Monthly Archiv: March, 2016

Pastel Blue XK120 to be Auctioned

Pastel Blue 1950 Jaguar XK 120 Alloy Roadster 670123

The XK120 roadster was Jaguar’s first XK-engined sports cars and the first versions are particularly coveted as they have all-aluminum bodies.

RMSotheby’s will be offering such a car at their Monaco sale on May 14th.

They describe it as:

“According to its Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust certificate, this particular alloy-bodied example was produced on 6 February 1950, finished in Pastel Blue with a “Duo-Blue” interior and a Fawn soft top. It was destined for California and imported through Charles Hornburg’s Los Angeles-based distributorship, dispatched from the factory on 22 February 1950. The car was purchased that same year by John Edgar, a noted racer living in Los Angeles at the time. It is believed that in June of 1950, the XK 120 was driven by Bill Pollack, who often drove cars entered by Edgar, in the Santa Ana Road Race, and it may have competed in other events around the same time in California.

Unfortunately, the car’s early history remains unknown, at least until it was purchased by the late Jaguar collector Walter Hill. Hill purchased the car from George Boyd in 1976 (along with a C-Type and D-Type) and proceeded to keep the car in his ownership for the next 33 years. Looking to make it one of the finest examples at the time, Hill had the car fully restored to its original specifications in the early 1990s. Following the completion, he showed the car at Jaguar Club of America concours events, and it was consistently rewarded with scores of over 99 points—even attaining a score of 99.98 in June of 2005. The car remained well preserved and maintained until his passing. The XK 120 was then purchased by the renowned enthusiast Arturo Keller, who kept the car until 2013, when it was acquired by the current German collector.

Despite the car’s older restoration, it still presents very well today in its original and eye-catching shade of Pastel Blue. Eligible for a variety of historic events and considered by many to be one of the finest Jaguars ever built, owning an XK 120 is a goal of many enthusiasts. Sitting firmly at the top of the pecking order, the early aluminium-bodied XK 120s are undoubtedly the most desirable iteration of the model and as such, an opportunity to purchase a well-restored and regularly maintained example should not be overlooked. “

Images by the talented Tom Gidden ©2016 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s.

Pink Healey from Amelia Island

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At the 2016 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegace Martin and Dottie Stickley displayed their 100 showcar complete with pink paint and interior.

They described the car as:

This car was selected by Donald Healey to introduce the new 100M model to the public at the Earl’s Court Motor Show in London in October of 1955.

To attract attention it was painted black with pink coves and pink interior.

This being the only Austin Healey to ever be completed by the factory in these colors.

It was raced by Donald Healey and Roy Jackson-Moore in Nassau, Bahamas in December of 1955 and by Jackson-Moore at Santa Barbara and Palm Springs, California in 1956.

As an old race car, it was lost for 20 years, when Alan Alfano purchased it, installed a correct 100m motor and proceeded to restore it.

It was not until 1985 that the British Motor Inudustry Heritage Trust informed him it was the Earl’s Court 100m show car.

He completed his restored in 1991. The current owner aquired the car in 2013.

Garden-Find XKE

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“instead of getting it fixed he (the owner) put the car into storage in a lock up until the 1980s, he then moved it to his garden where is remained under a tarpaulin until the present vendor rescued it in 2015”

Leaving collector cars out to rot usually never ends in a good story.

That is unless it’s an early 3.8 FHC Jaguar and the value has recently skyrocketed.

Coys and the owner of this E-Type stand to profit from this storage misadventure by offering chassis number 861107 at their 2016 Spring Classics event.

Coy’s says the car’s fourth owner Frank Riches “raced both the E-Type and his MGTF at Oulton Park, Brands Hatch and Blackbushe between 1967 and 1969. Frank would drive the E-type to the circuit with the MG behind and would then race both cars and drive home! “

They also describe the condition “This wonderful “Barn Find” car is in original condition, with matching numbers and has never been restored. It retains all the features it carried in 1969 and is possibly one of the most original examples remaining today. The interior could be restored given it has all the original switches, gauges and tooled aluminium panels along with the original steering wheel etc. The seats have a lovely patina and should be saved. Obviously the car needs a total restoration but it has all the ingredients to make a superb example – this is a true rarity!”

It will be offered at Monday 7th March at the Coys Spring Classic Sale.

*** Update: sold for £62,000***

*** Update: fully restored and offered by

Garden-find images:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVZXRGGit

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK316qmf7iw

To Auction: 1932 MG F-Type Magna

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This 1932 MG F-Type Magna will be offered by Rm Sotheby’s at their upcoming sale at Amelia Island on Saturday, March 12, 2016.

Is it one of the rare six-cylinder models and outfitted with a supercharger in front of the car.

The F-Type cylinder MGs were produced for two years with a production of 1250 cars.

RM says

The example offered here, chassis number F0700, was originally built with bodywork by Jarvis of Wimbledon and used as that coachbuilder’s company demonstrator, as featured in the April 1932 issue of The Light Car magazine. In the 1960s, it was beautifully rebuilt to the most desirable F2 specification, including installation of a period-correct aftermarket Arnott supercharger. Some three decades later, in the 18-year ownership of Tom Metcalf of Mansfield, Ohio, it was fully restored, reportedly using only U.K.-sourced authentic parts, a restoration which still presents very beautifully today, with little wear since. It was subsequently displayed at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

The gleaming Saratoga Red bodywork contrasts beautifully with excellent brightwork, painted wire wheels, and a folding windscreen, accompanied by dual Brooklands racing screens. The leather-trimmed cockpit is complete with dual bucket seats and a machine-turned dashboard, with instruments housed within octagonal bezels. Overall, the appearance is clean, well maintained, and still of excellent quality throughout; the car is an attractive little jewel.

