It might’ve taken six months, but the Australian market has finally delivered a car to make headlines worldwide and fetch a price which is up there with the best of its kind.
Headlining Donington Auctions’ July 12 sale on behalf of the late David Jones AO OBE was a Ferrari Dino 246 GT of exceptional quality, and which for many years had been the centrepiece of the Melbourne identity’s fascinating automotive collection.
The Dino had been on the market for several days preceding its actual sale, but on the day of the auction interest spiked and within minutes the top offer had climbed from $590,000 to an eventual sale price of $760,000 (plus a Buyer Premium of $79,420).
In recent times, that value has been exceeded only by the US$665,000 paid at Gooding & Company’s 2024 Pebble Beach auction for a car ranked among the very best restored Dino 246 GTs in existence.
Then, almost overshadowing the Ferrari itself, was the battle for its famous and historic registration plate. VIC ‘6-666’ was originally issued in 1913 and had been displayed on the Dino during Mr Jones’ lengthy ownership of it. After several frantic minutes in the hands of Donington’s auctioneer, the plate stunned observers by soaring past its $350,000 pre-sale estimate to reach a hammer price of $425,000.
Other notable items in the sale of more than 1200 extraordinary lots included a Rolls-Royce inspired pedal car that reached $10,200 and a 1920s Shell petrol pump that amazed garagenalia enthusiasts with its winning bid of $52,000.
During the second half of July, Donington will also be offering a selection of historic racers and classic sports cars, an original alloy-bodied Jaguar XK120 the highlight of the sale. During almost 75 years in Australia, this car has undergone significant modifications and needs full restoration, but it still offers scarcity and a fascinating history.
A few days prior to the Donington sale and still in Melbourne, Chicane Auctions offered a small but varied catalogue of mainly 1930-60s classics, headlined by an outstanding Ford XT Falcon GT which sold to a winning bid of just $89,250.
A pair of more recent, low-kilometre EB and EL GTs also attracted bidder interest, but both fell short of their reserve prices.
Also missing out despite a high bid of $80,000 was a beautifully presented 1934 Ford Coupe with the added attraction of a 270 cubic inch Chrysler Hemi engine, which replaced the original 221 cubic inch V8.
Better fortune would greet a 1934 Chevrolet Street Rod which attracted a winning bid of $68,000. A tidily modified Chrysler Charger also sold at $71,500.
Online site Collecting Cars enjoyed lively bidding and some welcome sales to commence the month, with a most unusual Range Rover among them.
Generating a sale price of $101,000, the black-painted Rangie was one of 200 ‘CSK’ limited editions produced in 1991 to honour Charles Spencer ‘Spen’ King, the designer of the Range Rover.
Originally delivered to New Zealand, this CSK is a very recent arrival to Australia and likely the only one in this country.
Another import sold by Collecting Cars but at a surprisingly low price was a well-presented Mercedes-Benz 250 SL ‘Pagoda’ sports. Despite being left-hand drive, the SL had previously been fully registered in Victoria and sold for just $74,000.
Another prestige piece to find a home via Collecting Cars came from Rolls-Royce in the shape of a UK-delivered Corniche convertible. This car was again a recent arrival, one of just 211 hand-built by Mulliner Park Ward during 1981, but sold for a remarkably low $78,000.
When comparing its $38,000 sale price with a $75,000-plus build cost, Collecting Cars’ WB Holden utility also offered a bargain to its new owner. The white ute came with a huge album of restoration photographs and scored well when assessed for presentation. It also got the nod for scarcity due to its combination of a 5.0-litre V8 engine and four-speed manual transmission.
Trading Garage continues to survive via its sales of heritage registration plates, headed early in the month by VIC ‘811’ which was sold for a hefty $365,000. The site has also been replenishing its stocks of cars, though, with significant new listings set to include a BMW M635CSi, a 100,000km HSV VL Group A, and very scarce Lancia Flavia Zagato coupe.
Please note: All figures quoted are Hammer Prices in Australian Dollars (unless otherwise noted) and do not include any applicable Buyer Premium.
