The Big Story

Buying competition cars ready for next year

Go-faster classic fans are shopping around earlier than usual for cars to race at next year’s historic events, one of Britain’s biggest auctioneers has said.

Silverstone Auctions said that it has revisited its November sale – normally held as part of the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, but now being conducted online – to incorporate more competition cars after it identified a renewed appetite from buyers.

Sales manager Harry Whale said: ‘Traditionally, at Race Retro and the Silverstone Classic we’ve had competition cars but, because of COVID-19, what we found when talking to the market is that a lot of people had written off 2020 as a season and decided to start again in 2021. As a result, people are in the market earlier than they would be for the 2021 season, hence why we’ve put some competition cars in the NEC sale.’

Race-ready lots in the 13-14 November sale include a trio of E30-generation BMW M3s, being sold as a single lot with a £300365k estimate, with a track day to test all three out being included as part of the deal. Other competition entries in the auction include a 1999 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup racer, three Renault 5 Turbo rally cars, an ex-works 1986 MG Metro 6R4, and a 1980 Ford Capri that comes with an invite to race at 2021’s Goodwood Members’ Meeting.

The sale is being online-only, and while it has been allowing viewings by appointment, these will cease as of today (4 November) in order to comply with the latest lockdown rules being brought in this week.

CCW’s markets editor Richard Barnett said that interest in historic competition cars had not waned during the pandemic, with Bonhams’ results at its latest Speedweek sale including a Lotus Elan 26R that eventually sold for a within-estimate £40,250 and a 1960 Emryson F1 car, which made £161k.

He said: ‘Interest in historic motor sport has definitely not gone away this year - witness the interest in Goodwood SpeedWeek - and competitors, and would-be competitors, will now be planning for next year.

‘Buying a car now and getting it prepared would make sense to me, so Silverstone’s inclusion of competition cars makes sense.’