The Brightwells March 2020 sale marked its first classic auction of the year and took place with a busy catalogue of entries at its Leominster head office on March 4. Over 200 vehicles ranging from the 1920s right up to the 2000s went under the hammer, with a number of lots exceeding expectations.
The sale’s headliner was a concours 1988 Porsche 911 Turbo 25th Anniversary edition, which soared to a sale price of £84,000. A Mk1 Ford Escort Twin Cam and a 1968 Aston Martin DBS Vantage also hit strong figures at £47,070 and £44,240 respectively, but there were impressive performances at the cheaper end of the market too. A rare early Fiat X1/9 1300 beat its £8000 top estimate by over £4000 to sell for £12,545, with a 3500-mile Ford Probe almost doubling its lower pre-sale prediction at £7380. In addition, a 2001-registered Rover Maestro sold for £4480.
Pre-war cars also had a good day. Five Austins comprising a 10/4 Lichfield Tourer and four Sevens in various iterations all found new homes, as did a 1929 Model A and a 1933 Humber Snipe 80 Sports Saloon. Further sales included a Rover Ten Coupe and a Singer Nine Sports, both from 1934, with a 1935 MG PA and a Riley Merlin 12/4 Saloon from the same year joining the quota of successful sales.
Alongside, prestige marques like BMW, Ferrari, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Rolls-Royce were all well represented, with the majority of entries sold. There were also several classic Minis, but curiously the more expensive Coopers remained unsold, whereas the cooking models including a City E and a low-mileage 1976 1000 were gleefully snapped up. Those looking forward to the summer, meanwhile, could choose from no fewer than six Volkswagen Campers of various ages.
With several projects finding homes too, there was plenty to suit all tastes in Herefordshire.
Our highlights are below, but for the full list of results see www.brightwells.com.
Supplied from a deceased estate, this rare 1968 Aston Martin DBS Vantage had been in the same ownership for 45 years. It went into storage in 1997, only emerging in January this year. Offered as a restoration project with no reserve, it sold for £44,250.
One of five Land Rovers in the sale was this Defender 90 Pick-up. OK, it’s a touch new being a 2012 model, but it’s remarkable in that just seven miles had passed under its wheels in those eight years. Unsurprisingly it proved popular, selling for £28,560.
The sale’s biggest hitter was this 1988 Porsche 911 Turbo 25th Anniversary edition, one of just two built in right-hand-drive 3.3-litre turbo form. A multiple concours winner to boot, it showed just 63,000 miles and sold above estimate for £84,000.
A rare unmodified S13, this 1993 Nissan 200SX had only covered 63,800 miles and was regularly serviced by its now-deceased former keeper until it was parked up in 2010. From the same estate as the Aston Martin DBS, it was still totally original and looked a bargain at £4256.
The pick of four Renault 4s in the sale was this restored right-hand-drive 4 TL driven over from Ireland, which showed a mere 49,000 miles. Despite needing to be UK-registered, it just surpassed the top end of its £5000-£6000 estimate to sell for £6160.
This 2-litre 16-valve Ford Probe had covered just 3505 miles from new, having been stored for 23 years after its original owner died unexpectedly. Expected to change hands for £4000-£6000, the 1994 example sold for an impressive £7380.
Early Fiat X1/9s are rare, particularly in right-hand-drive. Someone clearly didn’t want to let this 1979 1300 example showing a mere 49,657 miles slip through their grasp, with its sale price of £12,545 over £4000 more than expected.
Joining a turbocharged Mk2 Mazda MX-5 S-VT in the sale was this rather humbler 2003 1.8i model. However, it had covered only 2150 miles from new in the hands of two owners. Upgraded with a coil-over suspension kit and in superb condition, it sold above estimate at £8960.
While a couple of 1960s Coopers and an 11-mile Mini Thirty remained unsold, this beautifully simple 1985 Mini City E in beige soared well above its £3000 estimate to sell for £4705. One of the last models to have a single centre speedo, it showed just 35,000 miles and remained completely standard.
