 Bugatti Type 57S Cabriolet US$9.25 million
Have you ever realized the US$700,000 Bugatti EB110 is the least valuable Bugatti available? That’s because an early “pur sang” Bugatti, like this Type 57S, is pure artwork. This glorious Art Deco masterpiece is powered by a 3.3-L straight eight making 170 horsepower. What really puts this prewar car over the top is the level of originality; the seats are lovingly cracked and worn from decades of use and the paint is littered with small chips that invite the new owner to go out on gravel roads and incite more tiny holes.
1970 Nissan Fairlady Z 432 US$175,000
This is Nissan’s most desirable Z of them all. The 432 badge denotes four valves per cylinder, three carburetors and two overhead cams. The S20 2.0-L in-line six was borrowed directly from the famous Skyline GT-R, making 160 horsepower while shrieking to nearly 8,000 rpm. The 432 was only sold in the Japanese market, and every single one was right-hand drive. Just 420 of these rare twin-cam screamers were built, so they’re all very sought after. Later Zs would easily surpass the 432 for power, but none could ever match the allure.