February, being not quite an automobile month, will delight fans of retro-rallies and auctions with just four events, which will be equally divided between RM Sotheby’s and the Automobile Club of Italy
On the 5th of February, the Italian Regularity Rally Championship will open its 8th full season. In 1980 the motorists’ association of the Apennine Peninsula tried to launch something similar, but then it was limited to only one event — Citta di Lumezzane. And it was only in 2014 when the competition of the best pilots in regular races got a second life. ACI (Automobile Club d’Italia) held 12 events, 5 of which were still included in the retro-rally calendar of 2021.
Thus, the series of stages of the Italian Championship will be opened by Coppa Giulietta e Romeo, which will be held for the second time. 116 cars took part in last year’s rally, and the best in the general classification was the crew of the Volvo Club team — Antonio Margiotta / Vincenzo Bertieri onboard a 1947 Volvo PV444.
The second stage, Coppa Citta della Pace, is scheduled for the end of February, 26th and 27th. The competition will be held for the 28th time in history, and the winners of the 2019 Wintermarathon — Guido Barcella / Ombretto Ghidotti, who became the best a year ago in a 1963 Porsche 356 Coupe, are meant to defend the title here. Another thing is that whether the pandemic will introduce some adjustments to the competition schedule and the plans of the participants, so we will wait for the final crew lists closer to the dates of both Coppa Giulietta e Romeo and Coppa Citta della Pace.
In February, RM Sotheby’s will provide an opportunity for the fans of cars of different eras and brands to enjoy two series of auctions, which the organizers by now are planning to hold online. Obviously, they decided not to risk it, although just 2 weeks ago at an event on Amelia Island, participants were given full access to the lots in the traditional manner, albeit with some nuances dictated by the pandemic.
Be that as it may, the online auction will take place in any scenario and they are scheduled for February 13 (one-day auction in Paris) and for February 19-27 (the «Open Roads» Series). It is already known that the headliner of the first of the events will be a 1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV by Bertone, the estimated cost of which has reached €2,500,000. As for the lots announced for participation in the «Open Roads», the figures have not yet been established and their prices will be finalized during the auction.
In 2021 our project has decided to discover new names for ourselves and our readers, one way or another related to the topic of retro-cars. One of those in the coming season will be Bonhams, founded back in 1793 by Thomas Dodd and being the only auction house in the world that is privately owned. The auctions are held in 60 different categories, including vintage cars and memorabilia associated with them.
Right in February, an event named «Legends of the road» will take place at one of the company’s headquarters on New Bond Street in London. At the first Bonhams automobile auction in 2021, 40 lots were announced, most of which represent sets of spare parts or individual items of an automotive theme. Only 5 positions in the auction catalogue are reserved for retro cars. Their cost ranges from ?60,000 to ?7,000,000 pounds. Such a fabulous sum is offered for a 1937 Bugatti Type 57 Surbaisse 3.3-Liter Four-Seat Sports Grand Routier ‘Dulcie’. The TOP-3, according to preliminary estimates, also is complete with a 1960 Aston Martin DB4GT Coup? for ?1,500,000-1,800,000 and the 1965 Ferrari 275GTS convertible, the cost of which reaches 700-900 thousand units of British currency.