An impressive 177 lots went under the hammer as WB & Sons hosted the latest of its regular auctions on July 19

There were some impressive results recorded at WB & Sons’ latest sale, especially by cars that were either very small, or very big.

One of the headliners was a 1960 Austin Seven, resplendent in Speedwell Blue. A superbly restored example of an early Mk1 Mini, it beat its £14,000-£16,000 guide to settle on £16,895. Elsewhere, a rare right-hand drive Fiat 500L dating from 1973 sold for £10,082 against a £6000-£7000 guide, and a 1976 Autobianchi A112 Abarth set up for tarmac rallies sold at the top end of its estimate for £15,532. Completing an Italian trio was a 1991 Fiat Panda 750 that showed just 35,000 miles and sold for £4200.

At the other end of the scale, a 2001 Bentley Arnage Red Label that was crammed with factory extras and had covered just 19,000 miles beat its £16,000-£20,000 to make £20,982, and a 1991 Mercedes-Benz 420SEL – a late example of the W126 S -Class – easily beat its £3500-£4500 estimate to sell for £7794.

Sating with prestige brands, there were no fewer than four Daimler V8-250s, with the latest example – a 1969 car – beating its upper estimate to change hands for £10,900. In addition, a wonderfully restored Series 2 Jaguar E-Type 2+2 FHC dating from 1971 beat its upper guide by more than £10,000, selling for £47,415. This was followed by a 1988 XJ-S V12 Cabriolet, which was snapped up for an estimate-beating £10,082.

Elsewhere, a couple of big Citroëns also performed well.  A very late DS23 Pallas registered in 1975 sold above guide for £12,808, but a 1985 CX25 GTI Turbo went even better, beating its £12,000 upper estimate to sell for £13,625. Modern spots cars did well too, with a 996-generation 2004 Porsche 911 Carrera 4S selling above estimate for £17,440, and a 2002 Alfa Romeo Spider 3.0 V6 doing likewise at £7902.

There was still time for hot Fords to grab some attention, with a 1985 Escort RS Turbo S1 selling for £17,168 and not one but two examples of the Mk3 Escort RS1600i – both from 1983 and both black. The first sold above guide for £16,622, with the other changing hands for a more modest £11,445.

With bargain starter classics including a Peugeot 205 for £590 and a 1996 Rover 100 Knightsbridge for just £640, the sale ticked a wide range of boxes.

For the full list of results, see wbandsons.com

  • A rare UK-supplied example with right-hand drive, this 1973 Fiat 500L looked smart in white with a red canvas roof. It showed just 25,000 miles and beat its £6000-£7000 estimate to change hands for an impressive £10,082.
  • Resplendent in Speedwell Blue, this 1960 Austin Seven looked to be a stunning example of an early Mk1 Mini. Described as being restored to the “next level,” it was said to one of the best classics WB has had through its doors, and beat its £14,000-£16,000 estimate to sell for £16,895.
  • It may have showed 172,000 miles, but this 1985 Citroën CX25 GTI Turbo presented superbly following a thorough recent refurbishment. A leather interior and air conditioning were other plus points, with the car beating its £10,000-£12,000 estimate to sell for £13,625.
  • One of four Daimler V8-250s in the sale, this 1969 example was the latest, and was described as one of the best examples the auctioneer had seen. Extensively restored in 2013 and supplied with a comprehensive history file, it beat its upper estimate to sell for £10,900.
  • Registered in 1981, this very late MG LE roadster had been restored to a high standard and looked superb. Complete with its stiped ‘deckchair’ seats and sitting on wire wheels, it looked a tempting prospect at an estimated £7000-£9000, and sure enough, went on to sell for £9538.
  • The Mk2 Mazda MX-5 is becoming hard to find in good order, but this 1.6-litre model from 1998 looked like a superb example. Showing a genuine 35,000 miles, it was a one-owner car with plenty of history and beat its £1500-£2500 guide to sell for £3270.
  • Owned by the same family since new, this 1969 Sunbeam Rapier Fastback showed only 29,000 miles, which was believed to be genuine. In very original condition and sold with a large history file, it just beat its upper estimate to sell for £8175.