Have you ever seen a more varied car collection than this?

Vast auction spans decades, styles and values

Back in April, we reported that one man’s 200-car collection was heading to auction – and the initial batch of no-reserve wagons did gangbusters at Coys’ Techno-Classica sale in Essen, Germany.

Missed out on the first round? Worry not: the lion’s share of that vast and varied assortment is set to go under the hammer on Saturday (18 May) at Chiswick House in London.

And, if you thought Essen had variety, wait until you see the lot list for Chiswick. From a Jensen Interceptor featured on Top Gear to a Fiat used by the Pope to a raft of military motors, the late ‘gentleman collector’ was nothing if not diverse in his curation.

What’s more, the whole lot – some 108 vehicles in total – is up for grabs without reserve, so there’s every chance you can bag yourself a spring bargain if you head along. Here are some of the highlights.

1977 Ford Transit Mk1 Police Control

Estimate: £2500 – £4500

Now, what do we have here? First registered back in March 1977, this 42-year-old Ford Transit is nor ordinary hauler, having started its life as a control vehicle for the Metropolitan Police (as you might have guessed from the paint job).

After plodding the beat around the mean streets of London, the 2-litre van then found its way to the Stondon Motor Museum – a facility that sadly shut down in 2015, which is presumably when our gentleman collector picked up the bobbies’ Blue Oval.

It’s since racked up several film appearances and ships with much of its original equipment, including PA system and reinforced windows, plus a good covering of dust and some 205,000 miles on the clock. 

1972 Morris Minor Van

Estimate: £2500 – £3500

Firstly, despite what it says above, we should point out that this isn't technically a Morris Minor van: it’s actually an Austin 6cwt van. But Coys is calling it a Morris Minor, so we are too. 

The confusion isn’t surprising, given that it is all to intents and purposes a Morris Minor van that was rebadged as an Austin – the only difference beyond the badge itself is the crinkly grille on the front.

What’s notable about this one, of course, is that it was worked over in 2004 by a former patrolman to identically match the vehicles used by the AA in the late ’60s and early ’70s – complete with roof sign, two-way radio and that all-important flashing light.

Ideal for making yourself useful at classic car events this summer, chassis MAE5.307529 goes under the hammer, like the rest of the collection, without a reserve price. 

1952 Morris Minor Series II

Estimate: £3000 – £6000

Nor is it the only ‘Morris’ in the sale: there are four others, including this lovely early example of the once-ubiquitous Minor.

Penned by Alec Issigonis – he of Mini fame – the 1952 Minor shipped complete with an 803cc engine that could do the zero to 60 trundle in less than a minute and, going downhill, top out at 63mph.

Cutting a dash in its minty shade of green, this natty number signposts its age with a split windscreen, yet a mileage of just 42,000 means it still has plenty of potential – and a good condition to match. 

1954 Fiat Topolino Giardinera

Estimate: £7000 – £12,000

Sticking with the ’50s, this Mediterranean machine is a fab example of another compact classic, the Fiat 500 Topolino, in station-wagon spec.

Launched in the 1930s with such luxuries as hydraulic brakes and independent front suspension, the 500 went through several variations over the following decades until, by 1949, it packed a 16.5bhp motor and heating as standard. Talk about refinement.

This particular 500 was built in Giardiniera guise – essentially a four-seater with extra luggage space – and remains a picture of Italian charm today, with just 8700km on the clock, a lovely paint job and interior, and that plucky overhead-valve power unit. 

1969 Fiat 500L

Estimate: £5000 – £8000

Alternatively, for a pocket-size classic with a face you know and love, try this Fiat 500L from the late ’60s.

Launched in ’57, the Nuova 500 model was a fitting replacement for the Topolino before it – and it promptly became one of Italy’s most iconic motors, with almost 3m units sold.

This particular 500 is an example of the Lusso variant, launched in 1968 with a fresh dash, updated binnacle and carpet under-foot – or, in this case, Alcantara. Bonny in red, it’s as fun as anything in the collection and could fetch as much as £8k on 18 May.

1987 Lancia Thema 8.32

Estimate: £14,000 – £20,000

Sticking with the Italians, this late-’80s Lancia is something altogether different from those plucky little Fiats.

One of history’s greatest sleepers, the top-end Thema 8.32 was more than just a luxury model: beneath its saloon-car shell, the built-to-order four-door packed a 3-litre Ferrari V8 engine – a motor that could catapult it from 0 to 60 in 6.8 secs and all the way on to 150mph. Not exactly your average sedan, then.

Fewer than 2400 were built, all in left-hand drive guise, and they’re quite rare today. Fancy this one? Reported to be in good condition, the gentleman collector’s Thema is expected to fetch £14-20k – though there’s no reserve.

1971 Lancia Fulvia II Berlina 1.3

Estimate: £4000 – £8000

Prefer your Lancias a little more saintly? Try this Fulvia II from 1971. Not quite the rally weapon its Sport sibling proved to be, the upright 1.3-litre second-series Berlina was nevertheless a nice way to cruise around the city.

Indeed, that’s exactly what its former owner used it for – a certain Pope John Paul I, who reportedly steered the Fulvia around the streets of Rome in the 1970s, before he became head of the Catholic Church.

With a respectable 67,000km on the clock, the dusty four-door could certainly do with a spruce-up today, but the once-Papal wagon remains well-preserved – so you shouldn’t need divine intervention to get it back to its best. 

1989 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL

Estimate: £17,000 – £25,000

As with the Essen sale, the Chiswick House lot list is replete with Mercedes machines, suggesting the late ‘gentleman collector’ had something of a thing for the German wagons.

