The month that was April | Gavelled!
Two game-changers, and one car that's out of this world - just a fraction of what sold on PH auctions last month
Ferrari 360 Modena, 2001, 39k miles - sold for £54,672
It was never going to be easy following in the Ferrari F355’s footsteps. Sensational looks, sublime handling and one of the best V8 exhaust notes ever cemented it as one of Ferrari’s greats, and set the bar high for its successor. But Maranello came out swinging with the 360 Modena, a drastically more modern car that was stiffer, quicker and built a whole lot better than any Ferrari that had come before. Whether it was prettier or not is up for debate, but there’s no denying it moved the supercar game on.
It’s aged rather gracefully, hasn’t it? Particularly when it’s finished in Argento Nurburgring (Ferrari speak for silver) like the example auctioned right here in April. Better still, sat between the two seats is a six-speed gated manual. Not hugely uncommon on the 360, though the F1 gearbox was still a novelty in the early '00s, so the majority of buyers chose the paddle shift. This 2001 car had 39,548 miles on the clock and had recently had its cam belt, clutch and flywheel changed, so it was raring and ready to go. The hammer fell at £54,672 including fees, and in return the new owner gets a manual, naturally-aspirated V8 Ferrari to enjoy over summer. Not jealous in the slightest…
MGB GT V8 Sebring Tribute, 1978, 77,800 miles - sold for £23,033
The ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ adage doesn’t really apply these days. Partly because carmakers are busy pushing EVs, which aren’t especially racing-friendly, but it’s also down to there being naff all manufacturer support in consumer-friendly championships like the BTCC. But back when this MGB GT was in production, a racing programme was a surefire way to shift cars. Keen to get a foothold in the US market, MG developed a special GTS racer to duke it out with the Corvettes, Mustangs and Plymouths across the Atlantic. It wasn’t hugely successful, but the blistered-arched GTS (or ‘Sebring’) is the holy grail for MGB fanatics.
Problem is, MG didn’t make many of them, meaning the ones that do come up for sale are often tremendously expensive. And that’s why the seller of this example set about building their own Sebring tribute, complete with blistered arches and a suitably retro livery to go with it. The 3.5-litre Rover engine had been rebuilt 5,000 miles ago, and was naturally brimming with upgrades including a Offenhauser inlet and four-barrel Edelbrock carburettor. A fast road setup should mean it's just as much of a riot to drive as it is to look at. It sold for £23,033 including fees, which is a darn sight cheaper than what the real thing would have sold for...
Bentley Continental GT, 2008, 43,000 miles - sold for £20,100
It’s easy to forget just how important the original Continental GT was. It was the first Bentley built from the ground up under Volkswagen’s watchful eye and the British marque’s first model made using mass-production techniques. That’d come in mighty handy, as Bentley would end up shifting tens of thousands of them, eclipsing sales of anything the company had made before. As a result, the classifieds are often packed with them, all in varying states with the really cost-effective ones available for high four-figure sums.
However, a tired and leggy W12 is best approached with caution and enough cash in reserve to fund a coup. Finding a tidy example that’s been well cared for is tricky, but well worth the wait. This 2008 model fit the bill perfectly, with 43,000 miles tallied, three former keepers, loads of service history and not a single modification in sight. Looks superb, doesn’t it? Its presence on this list means it has, sadly, already found a new keeper, having sold for £20,100 fees included. But if you’re looking to sell, here’s the proof that there are plenty of buyers out there hungry for a smart, well-maintained Conti that’s rightly received its fair share of TLC.
Also a manual Ferrari 360 went cheap, you need around 100k euro on this side and in LHD
The 430 I spanked felt sweet as but wasn't a manual.
My car enthusiast bucket list includes owning a Ferrari one day. The new ones don't really interest me as they are too techy and too powerful to make any sense.
A nice manual 360 or 430 would do me nicely.
But of course the buying fee is just the start of the experience..................................
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff