The classic car & motorcycle world often debate just how much celebrity ownership adds to the provenance and value of a vehicle at auction, but the undeniable fact of the matter is that it does – quite significantly. Princess Diana’s 1980s black Ford Escort RS Turbo, sold by Iconic Auctioneers in 2022 makes the case eloquently with selling for £722,500 incl. premium!
So, it will be interesting to see how Clarkson’s Ford Escort RS Cosworth, Hollywood’s Ducatis, Stirling Moss’ Mercedes and Aga Khan’s Audi A6 V8 do at auction over the weekend of 23rd – 25th August.
1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth – Ex-Jeremy Clarkson’s. Estimated: £65,000 – £75,000.
This 1992 Ford Escort RS Cosworth is one of three ‘Pre-production Prototypes’ (non-CAT), evaluated by Jeremy Clarkson and featured in Top Gear Magazine and Clarkson’s Car Years. Never one to miss a marketing opportunity, Ford offered the car on loan to Jeremy Clarkson for a 12 month period for evaluation purposes and it featured in many reports at the time. It was subsequently offered as a competition prize in Top Gear Magazine which included free insurance for a 12-month period, something that will not have been cheap at the time for the renowned hot hatchback. In 2000, the Escort once again fell into Jeremy’s hands to be featured in his TV programme, Clarkson’s Car Years, where they were filmed driving over ‘Buttertubs Pass’ in North Yorkshire during which time Jeremy stated, ‘One of my all-time favourite roads meets one of my all-time favourite cars, the Cossie’.
This particular Ford Escort RS Cosworth is extremely well known within Blue Oval circles, not just because it was once Jeremy Clarkson’s daily steed, but more importantly because it is one of just three Prototype pre-production examples that, at the time, were rumoured to have cost in excess of £250,000 to produce, with a slightly different specification from standard production models that included ‘Catalytic Converter Delete’ for some unknown reason. Finished in Mallard Green with a Raven Hide interior, the Escort is in superb condition throughout retaining much originality and even the original Ford Motor Company registration, K38 FMC remains assigned. The underside still has its original factory sealant in place and clearly shows that no rectification work has taken place.
YouTube clips of the car: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kys4jXG7M3I https://topgear.fandom.com/wiki/K38_FMC
Clips are Copyright of Top Gear Vintage and Top Gear Fandom
1990 Mercedes-Benz 500SL (R129) – ex Sir Stirling Moss. Estimated: £35,000 – £40,000
Part of The Stuttgart Collection, this 1990 Mercedes-Benz 500SL (R129) is the jewel! Supplied new to Sir Stirling Moss it famously conveyed Vallteri Bottas and his wife from the Mercedes-AMG Petrona F1 HQ in 2021. Presented to auction with 63,724 miles on the odometer, at the time of cataloguing, H7 SMX comes complete with both a soft top, a hard top with stand and, of course, that priceless connection to one of the greatest racing drivers of all time.
Sir Stirling’s personal requirements are documented in the history file that also contains all the car’s old MOTs from the first in 1993 and a copy of his book Great Drives in the Lakes and Dales in which this car is featured. In 2014, the current private registration “H7 SMX” was applied to the car and is generously included in the sale.
From a firm lineage of beautiful Mercedes-Benz SLs, the R129 model was introduced in 1989 and continued the company’s tradition of fast and reliable ‘grand touring’ convertibles. Developed from the earlier 500 SL model, the new SL500 was powered by a 5.0-litre V8 engine that generated 302bhp. The new model also featured an expanding roll-over bar, a fully electric hood, electric seats, mirrors, anti-lock brakes and a multi-link rear axle.
Speaking of lineage, many motorsport historians still rate Sir Stirling Moss’ victory in the 1955 Mille Miglia aboard the mighty 300 SLR as the greatest racing feat yet achieved. Sir Stirling’s love for fast silver Mercedes lasted decades, and consequently he specified this fabulous R129 500 SL in Astral Silver and Royal Blue Leather was registered with his famous “7 SM” plate on the 23rd November 1990.
