Five headline stealing cars from the Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show in the UK
1. 1985 BMW M635 CSi
Estimate: £40,000 - £50,000 Sold for: £100,100
This unassuming looking car is the brainchild of BMW Motorsport - it might look like any other mid-1980s 6 Series coupe but hidden beneath the bonnet is a 286bhp 3.5-litre motor taken from the M1 supercar.
Just 4,000 were built in total from 1983, and this one could be the lowest mileage example available in the UK.
It has covered just 15,300 miles from new in the hands of just two owners.
According to CCA, it sparked a bidding war between two suitors during the auction, eventually selling for £100,100 - that more than doubled the estimate of £50,000 and is believed to be a new UK record fee.
2. 1968 Jaguar E-Type Series 1.5 2+2
Estimate: £16,000 - £20,000 Sold for: £13,750
Under estimate, we hear you say. But almost £14,000 for this shaky E-Type is still a fair bit of cash.
It's a 4.2-litre automatic that's been shipped from the US and unearthed in a barn in the UK after what looks like years of neglect. With just a partial history file and a condition rating of 2 out of 135, it is one hell of a project for the person who bought it.
CCA said it believed the car is 'mostly complete' and could pay dividends if brought back to life. The new owner will need an abundance of finances and time to make that a reality.
3. 1960 Mercedes-Benz 190SL
Estimate: £20,000 - £25,000 Sold for: £73,700
That's right, someone paid more than £70,000 for this deteriorating SL - three times what CCA expected it to make.
It's a 1960 2.0-litre model with no history file and a condition score of 16 out of 135 - that's better than the two points scored by the Jaguar above.
According to the listing, it has been in hibernation for 20 years, making it a true barn find (though it was actually stored in a garage). A left-hand drive model with the desirable manual transmission, it comes with lots of original parts and 56,000 miles on the clock.
Reports claim there were 24 people on the phone bidding for this car along with those raising their paddles in the room.
4. 1967 Austin Healey 3000 MK III
Estimate: £75,000 - £90,000 Sold for: £96,800
Another car to surpass the predicted value placed on it was the final-run Austin Healey 3000 we told you about not too long ago.
It was one of the final big Healeys to roll off the production line in December 1967 before the Abingdon factory in Oxfordshire ceased manufacturing.
Some traditionalists would argue it is the final one as it was the last to be made by the full work force using designated components instead of spares.
That might explain why it eventually sold for £20,000 over its lower estimate.
5. 1962 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 Fixedhead Coupe
Estimate: £38,000 - £44,000 Did not sell
If you thought the dilapidated E-Type at number two was bad, this crusty Series 1 car we first showed you a month ago is a good match. In fact, it scored the same 2 out of 135 in CCA's condition report.
However, this one is far more collectible and had thus grabbed the most headlines in the classic car world before the show.
Not only are 3.8-litre Series 1 cars desirable, this is an early example of the Fixedhead Coupe, chassis number 282, that's had just two registered keepers in its entire 55 year history.
It's been in storage since 1997 and doesn't look like it has seen daylight in those 20 years of being tucked away. Surprisingly, with Jaguar saying recently that it will sell you a fully restored Series 1 like this for £285,000, this car didn't find a new owner.
But it's not too late - an offer of £36,000 will make it yours.
- Daily Mail