Charterhouse’s first Classic & Vintage Car Auction of 2026 played host to a wide range of vehicles when it took place at the Haynes Motor Museum last month
A wide selection of prestige and performance classics unearthed from barns and long-term storage were particularly prevalent at Charterhouse’s latest sale and led to some impressive results.
Perhaps most notable was a 1982 Lotus Esprit Turbo, which had been stored in a West Country barn since 1995 and had gradually turned from red to green. The extra vegetation didn’t put buyers of though, as it beat its £10,000-£15,000 estimate to sell for £20,000 plus fees. Elsewhere, a 1970 Jagauar E-Type Series 2 roadster stored since 1978 sold on the hammer for £28,000, while from the same estate came a 1966 S-Type with a substantial history file that contained a £20,000 engine rebuild by Sigma Engineering in 2018. It sold mid-guide for £12,000 plus fees.
Other cars emerging from storage included a 1975 Mercedes W115 200 that had been stored on a farm since 1989 and looked to have a seized engine, yet still managed a £4000 hammer price. This was joined by a 1999 E320 Avantgarde Estate finished in the unusual factory shade of Designo Hellgruen Metallic, which was also offered without reserve and was hammered away for £3200.
More unusual was a Tickford-bodied 1956 Lagonda 3 Litre drophead coupe that has been in storage for more than 50 years. Still located in its Dorset garage, it had a seized engine but came with another FHC chassis and aluminium body, a rolling FHC spares car, two spare rolling chassis, suspension parts and other aluminium body panels. It sold towards the top end of its guide for £14,500 plus fees.
Among the cars that hadn’t emerged from storage, there were some more strong performances. A rare 1997 Aston Martin V8 Coupé that was once the brand’s press and test car sold for £40,000 plus fees, with a 1971 Fiat Dino 2400 Bertone Coupé hammered away for £32,000 and a Triumph TR4 IRS making £15,000 plus fees. A 2000 Lotus Elise that showed only 12,800 miles but had immobiliser issues was hammered away for £16,000, and we rather liked a 2001 VW Golf 2.8 V6 4Motion, which sold for £4200 plus fees.
Minis also had a good day, with a 1966 Austin Mini Cooper project making £10,000 on the hammer, a 1999 40 LE that had been imported from Japan selling for £9000 plus fees and a custom 1275 GT making £11,400 plus fees. A smart SPI Cooper also did well, selling for a £5000 hammer price.
At the other end of the scale, a 1957 Daimler Conquest made just £260, and a Morris Minor saloon from the same year a mere £120, proving that there was something to suit all budgets. For the full list of results, head to the Charterhouse website