Video of the Stirling Moss Mercedes: Valtteri Bottas getting a great goodbye from the Mercedes F1 team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP35qrjXO9Q&ab_channel=SportsHighlights
2004 Audi A6 All-Road 4.2 V8 – ex-Aga Kahn. Estimated: £30,000 – £40,000
His Royal Highness Prince Aga Khan (Prince Shah Karim al-Husseini, Aga Khan IV) is renowned for his taste in bespoke Audis and his metallic blue Quattro Sport is an Audi Legend. This particular car started as the rare 4.2 V8 All-Road Quattro of which only a handful were produced in right-hand drive. Producing around 300bhp and fitted with height- adjustable air suspension, it is a deceptively fast car to drive. Taken from the production line and sent to Quattro GmbH who handle special build requests, it was painted in Prince Aga Khan Green, a rich verdant dark green reserved for all his cars and the Recaro interior was trimmed in Audi Exclusive Fine Nappa (Cricket Beige) hides with matching green piping. Exclusive carpets in green were covered with matching overmats bound in beige leather and an Alcantara headlining completed this extraordinary interior. Unsurprisingly it was fitted with just about every option including Bose stereo, memory seats, Navigation Plus, heated seats front and rear, solar sunroof (to power ventilation when parked), folding tow bar, TV, Quattro GmbH alloy wheels, side window blinds etc. A printout of the build sheet with the specification is supplied in the history file.
It is hard to believe that the car is some 20 years old having been kept at his Gilltown Stud in Ireland for use by his HRH when visiting. Having covered a mere 26,500 miles from new, it has been kept in exceptional condition and the service book contains a scarcely believable 17 main dealer stamps. The car will be serviced by Basingstoke Audi before the auction. This is a unique and extraordinary car that is both collectible and highly useable.
More about this car here: https://www.iconicauctioneers.com/2004-audi-a6-all-road-rec13837-1-silverston-0824
2017 Ducati 1299 Superleggera 1285cc capable of 190mph. Estimated: £40,000 – £45,000
TV chef Paul Hollywood is well known for his love of motorcycles and two of his Ducati Superleggera race bikes will be offered at this auction on the Sunday 25th.
Being sold directly from his Collection is this 2017 Ducati 1299 Superleggera 1,285cc, #085 of the 500 limited-edition Ducati 1299 Superleggeras. The carbon fibre framed 1299 Superleggera was unveiled in 2017, as an even lighter than its predecessor. All 500 units were sold out before production commenced. This example is presented to auction with a stamped service history from Glasgow Ducati with last service at 1,271 miles.
The second bike from the Paul Hollywood collection is a 2014 Ducati 1199 Superleggera 1,198cc #292 of the 500 limited edition. Ducati introduced the 200bhp Superleggera (super-light in Italian) in 2014, producing only 500 examples, all of which again sold out before production commenced. Presented to sale in good overall condition, showing 2,996 miles at its last MOT and used marginally since. Owned by Paul since 2014 is comes with a stamped service history from Winchester Ducati, with last service at 2,579 miles. Complete with its original book pack with owner’s manual, service book, some invoices, old MOTs and spare key. Y6 DUK number plate is also included.
These two motorcycles offer great low-mileage example of this collectable Ducati, with the added bonus of celebrity provenance.
2014 Ducati 1199 Superleggera 1,198cc capable of 186 mph. Estimated: £35,000 – £40,000
This wonderful selection of celebrity owned vehicles will form part of the 14th sale for Iconic Auctioneers (formerly Silverstone Auctions) at the Silverstone Festival. The event attracts some 70,000 visitors and is one of the biggest historic motorsport weekends of the year. More details about all 450 lots of competition cars, collectors’ cars, motorcycles and collectibles can be found on the Iconic Auctioneers website www.iconicauctioneers.com. In person viewing of all the lots is available between 9am and 5pm on Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th August at the auction venue, The Wing at Silverstone Circuit.
