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3 classic cars worth R5.6m up for auction in SA

Cape Town - Three classic cars, worth a total value of R5.6-million, will go under the hammer in SA in March. The three iconic cars up for grabs are a 1969 Jaguar E Type Series II Roadster, a 1958 Mercedes 220S Ponton Coupe, and a 1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible.

A rare 1969 Jaguar E Type Series II Roadster, valued at R2.4-million to R2.6-million, is one of vehicle, and will go to the highest bidder at the Stephan Welz & Co. auction in Cape Town, March 1-2.

#1 'most beautiful'

Anton Welz, auctioneer and specialist at Stephan Welz & Co. said: “The 1969 E Type Jaguar is a very good representation of this popular mode. The car for sale is red with a black interior, right hand drive, wire wheels, 120 700km, with a hard top, 4.2 litre motor and four-speed manual gearbox.

"In 2008 the Daily Telegraph ranked the E type first in the 100 most beautiful cars of all time. An emblem of the swinging 1960s, it was driven by the likes of the late actor Steve McQueen."

READ: This classic Merc was sold for nearly R1.7m in SA

Hand-built Mercedes Ponton Coupe

Also up for auction is a rare hand-built 1958 Mercedes 220S Ponton Coupe, valued at R1.8-million to R2-million, says Welz. Mercedes-Benz only built 1251 of this exclusive model in Coupe version, and quite a number were bought by aristocracy; King Juan Carlos of Spain was gifted one by his father, as well as many famous actors and politicians, claims the auctioneers.

The car is ivory with white leather interior, whitewall tyres, 2.2 litre motor, manual transmission and right-hand drive.

In 2015, Stephan Welz & Co. sold a similar model in Johannesburg for R1.8 million.

“It’s rare to find Ponton Coupe models in South Africa, so this should flag the attention of any serious collector,” said Welz.

EXCLUSIVE MODEL: Mercedes-Benz only built 1251 of this exclusive hand-built 1958 Mercedes 220S Ponton in Coupe version. Image: Stephan Welz & Co.

Greased Lightening

For the retro American automobile fan, a rare 1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible for sale. Valued at R1 to R1.2 million, the two-door model is white with black and white leather interior, whitewall tyres, left hand drive and automatic gearbox. The Thunderbird was the first 2-seat Ford since 1938.

Rather than becoming a rival to the European sports cars imported into the United States, Ford created a completely new market segment around the Thunderbird: the personal luxury car, said Welz. While a performance car in its own right, the Thunderbird focused more on comfort than speed. The T-Bird convertible was the car driven by John Travolta in Grease; its other famous owners include Frank Sinatra and Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys.

“If you are just getting into the classic car market, it’s important to choose your cars carefully,” said Welz. “Always look for the rare; you will pay a premium for it, but it will reward you with the best returns. The three cars we are offering are all being sold by the same seller, a collector whose discerning taste is behind every car he collects.”

RARE BIRD:  A 1955 Ford Thunderbird Convertible is for sale with an estimated value of R1.2-million. Image: Stephan Welz & Co.

These collectible cars and more will go under the hammer at the Stephan Welz & Co. Decorative and Fine Art Auction in The Great Cellar, Alphen Estate, Alphen Drive, Constantia on March 1-2 2016. Pre-auction viewing is open to the public from February 24-28, 10am – 5pm, and a cocktail event will take place on February 23. Catalogues will be available from both the Cape Town and Johannesburg offices as well as the Stephan Welz & Co. website.  

With investment returns on classic cars up over 450% over a ten year period, according to the Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index, 2016 is a good year to stake your claim on a piece of automotive legacy, according to Stephen Wlz & Co.

Anyone who can’t attend the auction in person can bid for pieces online via art and antiques auctions portals www.the-saleroom.com and www.invaluable.com. 

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