On May 22, another Bonhams auction was held in Bicester. 90 cars were put up for sale, 80% of which found new buyers. Total sales at the end of the auction reached ?1,812,480.
Quite unexpected results were shown by a 1960 Jaguar XK, having found a new buyer for 90 thousand pounds sterling. The car, representing the third and latest version of the XK, had a serious accident in 1996 — the driver lost control and crashed into a tree. Considering the date of the crash and being kept in dry storage, the car is still in a salvageable condition, and offers enormous potential as a rewarding project car. An opportunity not to be missed.
An equally impressive result was demonstrated by a 1935 Bentley 3 ? Liter Saloon Project Car. The first car produced after the purchase of Bentley Rolls-Royce in 1931 was sold for ?24,750. Given that the car needs major restoration, the buyer will have to decide whether to work on the Bentley or not.
Three Aston Martin cars built between 1966 and 1968 resonated with buyers and were sold for ?153,000 to ? 177,750.
But, perhaps, one of the most interesting exhibits along with the Jaguar XK 150 was a 1958 Austin A40 Farina. The car, which took part in the 1959 Monte Carlo Rally driven by Pat Moss and Ann Wisdom and became the best in the female standings and tenth in the general classification, was sold for 45 thousand pounds sterling. For Austins A40 it is a possible record.
At the same time, several cars produced from 1978 to 1992 were not sold. A beautifully restored 1978 Ford Escort Mexico could not find a buyer, despite the fact that after the restoration it ran only 5 miles. The 1992 Ford Fiesta 1.1 was doomed to the same outcome as the Ford Escort Mexico, despite a modest appraisal of ?3,000 to ?9,000.