WB & Sons opened its busy 2023 auction calendar with a strong and varied sale on January 28

The first of eight WB & Sons classic auctions in 2023 got underway at the firm’s Newcastle upon Tyne base on January 28, with over 100 entries going under the hammer. As usual there was plenty of variety among them, with everything from an Austin FX3 taxi to a Ferrari with celebrity provenance.

That Ferrari was a 1983 400i bought new by former Rolling Stones bassist, Bill Wyman, which managed to beat its £18,000–22,000 guide to sell for £28,600. It wasn’t the only Prancing Horse in the sale though, as its sale figure was comprehensively beaten by that of a very clean 1995 355 GTS, with an impressive £78,000 changing hands for the 40,000-mile example.

Meanwhile, it was a good sale for British classics. A couple of late classic Minis imported from Japan were stand-outs, with an Almond Green 1999 example selling above estimate for £12,650 and a 1995 Monte Carlo limited edition in the Japan-only shade of British Racing Green bought for £10,250 by a buyer in Malaysia. Perhaps a bigger star, however, was a fine example of the Mini’s bigger stablemate, in the form of a 1963 Morris 1100; the Fiesta Yellow example was guided at £4000–6000 but sold for £9675. And for those searching for something more rugged, there were several Land Rovers to choose from, notably a 1993 Defender 110 300TDi that easily beat its £4000–6000 estimate to make £9256.

Various Blue Ovals also found new homes. A late Ford Capri 2.8 Injection looked good value at £11,018 despite having a few rust bubbles, while a 2000 Puma showing just 44,000 miles sold for £2310 despite being the less desirable 1.4 version. In addition, an early Escort XR3 in special-order black went for £14,500, while £16,112 changed hands for a Mk4 RS Turbo.

Staying with hot hatches, the first lot of the day saw a red Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9 sell above its guide price for £9137, followed late in the sale by another 1.9 GTI with a very well-executed turbo conversion, which looked a real hoot for just £5170.

With other lots including sub-£1000 bargains, an 8000-mile Fiat Multipla, various Raleigh Choppers and a £35,500 Porsche 911 Targa, this was another intriguing sale in the north-east. For the full list of results, see wbandsons.com

  • An excellent alternative to the more expensive Lotus Elise, this 2003 Vauxhall VX220 was the 2.2 variant and showed just 39,000 miles. It came with a long MoT and a good history file, and sold at the top end of its guide for £11,900.
  • The sale’s headliner was this 1995 Ferrari 355 GTS, which had been with its vendor since 1999 and was resplendent in traditional red with a black leather interior. The targa-roofed model showed just 44,000 miles and sold for an impressive £78,000.
  • One of three Rover Minis in the sale, this Almond Green Cooper automatic was reimported from Japan in 2021. The 1999 example was in excellent condition and boasted such JDM luxuries as air conditioning, so it was no surprise to see it beat its £8000-£10,000 estimate to sell for £12,650.
  • Subject to a recent engine-out refresh, this 1990 Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9 had been with its current owner for more than 20 years. With a modest £5000-£7000 estimate, it attracted plenty of interest before selling for £9137.
  • Bought new by star musician Bill Wyman, this 1983 Ferrari 400i was in tidy condition throughout. It was estimated at £18,000-£22,000, but its celebrity provenance was surely a factor as it went on to sell for £28,600.
  • First registered in 1963, this Morris 1100 came supplied with a large history file, suggesting its mileage of just 21,000 was correct, and looked very smart in rare Fiesta Yellow with a Powder Blue interior. It was estimated at £4000-£6000 but went on to sell for £9675.
  • The sale also featured several affordable modern classics, such as this 1994 Vauxhall Cavalier 1.7 diesel. Still an eminently capable daily driver, the 105,000-mile example looked to have plenty of life left and was snapped for just £595.
  • As well as boasting very attractive looks, this 1977 Daimler Sovereign 4.2 Coupe had recently been lavished with improvement work totaling nearly £5000. The 80,000-mile example came with a comprehensive history file and beat its lower estimate to sell for £16,600.
  • A late example registered in the penultimate year of production, this 1957 Austin FX3 taxi operated in West London before being used for private work, including an appearance on The Saint TV series in 1964. It still presented very well and sold mid-estimate for £12,360.
  • Registered in April 1987, this very late Ford Capri 2.8 Injection had a few rust bubbles, but drove superbly and came with a massive history file that included its original stamped service book. It sold towards the top end of its £8000-£12,000 estimate for £11,018.