Just saying the word ‘Nürburgring’ evokes tales of derring-do and the romance of the road. Coys’ forthcoming Oldtimer Grand Prix sale, held at the famous ‘Ring’, has many entries likely to appeal to sporting collectors.
The catalogue commences, though, with a seemingly innocent entry, the 1975 Fiat Bianchina Giardiniera, yet one that tugs at the heart strings of your Editor. Yes, this is an example of my very first car and, at 5,500 - 7,500 euros, it’s tempting. It’s followed a couple of lots later by a retro-look 1962 Fiat Multipla Abarth – how I wish I'd had that as transport to and from school in the 1970s…
Back to more serious matters. The sale is headlined by an incredibly rare 1963 ATS GTS, the ‘grand prix car for the road’ created by ex-Ferrari engineers Carlo Chiti and Giotto Bizzarrini for Count Volpi’s Automobili Turismo e Sport company. These cars are satisfying to drive (I’ve tried one) and would make a fine entry at one of the top-level tours, as well as always being a possibility for Pebble Beach. 'Refer Dept.' for price, please.
1963 ATS GTS: 'Refer Dept.'
The ATS is joined at the top table by a ‘double-bubble’, open-headlamp 1962 Lancia Flaminia Sport 2.5-litre 3C Zagato (115,000 - 130,000 euros), a superb 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (490,000 - 550,000 euros) and a 1938 Jaguar SS100 referred to as the ‘The Kuala Lumpur’ car. The all-red roadster was exported to the capital of Malaysia in the early 60s and is well known by this name in Jaguar circles. Estimate: 270,000 - 290,000 euros.
With a sale in the heartland of German motor racing, you’d expect entries from Porsche, Mercedes and BMW.
1973 Maserati Bora: 65,000 - 75,000 euros
Picking one car from each of the famous marques I would select the 1964 Porsche 356 SC Super 90 Coupé (75,000 - 85,000 euros, a nice example in pale yellow), the 1959 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL Roadster (an amazing two-owner car with just 11,000km from new, at 90,000 - 130,000 euros) and the 1973 BMW 3.0 CSL. Finished in Fjord Blue, the Bavarian coupé comes with Scheel seats, alloy bonnet, boot and doors, and the all-important ‘Batmobile’ rear wing – all for 40,000 - 50,000 euros.
Don’t forget the Italian cars, though. In addition to the ATS and the Lancia, there’s a blue 1986 Ferrari Testarossa (one owner from new, 45,000 - 55,000 euros), a yellow 1985 Lamborghini Jalpa (40,000 - 50,000 euros) and another yellow exotic, the 65,000 - 75,000 euros, 1973 Maserati Bora.
Who says all Italian cars should be red? An orange Laverda motorcycle is another matter, though, and just one of the many bikes in the sale is the café racer 1986 Laverda SFC1000 Corsa, an awful lot of brrm! brrm! for 10,000 - 14,000 euros.
2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta, delivery mileage and unregistered: 125,000 - 140,000 euros