Bonhams’ Goodwood Members’ Meeting sale is always a fascinating barometer of the upper echelons of the British auction market, and for 2025 it will be a stern test of the current UK market.
A good sign is what looks to be a well curated selection of 84 lots spread across a broad spectrum of classic car collecting, from a host of pre-war Bentleys to celebrity-adjacent exotics, and project cars and hot hatches to modern hypercars. The sale, which takes place on April 13, contains both road cars and race cars, some of which boast fascinating back stories. Here are ten of our favourites – what’s catching your eye?
This 1975 Ferrari 365 GT4 BB is one of just 58 right-hand-drive examples built, and was first ordered by rock star Eric Clapton via Maranello Concessionaires, originally in Argento Auteuil. After witnessing George Harrison turn up at the Hurtwood Edge estate in his own 365 GT4 BB, Eric just had to have one, but sadly the honeymoon lasted just 43 miles before he crashed it – as evidenced in the inside-cover artwork for the Slowhand album. The current vendor acquired the car in 1975, and had it repaired and painted red; this was completed by 1976. However, in the time since then the Ferrari has been described as having spent a good deal of the time in the vendor’s kitchen… It’s had a cambelt service but is in need of a shakedown before regular use. It’s estimated at between £175k and £275k.
Other Ferraris in the sale include a 1986 Testarossa (est: £70k-£90k), the Geneva Motor Show 1979 512 BB (£150k-£200k), a 330 GTC (£400k-£500k) and a LHD 1997 550 Maranello (£50k-£70k).
Bonhams’ Goodwood Members’ Meeting 2025 sale also includes a brace of previously unloved Ferraris that caught the eye. The 365 GT4 2+2/400/412 series was always seen as the ‘cheap’ V12 Ferrari, but prices have grown strongly – and the above 1976 365 GT4 2+2 has paint code rarity on its side as well. First delivered to Parisian dealer Charles Pozzi, this particular car was ordered in Oro Kelso over black leather, and is believed to have spent much of its life in France. It has a wood-trimmed centre console, a tape-deck sound system and a period-correct car phone. It’s estimated at between £50k and £70k. The auction also includes a 1979 400 Automatic, estimated at between £25k and £35k.
This 1912 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Roi des Belges-style Tourer is chassis 2082, and is believed to have originally sported limousine coachwork. Its previous owners have included Sir Robert Moncreiffe of London and Captain PA Brooksbank of Knebworth, Herts, and it also spent 30 years in Australia. The current vendor acquired the car in 2003 and set about a £600k restoration in Roi des Belge style, which has just been finished. It’s estimated at between £200k and £300k.
Other Rolls-Royces in the sale include the ex-Sir Brian Williamson CBE 1927 Phantom I Four-light saloon (est: £40k-£50k), a 1932 Phantom I Limousine (£30k-£40k), a 1930 Phantom II Coupé (£80k-£100k) and a 1938 Phantom III Saloon (£80k-£120k).
This 1972 Mercedes-Benz 600 Saloon was first owned by Hollywood star Jack Nicholson, who later donated it to the Petersen Automotive Museum a number of years ago. In 2022 it was offered for sale at the Audrain Concours Bonhams sale. It’s estimated at between £70k and £90k.
Other Mercedes-Benz highlights include a RHD 1957 220 S Ponton Cabriolet (est: £80k-£100k), a 1968 280 SL (£60k-£80k), a 1960 190 SL (£80k-£100k) and a 1979 450 SLC 5.0 Rallyewagen (£120k-£200k).
This 1961 Ford Thunderbird Convertible is one of 34 pace vehicles used at the 1961 Indianapolis 500, and one of five remaining. After the race, the Thunderbird was acquired by Paul Thrasher of Columbus, Ohio – he’d keep the car until 1989, selling it to Derek Boulton. Derek restored the Ford over the next 18 months in time for the 1991 Indy 500, and it would serve as a course car taking drivers around the track and participating in the downtown parade before the race. It went on to star at Goodwood between 2008 and 2010, before being sold to the current owner in 2013. Since then it’s acted as a VIP course car at the Goodwood Revival meeting, playing host to astronaut Buzz Aldrin on one occasion. It’s estimated at between £45k and £75k.
This 2002 Diablo 6.0 VT is one of two Lamborghinis at Bonhams’ Goodwood Members’ Meeting 2025 sale. It was among 30 RHD UK examples built, and was ordered with Nero Perseus two-tone leather interior, sports seats, Nero Pegaso seats and special-order items such as a centrally mounted Lamborghini badge on the rear grille, a gold-painted engine (they were silver as standard), ‘Lamborghini’ script on the brake calipers, exposed-carbon front splitter sections, side skirts, door-entry sill, embossed Lamborghini logos on the seat headrest, exposed carbonfibre in the engine bay, front trunk lid and engine lid, and more besides. Chassis 2891 was in the last 25 Diablos made, and it has been in the hands of the current owner since 2014. Serviced last March, it’s estimated at between £250k and £280k.
The sale also includes a 2024 Revuelto (est: £330k-£400k) while other modern classics include a 1978 Porsche 930 Turbo 3.3 Martini (£150k-£200k), a 2000 Bentley Azure (£60k-£65k), a 1988 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante X-Pack in very 1980s bright red (£200k-£250k) and a 1985 Porsche Carrera 3.2 Targa Supersport (£65k-£75k).
