1949 Talbot Lago. Photo webbs.co.nz
STATE OF THE MARKET WORDS BARRY BIRCHALL
Barry Birchall ventured along to a December classic car auction in Auckland to assess how the value of our vehicles is holding up in these uncertain economic times. Peter Webb first teamed up with one of the popular names in auction houses, Sotheby’s, and held a car auction on Princes Wharf in Auckland in 1990. Much later Webb’s started selling veteran motorbikes in Auckland and I was a little concerned about the numbers that might have been going overseas after each auction. Today they tend to seek out cars for sale from the top end of the market, and we see a lot of Bentleys, Ferraris, Jaguars, Maseratis, Mercedes, Mustangs, Porsches, and Rolls-Royces sold. The cars come to Auckland from all over New Zealand. Interestingly it is not always the European cars that command the highest price. A 1970 Ford Falcon GT HO Phase Three was sold in March 2021 for $414,000. A similar car had sold in Australia for $1.3 million; both were factory race cars. These Australian muscle cars were often produced in small numbers and established a name at Bathurst; they seem to strike a chord with the current generation of baby boomers. We do not see too many vintage cars or large left-hand VEHICLE DETAILS
drive American cars from the ‘60s and ‘70s, so popular now in Auckland. A year ago, a small 1954 Ford Thames cross cutter truck, which was a well-known club vehicle in Auckland, sold at auction and we were all surprised when it went for over $100,000. As we often see at these auctions, if the vehicle is in great condition and two people want the vehicle then the price can rapidly escalate. Often the cars offered are in great condition and normally we see a real mix of vehicles. The auction in December 2021 was no different. With Webb’s first losing the venue at Greenlane that year, then Auckland going into an extended lockdown, one auction was cancelled which must have upset a few people who had shipped cars north. The auction of 76 lots finally took place on 12 December in the main hall at the Auckland show ground. Numbers were restricted in the room to one hundred people. Some were looking at the auction on a screen next door and there were a lot of telephone
PRICE*
VEHICLE DETAILS
1968 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
$86,250
2002 BMW 530iSE
1987 BMW 535i
$34,500
1980 Toyoto Landcruiser FJ40
1978 Triumph 2500S
$9,808
PRICE Not sold $97,750
VEHICLE DETAILS
PRICE
2008 Porsche 997 GT2
Not sold
2007 Mercedes-Benz CLK350
Not sold
2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK55AMG
Not sold
1961 Peugeot 403
$10,925
1963 Jaguar MK2 3.8
$58,075
1987 Ferrari Testarossa
$195,500
1979 Holden Monaro
Not sold
1996 Bentley Brooklands
$29,424
2008 Ferrari 599
$212,750
1983 Range Rover
Not sold
1971 Land Rover Series 11A
$79,350
1960 Porsche 356B
$152,375
1996 Mercedes-Benz SL600 V12
1968 Chevrolet RS Camaro
$138,000
1991 Aston Martin Lagonda
Not sold
withdrawn
1949 Talbot Lago T26
Not sold
1973 Fiat 130 coupe
$48,300
1962 Douglas Vespa 150
$12,075
1993 Jaguar XJS
$43,700
1965 Chevrolet Impala
$49,450
1938 Indian Chief M/C
$57,500
2003 Audi RS6 Quattro V/8
$10,925
$115,000
1954 BMW R25/3 M/C
$16,675
1929 Auburn Phaeton 8-90
$63,752
1997 Ferrari 456 GTA
Not sold
2016 Ford Mustang Shelby GT-H 1954 Triumph TR2
$77,625
1980 Honda CB400AT M/C
2011 Aston Martin Virage
Not sold
1955 BMW R50 with side car
1989 Porsche 944
Not sold
1991 Lancia Delta
$80,500
1980 Mercedes-Benz 380 SLC
$4,511 Not sold
2008 BMW M3 HP coupe
1996 Maserati Ghibli
$60,375
1996 Jaguar Sovereign
Not sold
1970 Mercedes-Benz 280SL
Not sold
1998 Ford Sierra Sapphire Cosworth
$53,944
Not sold
1982 Rolls -Royce Camargue
Not sold
1992 Mercedes-Benz 500 SL conv
$13,800
2001 Porsche 911
$34,500
1959 MGA 1600
$54,625
1986 Range Rover
Not sold
2001 Bentley Arnage Red Label
Not sold
2007 Aston Martin DB9 V12
$79,936
1974 Bedford van
$10,788
Not sold
1971 Honda LN 360
$23,000
1938 Ford 10
2002 Ferrari 550 Barchetta
$430,500
2003 Mercedes-Benz CLK55 AMG
1969 Shelby Mustang GT 350
$149,500
1955 Ford Zephyr Mark 1 convertible
$34,328
1974 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000
Not sold
1972 Ford Fairmount GT XY
Not sold
*Prices quoted do not include GST, but do include the buyer’s premium. The table summarises the vehicles in the auction and what they sold for.
10 Beaded Wheels
$57,000
$6,900
