The Zoute Grand Prix 2024 sale proved to be just the tonic for Bonhams after a very difficult year. Held in Belgium on October 6, it was the 12th time the auction house had taken part in the Zoute Grand Prix festivities. It saw 68 cars up for grabs, 64 of which sold. Adding in the automobilia lots, it amounted to 95 percent sell-through rate and a total sale figure of €21.3m.
The leading lot from the Zoute Grand Prix sale was the above 2010 Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Stirling Moss. The final example built, the 75th of 75, it was optioned with special-order red paint and gold-painted brake calipers, as well as a red leather interior with yellow stitching and widened seats. It had covered just 50km, and been given a thorough going over by British specialist Stratton Motor Company. Against a pre-sale estimate of €1.5m-€2.5m, it made €3.22m.
There were several SLR variants in the same sale. A 2007 722 Edition made €747,500 against a €480k-€650k estimate, and 2008 Crown Edition made €483k against a €200k-€300k estimate. A 2008 SLR Roadster also sold for €368k against a €300k-€400k estimate.
The Three-Pointed Star also glittered for this 2007 CLK DTM AMG. One of just 80 examples built, it came from single ownership and had covered a mere 152km. It had been refreshed by Stratton, but was offered without a registration document. That didn’t seem to stop its appeal, however – offered at no reserve, it was estimated at between €150k and €250k. It ended up more than doubling that at €540,500.
Other notable Mercedes-Benzes (and adjacent) to sell included one of eight 2010 Maybach 57 S Xenatec Cruisero Coupés (no figure released), a 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280 SE 3.5 Coupé, which sold for €143,750 against a €80k-€120k estimate and a 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT R PRO, which sold for €201,250 against a €180k-€250k estimate.
It was second time lucky for this 2011 Aston Martin One-77 after recording a no-sale earlier this year. The first One-77 built, it features unique rose-gold interior switches (a £40k option when new), Kestrel Tan leather with red stitching, Bronze Pearl paint, reverse camera and gold brake calipers. It had covered just 550km and been refurbished by Stratton; against a pre-sale estimate of €800k-€1.2m, it sold for €1,437,500.
Further modern Aston results of note included a 2009 Aston Martin DBS built for the Bond film Quantum of Solace, one of five ‘hero’ cars believed to still exist. Against an estimate of €180k-€240k, it sold for €149,500.
This 1963 Aston Martin DB4 Series V Vantage, one of 17 left-hand-drive cars built to Vantage specification, came to the Zoute Grand Prix sale via 25 years of single ownership. Originally sold to the US, it called California and Chicago home before coming to the Netherlands in 1994 and passing to the Belgian vendor in 1998. Offered following a three-year restoration, it was estimated at between €500k and €700k, and sold for €569,250.
It wasn’t all good news on the old Aston front – a 1959 DB4 4.7-litre Works prototype failed to sell against a €1.3m-€1.6m estimate; however, one of 46 export market Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk1 Drophead Coupés sold for €322k against a €300k-€350k estimate.
Five Lamborghinis were offered at the Zoute Grand Prix sale, with this 1989 Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary pulling in the biggest result. Offered at no reserve from single ownership from new, this 4500km example sold for €529k against a €300k-€500k estimate.
Elsewhere, a 1966 Lamborghini 400 GT Interim sold for €431,250 against a €400k-€500k estimate, a 1968 Lamborghini Islero 400 GT sold for €172,500 against a €180k-€240k estimate and a one-owner 1992 Lamborghini Diablo sold for €264,500 against a €180k-€250k estimate.
It wasn’t all great news at the Zoute Grand Prix sale, with one notable below-estimate result being the above 1956 Porsche 550 RS Spyder. Delivered new to Équipe Nationale Belge, it’s one of just ten of the 90 examples built to have raced at Le Mans, in 1957. Despite a strong racing background and extensive restoration history, it fell short of its €3.4m-€3.9m estimate to sell for €2.53m.
Other Porsches of note included a rare 1953 Porsche 356 ‘Pre-A’ 1500 Super Knickscheibe Cabriolet, which sold for €207k (est: €180k-€250k), one of 24 Porsche 996.2 GT2 Comforts built, which sold for €161k (est: €160k-€200k) and a 1996 Porsche 993 Carrera RS, which sold for €322k against a €270k-€350k estimate.
Another highlight of the Zoute Grand Prix sale was this 2014 Spyker C8, which was estimated at between €400k and €500k. The very last example to leave the factory, it featured a unique colour combination and wore delivery miles only. Recently refreshed by Spyker specialist Jasper Den Dopper, it sold for €575k.
A notable no-sale was this 1926 Bugatti Type 35A Grand Prix, which was being offered from single family ownership from 1964. The sixth of 20 examples exported to the UK, it was restored in 2008. Chassis 4755 was estimated at €1.2m-€1.4m but failed to find a new owner. Other no-sales included one of two 1951 Ferrari 340 America Berlinettas built (estimated at €3m-€4m) and a 2008 Bentley Azure (est: €140k-€180k).
One of the more fascinating ownership histories concerned this 1969 De Tomaso Mangusta. One of 150 with the 289ci Ford V8 engine and twin headlights, its first owner was Ing Gustavo Díaz Ordaz Bolaños, Presidencia de la Republica Mexicana. It’s believed to have stayed with the Mexican president, and then another Mexican owner, until the end of the 1970s. It then moved to the US, and then to Europe as a restoration project in 2017. After five years and €200,000 of restoration work, it was completed. Estimated at €250k-€350k, it sold for €299k.
This 1974 BMW 3.0 CSL Batmobile, the 31st of 57 series 2 examples built, was originally a BMW Motorsport test car. It was then assigned to BMW racing driver Hans-Joachim Stuck, who later sold it to Christian Neureuther, member of the West German Olympic ski team, world champion Rosi Mittermaier’s husband, and Stuck’s close friend. It was later owned by Joseph Zahler, who then sold it to CSL expert Yannick Bernat. He had it restored with the correct thin-gauge alloy body panels and a period-correct Alpina B2 engine. It was then owned by UK enthusiast Tony Badenoch, who displayed it at the Villa d’Este Concours d’Elegance in 2006. It was restored again in 2017 and later displayed at Goodwood twice. Against a €300,000 to €400,000 estimate, it sold for €402,500.
Further details
For more details on the sale, head here.
