Bonhams’ second “live online” motoring auction was staged this past weekend at Bicester Heritage in England, where sales totaled more than £2.5 million ($3.22 million). The auction house said 71 percent of the lots went to new owners through the sale.
Of those sales, 65 percent were done through online bidding, Bonhams said. Others were sold via live telephone or absentee bids submitted in advance.
The most expensive purchase of the auction was the $287,058 (including buyer’s fee) paid for a 1927 Bentley 3-liter Speed model sports roadster originally outfitted as a Weymann sedan by Gurney Nutting.
The roadster bodywork was done in the immediate post-war period and the car was raced. When the original engine threw a rod, it was replaced with one dating from 1923.
Runner-up honors for the sale went to a 1993 Porsche 911 Turbo (964 coupe) driven less than 58,000 miles since new that sold for $209,552.
“We are very pleased to see that our online consignment platform has, yet again, proved to be an effective and efficient way to consign and sell motor cars at auction,” Rob Hubbard, head of Bonhams MPH division, was quoted in the post-sale news release.
“Results were strong across the board, particularly for pre-war, modern and popular classics, again proving confidence in the market.”
Bonhams next MPH auction at Bicester Heritage is scheduled for September 19. However, Bonhams will be back at Bicester before then for its Summer Sale of motorcycles, August 14-16. The docket for the motorcycle auction includes the Morbidelli Collection.
Bonhams also will stage its revised Quail Sale on August 14 in Los Angeles as part of the Petersen Car Week.
