Historics made a return to Ascot Racecourse for the second time this year on May 21, hosting a spectacular spring sale featuring 200 entries

The wonderfully eclectic catalogue was surely Historics’ most varied ever, with the catalogue including everything from brass-festooned Edwardian vehicles right through to a 2021 Ford F150.

The sale began with the more affordable entries, including around 50 cars offered with no reserve. Despite bidding starting uncharacteristically slowly – perhaps as a result of the current cost of living issues – the familiar auction hall atmosphere was soon evident and there was strong competitive bidding both online and via the telephone.

Indeed, performances were robust across many price ranges and eras, with two of the three vintage cars included in the auction selling for over £70,000. Pre-war results were also strong, as evidenced by a charming 1933 Morris 10/4 that shot past its estimate of £15,000-£19,000 to sell for £28,000.

The other end of the age scale showed similar vitality, with a 2015 Ferrari 458 Special proving its collector car status by settling at £379,200 to become the biggest sale of the day. It was a good day for top-end replicas too, with a wonderful 1953 Jaguar C-Type evocation created in 1996 making £164,600 and an Aston Martin DBR1 replica created by ASM in Norfolk soaring over its estimate to reach £91,840. Adding a restomod twist was a 1983 Porsche 911 remodelled by Riviera Autobody in homage to the 911ST built for racing in 1970 and 1971, which sold for £102,000, while a stunning Porsche 911T also turned heads when it passed to a new owner for £140,000.

Perhaps most impressive, however, was the extremely strong showing put in by the various hot hatches. At the top of the pile was a Mk2 Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V that showed just 38,000 miles and sold for an astonishing £32,248 after being entered with no reserve. Almost as impressive was a 1983 Mk1 Vauxhall Astra GTE at a whopping £19,244, while a 1983 Ford Fiesta XR2 changed hands for a shade more, reaching £20,720. For those looking for a slightly newer hot hatch, a 2003 MINI Cooper S with a JCW tuning pack showed its increasing desirability by selling for £10,296.

Other impressive performances included a 1998 Mercedes-Benz G320 Cabriolet that sold above its upper estimate for £96,220, plus one of two surviving 1958 BMW Isetta pick-ups at £22,400. Elsewhere, a charming 1971 Fiat 500 Gamine sold for £17,546 and a 1968 Fiat Dino Spider restoration project changed hands for £16,800. In all, the auction had a 78 per cent sale rate amounting to a gross figure of £5 million, with some additional deals still to be sorted as we went to press.

Historics’ next sale will take place at Windsorview Lakes on July 16. See historics.co.uk for details.

  • We make no apologies for including a third Ford when it evokes nostalgia like this drop-side Mk2 Transit. The 1982 example showed a mere 19,571 miles and was in time-warp condition. Offered with no reserve, it sold for £12,320.
  • Joining the wide selection of Mercedes-Benz entries was this 1998 G320 in rare and desirable two-door Cabriolet guise. Well-maintained and featuring Brabus upgrades, the left-hand drive example beat its £80,000-£95,000 guide to sell for an eye-watering £96,220.
  • The R53 generation MINI Cooper S seems to be gaining real momentum, especially when fitted with a John Cooper Works tuning pack. This no-reserve 2003 example still had its JCW certificate and showed a mere 39,448 miles – factors that surely influenced its £10,296 sale price.
  • A couple of early 1970s Fords included a facelift Mk1 Capri in the shape of this very original 1974 3000 GXL. The two-owner example looked to be in superb condition throughout and sold mid-estimate for £36,400.
  • A hugely impressive performer among the pre-war entries was this 1933 Morris 10/4 Saloon, which sailed past its £15,000-£19,000 estimate to sell for £28,000. Stunning in every respect, it had been with the vendor for 46 years, with restoration taking place for much of that time.
  • King among the hot hatches on sale day was this Mk2 Volkswagen Golf GTI 16V. First owned by a quality engineer for Bentley Motors, the 1987 example had covered just 38,000 miles and was surely unrepeatable. Nevertheless, it was still a surprise to see it sell for a whopping £32,828.
  • Described as being in excellent original condition, this Mk1 Ford Fiesta XR2 showed a mere 60,754 miles and had recently been used as a prop for period TV work. The 1983 example was offered with no reserve and sold for an impressive £20,720.
  • Another lot offered with no reserve, this 1968 Fiat Dino Spider restoration project had been off the road since 1977. It was no weekend recommission job, but the 2.0-litre V6 Dino engine could be turned over and many of the original parts were still present. It sold for £16,800.
  • From the same vendor as the Fiesta XR2 came this superb Mk1 Vauxhall Astra GTE. The 1983 example had covered a mere 20,700 miles from new and looked superb in silver with its correct grey interior. Offered with no reserve, it performed exceptionally well to sell for £19,244.
  • A rare 1972 example with an external oil filler, this utterly immaculate Porsche 911T had been restored by Porsche Swindon at a cost totalling over £150,000. It was expected to sell for £95,000-£125,000, but its stunning condition saw it soar to an impressive £140,000.