A remarkable automobile show organized by an auction house Barrett-Jackson took place under the hot Florida sun in Palm Beach at the Atlantic coast of the USA on April 1. The event ended with a long-awaited auction of exceptional old cars.
Organizers of the important sale put their on hopes on several top-lots: Bentley Mark VI Coachworks by Franay, 1947, two Bentley cars dating as early as 1930s, and the «grandfather» of the world automobile industry Italian La Bestioni Firetruck Hot Rod, 1919. The four rare and unique cars came from the collection of Gary Wale.
All those automobiles were successfully sold at the auction, while the «youngest» of them the after-war Bentley Mark IV, 1947 became the most expensive lot. An anonymous private collector paid stunning $1,728,000 for it.
The production of Bentley Mark IV turned out to be the defining moment in the history of Bentley. By 1947, manufacturing of Bentley cars completely moved to the Rolls-Royce factory. The first automobile created there was Mark IV. Constructors took Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith as a prototype for the new Bentley vehicle.
16-cylinder Bentley Royaley Custom, 1939, which is considered to be the sport version of Rolls-Royce fetched impressive $399,600.The two-seated bright-red racing car La Bestioni brought $167,000. During racing competitions of 1920s, the automobile used to beat his main rivals Mercedes Blitzin Benz (6 cylinders, top speed 125 miles per hour) and Fiat (4 cylinders, record speed 145 miles per hour). La Bestioni (6 cylinders) is equipped with a power steering gear; brakes of the car are also located at the wheel.
The dark-blue Bentley Aero Coupe Hot Rod, 1930, (250-horse power) providing maximum driving comfort for its time was purchased for $378,000.
Among other lots that did well at the auction was Ford GT, 2005 with a serial number 00003. The important car changed hands for $572,000. It is painted in an unusual silver colour. Similar-coloured Ford cars were manufactured only in 2005.
An almost mint condition Cadillac CTS which had belonged to Paul McCartney and his wife was sold for $110,000. Thus, Barrett-Jackson continued its tradition to put up for sale automobiles of pop and rock-music celebrities. The auctioneers have already auctioned Shelby GT 500, 1967, once owned by Sammy Hagar, Lincoln Zephyr,1939, of Alice Cooper, and a limousine Lincoln Mark V, 1965, of the «King of the rock-n-roll» Elvis Presley.
During the three-day Florida sales, the auctioneers sold 583 cars for a total of $35,000,000. 1230 bidders from America and 14 countries of the world took part in the important auction. The last year the sales earned «only» $22,000,000.
For comparison here is data concerning the most successful sales of the last year Barrett-Jackson’s auction in Palm Beach: Buick Roadmaster, 1953 – $1,620,000; Shelby GT500E Convertible 1968 – $550,800; Cadillac LMP Racecar, 2002 – $270,000; Chevrolet Corvette 427/435 Convertible, 1967 – $259,200; Buick Skylark Convertible, 1954 – $189,000.
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