Fabulous Ford GT to lead Saturday’s £5.1m Silverstone auction

And there’ll be plenty of classic metal, too

A windswept former airfield in the heart of Northamptonshire might not seem like the most glamorous location for a multi-million pound auction – but that’s exactly what you’ll find at Silverstone’s May sale this weekend.

Following a Ferrari-only auction on Friday – the first of its kind in the UK – 19 May will see a host of high-value classics going under the hammer at the UK circuit, from ultra-rare Italian sports cars to fast Fords straight out of the '80s.

All in, the century-spanning collection of lots could fetch in excess of £5m. Not bad for a bit of overtime.

Not sure where to start? We’ve picked out 15 of the hottest classics set to sell come Saturday – and one more modern machine that’s sure to have heads turning.

1966 Iso Griffo GL 350

Estimate: £220,000 – 260,000

Even without details of its former owner, this 1966 Iso Grifo GL 350 would be worthy of attention: one of just 26 right-hand drive variants built by the defunct marque, it’s a rare and stunning blend of Italian style and US power. That it was owned by motorcycling legend Mike Hailwood? Well, that just adds to the provenance of this unique machine.

1987 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth

Estimate: £90,000 – 105,000

A race-bred homologation special hand-built by Aston Martin Tickford, Ford’s Sierra RS500 was built to destroy its touring car competition in the late-'80s. In road trim, it could do 0-60 in 6.1 seconds and maxed out at 154mph. This immaculate 1987 example is one of just 500 ever built and has covered a mere 12,000 miles in its 30 years on the road.

1987 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth

Estimate: £90,000 – 120,000

There’s another Cosworth going under the hammer at Silverstone and it’s rarer, still. This 1987 machine is the very first RS500 ever made – a pre-production car that was used in the development of the model. Even with questions over some aspects of its condition, it remains one of the most significant fast Fords ever – and it could well break price records for the model.

1947 Lancia Aprilia Farina

Estimate: £220,000 – 250,000

Built in 1946, this outstanding Lancia is about as rare as they come: just 10 such chassis received cabriolet bodies from Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina – then still personally overseen by founder Battista Farina. A right-hand drive example, it was subjected to a thorough restoration after being found in a field, leaving it in remarkable condition today.

1954 Lancia Aurelia B20 GT Series IV

Estimate: £100,000 – 120,000

From one Lancia to another, this 1954 Series 4 is a fine example of the first production car to ever carry a V6 engine. A complete and innovative package of Italian luxury and performance, it remains as evocative today as it did when it launched in 1950 – especially after a late-’90s restoration and more recent refit to the tune of £7000.

1959 Jaguar XK150 3.8 S Fixhead Coupe

Estimate: £85,000 – 95,000

Back to blighty, the next hot lot is this 1959 XK150 – a rare, race-proven, right-hand drive example that saw UK track action through the '70s and '80s. One of just 150 3.8 ‘S’ Fixhead Coupes to have been built by Jaguar, ‘6007 RE’ has been well cared for in its 60 years of running, including a bare-metal repaint in 2015 to bring it back to its full Carmen Red glory.

1961 Jaguar E-Type 3.8 ‘Flat Floor’

Estimate: £80,000 – 100,000

Another Carmen Red Jag, this 1961 machine is believed to have been the 100th right-hand drive E-type built. A rare ‘flat floor’ example, it was first delivered to the owner of Humbrol Paints. Still carrying its original engine (as rebuilt in 2004), it’s in need of some attention but remains a stunning early illustration of that most iconic of British sports cars.

1973 Jaguar E-Type Series 3

Estimate: £110,000 – 130,000

In 1971, Jaguar released arguably the ultimate iteration of the E-type. Equipped with a race-bred 5.3-litre V12 engine, purists weren’t pleased but it was still a thing of beauty – much like this British Racing Green example. Run and serviced regularly after its purchase in 1973, chassis 1S2023 was comprehensively restored in 2012 to leave it pristine.

1973 Porsche 911 S 2.4

Estimate: £160,000 – 180,000

Next up is the first, and quite possibly the best, of several Porsches at Silverstone. Sure, its mileage might top 200,000, but a fully documented history of extensive, money-no-object maintenance makes this 911 S one to lust after. Built in 1973, it’s a stunning illustration of Porsche’s pure, lightweight 2.4-litre sports car – bettered in its day only by the 2.7RS.

1980 Porsche 911 (930) Turbo 'Rinspeed R69'

Estimate: £80,000 – 90,000

You don’t get more '80s than a boxy Porsche 911 remodelled by Rinspeed with ludicrous side strakes – four years before Ferrari’s Testarossa had them. Reworked to commission in 1983, this Pearl White Porsche (and its Turbo Body conversion) has remained with the same family to this day. Recently recommissioned, it’s a superb and absurd bespoke machine.

1981 Porsche 911 (930) Turbo

Estimate: £125,000 – 150,000

Another 930 from the early-’80s, this Venetian Blue example is all stock and all the more valuable for it. Carrying an air-cooled and turbocharged 3.3-litre motor, with that iconic tea-tray spoiler hanging off the back, this right-hand drive, 300bhp machine has just 16,000 miles on the clock and is in highly original condition – including the engine and interior.

1992 Porsche 911 (964) Carrera RS N/GT

Estimate: £165,000 – 185,000

Last of the Porsches is this special-edition Carrera. Based on the RS, the punchy N/GT was stripped and refitted with a roll cage, racing seats and the rest, making it ready to tackle the track – or pop down to the shops. Porsche created just 290 in 1992, including this Ferrari Yellow number, which was resprayed in 2016 and carries a carefully rebuilt engine.

1997 Lamborghini Diablo SV

Estimate: £130,000 – 150,000

Just 13 of Lamborghini’s angular Diablo SV supercars are currently registered in the UK – and you’ll be able to buy this one on Saturday. A late example of the quintessential '90s supercar, it’s made rarer by its unusually subtle metallic green colour scheme – not to mention the fact that it was apparently delivered new to Prodigy frontman Keith Flint.

1960 Mercedes Benz 190 SL

Estimate: £78,000 – 90,000

To call the 190SL a poor man’s 300SL is to do it a great disservice: this 104bhp autobahn cruiser might have been less powerful than the legendary roadster it was based on, but it was still a truly elegant Merc. This 1960 example was cosmetically and mechanically restored in 2014, and goes to market as an immaculate runner.

1966 Mercedes-Benz 230 SL

Estimate: £80,000 – 90,000

The capable 230 SL was the successor to the 190 SL but had a distinctive style of its own: squarer and more Americanised than its forerunner, it gained the ‘Pagoda’ moniker thanks to its dipping hard top. This 1966 example is as good as they come, having been fitted in the '90s with the later 2.5-litre engine and subjected to a restoration to the tune of some £100,000.

2006 Ford GT

Estimate: £270,000 - 310,000

Last up is the headline lot: one of just 27 Ford GTs supplied to the UK and a superb example of the reimagined Le Mans icon. Entirely original and with just 5000 miles on the clock, this well-kept instant classic is as close to new as the blue-badged, 550bhp supercar comes today – and its value is hardly likely to go down any time soon.