The month that was September | Gavelled!
Cars snapped up early and one that skips a waiting list. Here are the auction hits that closed out the summer...
Ferrari F430, 2007, 23k - sold for £69,608*
The Ferrari F430 really is a late bloomer. It couldn’t quite match the elegance of the 360 it replaced back in 2005, and the fact that its successor, the 458, was Ferrari’s last naturally aspirated V8 did precious little to help its claim to fame. But jump forward 20 years and the F430 finally feels as though it’s getting the love a (sort of) Michael Schumacher-developed Ferrari deserves.
As a result, they’re starting to appear on collector radars, with clean, low-mile examples like this 2007 car being the most sought after. Just 23,609 miles on the clock, a chunky history folder and an owner willing to keep it in dry storage on a trickle charger made this example particularly tempting, as did the flawless spec of Rosso Corsa over a Crema interior with contrasting red carpets. It would have doubtless attracted a swarm of interest had it not been snapped up by a PHer before bidding could begin. Having made an offer the seller couldn’t refuse, this F430 now has a new home, leaving a trail of would-be bidders left to, ahem, ‘find another’.
Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997.1), 2008, 20k - sold for £128,640*
From ultimate V8 Ferraris to ultimate 911s. As with so many of Porsche’s gen 1 cars, the 997.1 GT3 RS sits in the shadow of the 997.2 version, given it was the last 911 with hydraulic steering and the final version to come with a Metzger engine. But the first-gen 997 is still a hugely sought-after 911, particularly in an age when the new 911 GT3 RS, despite being a marvellous thing to drive, is the size of a small lorry.
So it’s a car that should very much be on your radar if you're in the market - which, in turn, means you’ll be kicking yourself for missing out on this one. Not only is it a low-mile (19,541 to be precise) car with stacks of main dealer servicing invoices, but it’s also been treated to some top-drawer hardware from Porsche’s racing squad Manthey, including a KW coilover kit tuned to the firm’s liking, a titanium exhaust system and those incredible multi-spoke wheels. Like the F430, this GT3 RS never even made it to auction, with an offer of £128,640 including the buyer’s premium being agreed on by the seller. So if there’s anything we’ve learned for September, it’s that you really need to jump on your dream car the moment you set eyes on it...
Corvette (C8) Stingray Convertible, 2023, 4k - sold for £69,000*
There was a time when the only way to get your hands on an American sports or muscle car would be to go through a lengthy, costly import service. And once it arrived, you’d have to get in on the wrong side of the car to drive it. Admittedly, that’s still the case for a lot of cars from the US-of-A, but you can at least now buy a Chevrolet Corvette - which, let's face it, is about as American as it gets - with a steering wheel on the correct and proper side.
Granted, they’re still a rarity these days and getting your hands on one does apparently take quite a long time, so it’s no wonder this 2023 example attracted as much attention as it did. That, and the 4,466 miles covered, refreshingly smart spec and, oh yes, 6.2 litres of all-American V8, this time sat right in the middle of the car. A week and 58 bids later, the hammer fell at £69,000 including the buyer’s fee, leaving one PHer with a nearly-new Corvette and another with some pocket money to spend (hopefully) on their next dream car.
Top 10 PistonHeads auction results in September*:
- Porsche 911 GT3 RS (997.1) – £128,640
- Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 – £75,637
- Ferrari F430 – £69,608
- Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray – £69,000
- Porsche Cayman GT4 – £67,000
- BMW 1M – £50,917
- Lotus Exige S LF1 Edition – £45,024
- Porsche 911 Carrera 4 (964) – £37,521
- Aston Martin V8 Vantage – £34,840
- Lotus Talbot Sunbeam – £31,000
*Prices shown are inclusive of the buyer’s fee which is 6% of the selling price + VAT, with a minimum of £695 + VAT.
I thought they commanded a massive premium over here, 69k seems cheap
Crease in the door doesn’t line up to the rear quarter. Just makes the vent look oddly positioned in my head.
To my eyes (at least) I think the 430 was a far better looking car than the 360.
For the money that went for it's an absolute steal. I wouldn't be surprised if these move back to 100k very soon (yes I know some are already there, but I mean for the average half decent one as opposed to low mileage ones).
Great cars!
I thought they commanded a massive premium over here, 69k seems cheap
I thought they commanded a massive premium over here, 69k seems cheap
To my eyes (at least) I think the 430 was a far better looking car than the 360.
For the money that went for it's an absolute steal. I wouldn't be surprised if these move back to 100k very soon (yes I know some are already there, but I mean for the average half decent one as opposed to low mileage ones).
Great cars!
I thought they commanded a massive premium over here, 69k seems cheap
I thought they commanded a massive premium over here, 69k seems cheap
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