The first classic car auction at Farnborough International was hosted by Historics on May 11. Here are our highlights

Historics ventured out of its Buckinghamshire base to host its May 11 sale at Farnborough International, the first classic car auction the venue has ever hosted – it proved to be a hugely successful sale, with 109 lots selling and gross sales exceeding £3 million.

Mercedes proved to be the theme of the day, with arguably the highlight being the 1989 R107 300SL which, on account of its immaculate condition and remarkable 2700 miles, sold for an impressive £77,953. A 1991 190E 2.6 with the Sportline suspension package netted £6944, while a stunning 1971 230SL Pagoda sold for the strong sum of £62,590 and its 1962 190SL Roadster successor fetched £66,004. A 1983 R107 500SL sold for £17,070, while an SL fan preferring something more frugal bought the 1985 280SL for a very reasonable £10,242.

Americana was out in force, headlined by the 1980 Chevrolet El Camino modified by Gas Monkey Garage – boasting a modern 5.7-litre LS V8 and heavily-customised bodywork, it sold for £31,864. Other American lots included the 1959 GMC 370 Flatbed that looked the perfect classic car transporter for £26,500, 1974 Jeep CJ-5 that fetched £17,360, and even the 1967 Airstream Overlander caravan that sold for £19,346.

Plenty of summer-ready classics enjoyed success too, including the charming 1972 Fiat Gamine Vignale that sold for £11,949, awesome 1968 Meyers Manx Beach Buggy evocation that achieved £12,880, 1922 Studebaker Light Six Tourer that was sure to delight a pre-war car fan for £6160, while a 1973 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible managed a hefty sale price of £96,320 and a later 1987 Corniche II Convertible sold for £32,000.

Not that the Rolls-Royces were the only British favourites to sell – an extremely rare 1986 Austin Maestro 500L Countryman Campervan was ready to holiday in for £5690, a very smart 1997 Rover Mini Balmoral was snapped up for £11,095, the 1991 Jaguar XJ-S Le Mans sold for £12,320 and its more modern 2004 X350 XJR stablemate achieved £9104.

Another Jaguar fan paid £65,840 for the 1969 E-Type Series 2 2+2 FHC, while two Citroën 2CVs offered something for those with humbler tastes – a 1983 Charleston sold for £8064, while the red-and-white Special fetched £8400. A 1989 VW Golf GTI Mk1 Cabriolet looked the perfect slice of summer fun for £5600, while the 2009 Range Rover Holland & Holland could make the perfect luxurious family bus for £47,796. Just be wary of that supercharged 5.0-litre V8’s fuel bill…

For the full results, head to historics.co.uk

  • The cream-over-cream (with yellow piping) colour scheme won’t be to everyone’s taste, but this stunning 1973 Rolls-Royce Corniche Convertible appeared in fantastic condition following a full restoration to the tune of over £250,000. Consider the quality of concours-level work involved, and the £96,320 winning bid looked like a relative bargain.
  • As values on the X350 generation Jaguar XJ slowly start climbing, tidy examples in the right spec are becoming collectible. This 2004 XJR presented smartly with its light grey leather and wood interior – an unusual spec for the sporty R model – and sold for £9104.
  • This 1986 Austin Rover Maestro 500L Countryman Campervan looked charming with its refurbished period trim and leather spare wheel cover. A real rarity of a retro camper that’s surely the perfect summer classic, it sold for £5690.
  • The Mercedes wasn’t the only low-mileage roadster to do well – this 1997 Alfa Romeo ‘916’ Spider boasted a hefty history file and just 6300 miles in its 27 years. It therefore sold way above the average for these cars, at £13,440.
  • Even if you’re not a BMW fan, you can’t deny the cool factor of this 1985 M635 CSi. One of just 524 UK-supplied examples, it sported just 55,000 miles on the clock and a hefty BMW and specialist history, all of which earned it an impressive £42,675 sale price.
  • Resplendent in metalflake brown, this 1968 Meyers Manx Beach Buggy evocation boasted a rebuilt 1641cc twin-port engine and wet weather hood. Imported from America in 2023 and fully UK-registered, it looked ready to hit the beach for the princely sum of £12,880.
  • This 1991 Lotus Carlton was discovered in a barn in 2020 and benefitted from a glass-out respray, extensive welding and comprehensive mechanical overhaul. With an estimated expenditure of over £60,000, the £84,000 sale price was well deserved.
  • Mercedes R107 SLs are firm favourites at auction, but we’ve never seen one like this – a 1989 300SL, it looked in flawless condition owing to the 2700 miles on the odometer, an average of 78 miles per year. Unsurprisingly spotless, the winning bidder saw fit to pay £77,953.