5 cars we’d bid on in Bonhams|Cars' No Reserve Sale
Bonhams|Cars' No Reserve Sale will be held until 18th June and offers a tempting opportunity to snap up a bargain at well below market value. We've picked our favourite cars from the sale, including a brace of De Tomasos. Read on to find out which cars make our shortlist.
1967 Iso Grifo GL Series I Custom
Estimate: €250,000 – €350,000
The Iso Grifo seamlessly melded Italian style with American brawn. Styled by Bertone's Giorgetto Giugiaro and engineered by Giotto Bizzarrini – the Ferrari 250 GTO creator – the Grifo was powered by a small block Chevrolet V8.
This example was built in 1967 and is believed to have been shown at the Barcelona motor show the following year, although there are no supporting documents to prove this. In 1986, the car was given a Series II nose and has since been tuned for fast road use. Its 5.7-litre Chevrolet V8 has a Moon intake, four twin-barrel Weber carburettors, and a manual gearbox. There's also adjustable suspension, Wilwood brakes, air-conditioning, a modern radio and an alarm.
1967 De Tomaso Vallelunga
Estimate: €250,000 – €350,000
After a botched attempt at overthrowing the Argentine government and winning his class at Le Mans, Alejandro de Tomaso ventured into car building with the Vallelunga Coupe. Styling from Giorgetto Giugiaro won it a place at the New York Museum of Modern Art in 1966.
With a steel backbone chassis, a tubular frame and a fibreglass body, the Vallelunga weighed just 726kg, making it a potent B-road blaster despite its modest Ford Cortina-sourced Kent four-cylinder engines. This example boasts significantly more pep because it was subject to a professional restoration that included fitting a Ford engine sourced from a period Formula 3 car equipped with a supercharger, drawing through a Weber Type 48 carburettor. Made in 1967, this is just one of 50 cars built by Ghia, and it has covered just 4,000km since being restored.
1970 DeTomaso Mangusta
Estimate: €180,000 - €250,000
The Mangusta was De Tomaso's first supercar launched just a year after the Lamborghini Miura, following the company's proven formula of fitting an American V8 to an Italian body penned by Ghia's Giorgetto Giugiaro.
This Mangusta was delivered in 1970. Initially finished in Ivory, it was repainted in Ferrari Rosso Corsa during an extensive restoration. In addition to new paint, the car gained an upgraded Ford Hi-Po V8 engine fed by four Weber carburettors and bolted to custom exhaust. The car's Staggered Campagnolo centre-lock wheels hide modern Brembo brakes, and the car has an aluminium fuel tank, adjustable suspension, a fire suppression system, and air-conditioning.
2010 Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Roadster
Estimate: €200,000 - €240,000
The Lamborghini Murciélago was the first car built under Audi's stewardship, combining German reliability with a Lambo's ability to stop onlookers dead in their tracks. With more power – 640PS (471kW) – the SV brought updated looks and revised the V12 supercar's suspension and E-Gear transmission. The seats were also lowered to offer more headroom.
This example was built in the final year of production, has covered 7,200km miles and has options like a glass engine cover and ceramic brakes. This car also has a Liberty Walk styling package, but it can – mercifully – be returned to an OEM look with relative ease, and the original wheels are included in the sale.
2011 Aston Martin Rapide
Estimate: €40,000 - €60,000
The Aston Martin Rapide offered much the same style as one of the company's two-seater GTs but with the added practicality of usable back seats and four doors. The only problem? A near-£150,000 price tag, nearly double what you'd have paid for a rival like the Maserati Quattroporte or Porsche Panamera.
This example solves that problem because, with a mere 497km showing on its odometer, it should feel like new but has a lower estimate that equates to £34,000 – or the same as you'll pay for a basic BMW 3 Series. This 2011 car was specified with optional extras like a 1,000W Bang & Olufsen stereo and the rear seat entertainment pack with screens for the back seat passengers. One potential stumbling block is the car's striking Sunburst Yellow paint.
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