Johannesburg - In just under a month's time, car enthusiasts from around the globe will gather in Johannesburg under one roof in a bid to get their hands on some of the world's most rare and classic cars.
More than a hundred automotive classics and extremely rare collector cars, among them South African builds that have become global power legends, go on the auction block in a nostalgia sale at the Creative Rides Showroom in Johannesburg on December 4.
The auction is part of the Legends and Classic Auction, a joint venture sale between Creative Rides and High Street Auctions.
Among the cars that will be up for auction on the day include the Ford Capri Perana, Ford Fairmont GT, Alfa Romeo GTV6 3 litre and many others.
This year’s Legends and Classic Auction is the second annual end-of-year joint venture sale between Creative Rides and High Street Auctions.
Last year’s auction smashed every previous South African collector car auction record, making it the biggest national collector car auction ever by bidder volume and bidding numbers.
This year’s auction is set to be even bigger and better.
Joff van Reenen, director and lead auctioneer of High Street Auctions, says this year’s auction would include a more exceptional selection of automotive classics
“We have some extremely rare SA legends including a Ford Capri Perana V8, a Ford Fairmont GT V8, which is one of the stars of our auction, and an Alfa Romeo GTV 3L,” says Van Reenen.
“Other definite standouts are a Mercedes Benz 300 SEL 6.3, several Chevy Impalas, the only 1925 Studebaker in the country, a gorgeous 1967 Pontiac LeMans Convertible and a myriad of others both strange and rare.”
For those who can’t make it to the venue, the auction will also be a globally lived-streamed virtual auction.
Van Reenen says they are expecting hundreds of car enthusiasts from different parts of the world to attend the auction.
“We’re expecting a few hundred people to come to the sale in person, but as happened last year, a lot more will be purchasing via digital channels and watching the live stream virtual auction from across the globe. Last year we had 12 500 people view the sale online with more than 250 collectors actively bidding. This year we intend to break that record.”
The 103 cars that go on auction are also all from South Africa, says van Reenen.
“Believe it or not they were all here in SA, just hiding in collections across the country. South Africa has a great collector car culture and it comes to the fore at auctions.”
Asked which car he expects to be auctioned off for the most money, van Reenen says he is unsure.
“It’s a very difficult question. The rare SA legends are going to garner a lot of attention as these cars you can’t actually find anymore and are world famous. So I think any of the SA legend cars can break records, but the others stand a good chance too, because collectors are often singular in their search for specific models.
“If two collectors have been searching for decades for a ’25 Studebaker, for instance, the sky's the limit. These cars are unquestionably unique; so special and once-off. The whole world speaks of these cars as legends.
“Of the catalogue overall, many are from estate collections so they will be selling at no reserve. Anything can happen price wise. One thing for sure … I wouldn't miss it.”
Creative Rides Owner and CEO Kevin Derrick says the auction is a “once in a lifetime” acquisition opportunity for collectors.
“Just one example is the Ford Capri Perana; the only V8 Capri ever sanctioned by Ford and with only around two- to three hundred ever made,” says Derrick.
“Fifty years ago, the iconic Capri Perana, one of the legends in South Africa’s motoring heritage, was conceived by master engineer and car builder Basil Green. It was a homologation model utilising the 302 Windsor engine used also in Mustangs at that time. The use of such a powerful engine in a very small car provided astounding performance.”
Derrick says another standout legendary classic car lot is the 1970 Ford Fairmont GT.
“Known internally at Ford as the ‘Big Daddy’, the 1970 model is a CKD version of the Australian XY Falcon GT that was produced Down Under but assembled in South Africa.
“The ‘Super Rhino’, as it became known, was a tremendous performance car, rocketing from 0-100km/h in 6.5 seconds, and topping the speedo and around 210km/h, which at the time made it the fastest production car in the world. Since it was only produced for three years, it was and remains an extremely rare car and a collector’s dream find.”
He says one of the most exceptional South African collector cars on auction in December is a 1985 Alfa Romeo GTV 3L; full of grunt and designed for the local Group 1 racing circuit.
“Although the 2.5 V6 improved on most areas of the less powerful GTs, the 3L was another level with lowered suspension, a large front spoiler and a fibreglass bonnet with air inlet scoop and a bulge design to accommodate the six-pack Dellorto carburettors.
“And while the GTV 3L was specifically built for racing, Alfa faithfully stuck to the rules that at least 212 cars had to be homologated and made available for sale to the public. It’s one of these rarities that we’ll be auctioning at the end of the year.”
Derrick says a selection of American muscle cars as well as European sports cars and luxury sedans will also be auctioned in December, including a rare Mercedes-Benz W186 Model 300 Adenauer.
The auction takes place on December 4 at 11am at the Creative Rides Showroom in the Posthouse Centre on Main Road in Bryanston, Johannesburg.
For more information visit www.highstreetauctions.com or www.creativeride.co.za