Images by Greg Keysar ©2016 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s

Aston Martin DB11 Revealed

Aston Martin DB11_Embargo 010316 1400CET_12

This morning Aston Martin revealed the DB11 at the Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland.

1 March 2016, Geneva: A new chapter in Aston Martin’s history began at the 86th International Geneva Motor Show with the unveiling of the DB11. The first product launched under the company’s ‘Second Century’ plan, DB11 is the bold new figurehead of the illustrious ‘DB’ bloodline and an authentic, dynamic sporting GT in the finest Aston Martin tradition.

The DB11 showcases a fresh and distinctive design language, pioneering aerodynamics and is powered by a potent new in-house designed 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12 engine. Built upon a new lighter, stronger, and more space efficient bonded aluminium structure, DB11 is the most powerful, most efficient and most dynamically gifted DB model in Aston Martin’s history. As such, it is the most significant new Aston Martin since the introduction of the DB9 in 2003.

Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer, Dr Andy Palmer said: “We aspire to make the most beautiful cars in the world. DB11 is the absolute embodiment of what an Aston Martin should be and we have worked tirelessly to ensure that DB11 combines both exceptional design with the latest technology throughout. A brand new bonded aluminium platform, clever aerodynamics, a new characterful twin-turbo V12 and class-leading infotainment systems are just a few aspects which make this the sports car that will proudly spearhead Aston Martin’s second century plan.”

Heralding a new design era for Aston Martin, DB11 is the latest landmark in a remarkable aesthetic journey; one that gave us icons such as the DB2/4, DB5 and, most recently, the DB10 developed specifically for James Bond. DB11 re-imagines the relationship between form and function with a series of fresh design signatures. Foremost amongst these are the front-hinging clamshell bonnet, distinctive LED headlights and accentuated lines of the iconic Aston Martin grille. The profile is equally dramatic, thanks to the roof strakes that flow uninterrupted from A-pillar to C-pillar. The clean lines continue at the rear, with a sloping decklid that smoothly blends into boldly sculpted tail-lights to create a new and unmistakable graphic.

Innovative aerodynamics play their part in this aesthetic revolution with clever management of airflow both over and through the bodywork aiding stability while preserving the DB11’s uncluttered surfaces. Front-end lift is reduced by the gill-like Curlicue which releases high-pressure air from inside the wheel arch via a concealed vent within the redesigned side-strake. Meanwhile, rear-end lift is reduced by the Aston Martin AeroBladeTM; a virtual spoiler fed by discreet air intakes located at the base of each C-pillar. Air is ducted through the bodywork, before venting as a jet of air from the aperture in the rear decklid.

Like every Aston Martin, the heart of the DB11 is found beneath the bonnet, though unlike any Aston Martin before it, the DB11’s heart is a 5.2-litre twin-turbocharged V12. Designed in-house this new engine develops 608PS1 (600BHP1) and 700Nm1 of torque, making DB11 the most powerful production DB model ever. Naturally, it’s the most dynamic and most accelerative too, with a top speed of 200mph1 and a 0-62mph time of just 3.9sec1. Thanks to intelligent bank activation and stop-start technology that potency is matched by greatly improved efficiency.

To exploit the advantages of its new body structure and harness the immense performance of the new twin-turbo V12 engine, the DB11’s chassis, suspension, steering and electronics have been re-imagined and key new technologies embraced. Multiple driver-selectable dynamic modes – GT, Sport and Sport Plus – progressively intensify the response of the engine, 8-speed automatic ZF transmission together with the new electric power steering and Torque Vectoring by braking while increasing the firmness of the adaptive damping for a greater sense of agility. The result is a driving experience that combines exemplary ride comfort and true sports car agility, for an extraordinary breadth of dynamic capability.

As a true 21st century Aston Martin the DB11 combines the very latest technology developed in conjunction with technical partner, Daimler AG, with the finest quality and hand craftsmanship. Using a full-colour 12” TFT LCD display, the all-new instrument cluster presents primary vehicle information with absolute clarity, while a second, centrally-mounted 8” TFT screen is dedicated to infotainment. Controlled via an intuitive rotary control, with an optional touchpad offering character recognition, multi-touch and gesture support, the new satellite navigation and audio system have never been more effective, sounded better or been easier to operate. A newly implemented auto-park assist feature and 360-degree birds-eye view camera helps provide safe maneuvering at slow speeds and is also operated via the car’s infotainment system.

With wider door apertures, significantly increased occupant space – especially head and legroom in the rear – fully integrated rear ISOFIX mounting points for a pair of child seats plus a luggage compartment large enough to accommodate two large holdalls plus carry-on baggage, the DB11 is a genuine Grand Tourer. Thanks to an inspiring palette of colours and a vast array of detailing options, its interior can be perfectly in-tune with your unique personal style. From calming, carefully co-ordinated tones to sharp contrasts in hue and texture, your choices are virtually limitless. Nexus quilting and Celestial perforation add layers of beautiful complexity and intrigue, while ornate leatherwork, such as intricate brogue detailing, creates areas of visual and tactile delight.

Dr Andy Palmer said: ““This is not only the most important car that Aston Martin has launched in recent history, but also in its 103-year existence. The DB11 rightfully places Aston Martin once again as a leading brand in the luxury automotive market”.

Recommended Retail Price from £154,900 in the UK2, €204,900 in Germany2 and $211,995 in USA3, first deliveries of the DB11 car are scheduled to begin during the fourth quarter of 2016.