This unique-specification 1960 Jaguar XK150 3.8 Roadster comes to Bonhams’ Goodwood Members’ Meeting sale from 55 years of continuous ownership. Its first owner was Joan White of Bramhall, Cheshire, whose choice of a 3.8 Roadster in RHD ended up being one of two being built – the other car is now in Italy and has been converted to LHD, making this car unique. White sold the Jaguar to another female owner, who then sold it Malcolm Fergusson, the financial controller of Nabisco. The current owner acquired the XK150 in 1970, and had the car restored in the late 1970s. It comes with a hand-written history file, copies of its six TV appearances and correspondence with the car’s first two owners. There’s even a mug and a 400-piece jigsaw set. It’s estimated at between £85k and £125k.
Other Jaguar highlights include one of 56 RHD XK150 3.8 DHCs (est: £85k-£100k), a 1958 XK150 SE 3.4 (£45k-£55k), a 1972 E-type S3 (£30k-£40k), a 1952 XK120 SE formerly of Peter Agg and upgraded by XK Developments (£70k-£100k), a 1964 E-type S1 3.8 (£60k-£80k) and a 1953 XK120 SE Roadster (£75k-£95k).
There are several projects up for grabs at Bonhams’ Goodwood Members’ Meeting sale, including this 1975 Alfa Romeo Montreal. Last taxed in 1987, this car is one of a number offered from the estate of the late Philip Duffy, of PD Graphics – the famous designer of several record sleeves. He acquired the Montreal in May 1979 and set about renovating it, and even got into ARM rallies in the UK. However, while described as complete, it is need of extensive restoration and is estimated at between £15k and £20k. If you’d like a more complete Montreal, the same sale has a 1972 example that’s in need of recommissioning rather than restoration; that’s estimated at between £35k and £45k.
Other cars in need of restoration or recommissioning include a 1978 Porsche 911 SC 3.0 (est: £20k-£30k) and a 1990 Renault 5 GT Turbo (£10k-£20k No Reserve).
If you’re looking to make a statement at the Goodwood Revival later this year, then how about this 1959 BMC 5-Ton Race Transporter? Believed to be a BMC Service School vehicle, it was designed by Pinin Farina and built by Marshall’s of Cambridge with aluminium bodywork and used to train dealership mechanics in how to service Minis. It was then transferred to the Competitions Department, where it was used to promote tuning parts and as a support vehicle on UK rallies. It was later finished in Unipart livery for Leyland ST for its Triumph Dolomite Sprint and Morris Marina promotional tours.
It was eventually found at a disused railway station in Shropshire in the early 1990s being used as a holiday home. At the time the rear section of the body had been removed, and the restoration would eventually take ten years, and involved the input of BMC Competitions Department’s Basil Wales, who used the vehicle in period. The original BMC 5.7-litre engine and five-speed gearbox were replaced with a 6.0-litre Cummins 180 six-cylinder turbodiesel and a six-speed transmission, and it retains its original two-speed rear axle. It has a hydraulic tail lift, too. It’s estimated at between £35k and £45k.
Other competition highlights include a 1957 Austin A35 HRDC Academy Competition Saloon (est: £20k-£30k), a 1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Super FIA Competition Saloon (£30k-£35k), a 1966/1970 Mini Marcos GT-LM Coupé (£25k-£35k), a 1954 Aston Martin DB2/4 Sports Saloon (£130k-£180k) and a 1973 Ford Capri 3.0 GXL Group 1 Competition Coupé used on the 1973 Avon Tour of Great Britain, which was driven by HRH Prince Michael of Kent, and later piloted by Nikki Lauda, Tom Walkinshaw and Barry Sheene (£80k-£120k).
Bonhams’ Goodwood Members’ Meeting sale features a host of Bentleys, with the above car – the 1927 Bentley 3/8 Litre Competition Special ‘The Other Gun’ – being a particular highlight. This Competition Special is based on a 1927 3 Litre Red Label Carbodies Saloon that had been off the road since 1965. Acquired by Stanley Mann in 2004, over the next two years it was turned into a 3/8 Litre Competition Special under the watchful eye of Stuart Fearnside, with the aluminium body finished in Brooklands Outer Circuit racer style by Peter Claridge.
The engine features a Phoenix crankshaft and rockers, Carrillo conrods, a high-lift camshaft, Bill Miller pistons and an AP Racing clutch. The gearbox is a D-type four-speeder with original lid and a new BDC casing (assembled by the late John Hunt). The rear axle has a lightweight magnesium nosepiece and 3.3:1 final-drive ratio giving a top speed of around 120mph. Installing a 3.0:1 final-drive ratio apparently gives around 150mph on longer circuits. The car is believed to produce 300bhp and 550lb ft of torque. It was campaigned extensively in the late 2000s before being bought by the current owner in 2012. It is capable of road use and was driven by the late Tony Dron for Octane magazine. It’s estimated at between £500k and £700k.
Other notable Bentleys include a 1938 4¼ Litre ‘Disappearing Hood’ Sports Tourer formerly of the Nethercutt Collection (est: £80k-£100k), a 1949 Mark VI B80 ‘Speed 8’ Special by Racing Green Engineering (£200k-£250k), a 1949 Mark VI 4½ Litre Drophead Coupé (£45k-£55k), a 1932 8 Litre ‘Le Mans’ Tourer (£500k-£600k), a 1938 4¼ Litre Drophead Coupé (£150k-£200k), a 1928 4½ Litre Vanden Plas Style Tourer (£280k-£350k), a 1962 S2 Flying Spur Saloon (£80k-£100k) and a 1938 4¼ Litre Drophead Coupé (£80k-£100k).
Further details
For more details on Bonhams’ Goodwood Members’ Meeting sale, head here.