This 560SEL, for instance, is one of two up for grabs at the May auction – and both are are highly original examples of the Stuttgart marque’s late-’80s autobahn cruiser, complete with 5.5-litre V8 engines and a raft of luxuries, standard and optional.

They’re also both low-mileage examples, but this one has covered just 34,000 miles to the other’s 55k, and is duly expected to command a higher price.

1963 VW Beetle Type 1

Estimate: £11,000 – £17,000

Another German classic, albeit one from two decades earlier, is this highly original and very low-mileage Volkswagen Beetle.

Finished in 1963, this grey-green Bug offers everything a nostalgic hippy could hark after, from those sweet headlamp shades and crisp white-walled tyres to that distinctive swooping shell and a plucky 1200cc motor at the back.

Remarkably authentic and with a scant 1200km on the clock – not to mention a wonderful interior, judging by the pictures – it’s one mighty fine Vee-Dub. 

1982 Trabant 601

Estimate: £6000 – £10,000

If the Beetle was West Germany’s Mini, East Germany had the Trabant. Only, it was iconic for altogether different reasons: built from recycled cotton, woefully unreliable, spartan inside, terrible to drive and powered by a properly shonky motor, it was, by all accounts, awful.

Which is precisely why it’s gained such a cult following in the intervening decades.

And, because so few Trabis have actually survived those years, the examples that remain can fetch a healthy price today – much like the one at the Coys sale, a restored 1982 number that could claim as much as £10k at the hammer. 

1992 Renault 4

Estimate: £2000 – £3500

Speaking of motors with mass appeal, few can hold a candle to the Renault 4 when it comes to sales figures: more than 8m of them were produced between their launch in 1961 and their eventual demise three decades later. 

Arguably as famous in panel-van form as compact hatchback, the 4 was undeniably a winner in any guise, with its blend of simple functionality, practical efficiency, accessible handling and… look, it was just good. Un bon paquet. Appealingly familiar and wonderfully understated.

Fancy finding out what the Quatre L is all about? The example on offer at Chiswick House is a late one, built in 1992, kept well and in excellent, highly original condition today. 

1987 Daimler Limousine

Estimate: £17,000 – £25,000

From little to really rather large, this late-’80s Daimler again shows the sheer range of brands, styles and eras on offer from the late gentleman’s collection.

With that classic Daimler nose stretched to a tail that aped that of the Citroën DS, it’s easy to see why the stately four-door Limousine was favoured by many a European royal family.

A late, Jaguar-built example, this 1987 number was originally made for the then-chairman of Jaguar, Sir John Egan. When he left the firm, Jag retained the elongated machine for VIP duties until, when the Browns Lane plant closed, it was given to the Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust.

And, thanks to that history of careful ownership, it goes to auction in ‘excellent condition throughout’, with 69,000 miles on the clock – making it an ideal acquisition for those of princely ambitions. 

1963 Jaguar MkII Saloon

Estimate: £17,000 – £21,000

For something 46 inches shorter but just as stoic, this MkII Jag is spot on – a mid-’60s saloon with, in the words of Sir William Lyons, grace, space and pace.

The follow-up to Jaguar’s successful but outdated MkI machines, the MkII launched in 1959 and soon became revered for its handsome looks, comfortable refinement and strong performance. Oh, and it made for a pretty good racer, too.

This 1963 example is as fine as they come, finished in a suitably understated shade of black and as elegant as the day it left the factory, with just 43,000km on the clock. Which might explain that hefty upper estimate.

1935 Humber 12hp Saloon

Estimate: £3000 – £6000

This 84-year-old Humber 12 is one of the oldest lots in the collection. It’s also a picture of pre-war stately elegance – albeit a dusty one.

As upright as it ever was, the 1935 machine is in need of some TLC today, but still retains many of its original components, including the leather upholstery and dashboard – though it’s not clear whether its authentic 1.7-litre four-cylinder motor still resides under the long bonnet.

With no reserve, Coys reckons it could fetch up to £6k on 18 May.

1966 Rover P5 MkIII

Estimate: £5000 – £8000

In the market for some mid-’60s luxury? Look no further.

The third coming of Rover’s high-end P5 shipped in three body styles and packed a 3-litre straight-six good for 134bhp. It also boasted wonderful refinement inside – including individual rear seats instead of a bench.

This particular P5, a right-hand drive number finished in 1966, has managed to avoid the rusty fate of many a MkIII by spending much of its life in the Med, only joining the gentleman collector’s garage more recently. 

As a result, it’s in fine condition today and goes to auction with an estimate to match.

1955 Bentley R-Type

Estimate: £15,000 – £20,000

The late curator of these glorious motors clearly had a thing for British luxury, because there’s plenty more to come – starting with this imposing Bentley R-Type.

Wrapped in elegant factory coachwork that heavily resembled that of the MkVI before it and equipped with a 4.6-litre straight-six that could push it to 90mph, the R-Type was a powerful yet refined cruiser. This 1955 example comes from the last year of production and is reportedly “well sorted”. 

1989 Austin Mini Moke

Estimate: £13,000 – £17,000

There are several compact oddities in the collection, including a BMW Isetta bubble car and an example of the aptly named VW Thing.

This well-kept Mini Moke is the nicest of the bunch, though. Designed by Alec Issigonis alongside his iconic Mini and built by BMC without a reason for its being – army parachute plans came to nought – the Moke became almost as much of a style symbol in the ’60s as its coupé cousin.

Relatively rare today, the Moke remains ideal for golf courses, beach resorts and famous Welsh villages.

Austin Champ

Estimate: £5000 – £7000

Another Austin built with the army in mind – and one of many military machines in the estate collection – the Champ was Britain’s answer to the Jeep, a light off-roader designed to tackle all conditions.

And it made a fine stab of it, deploying a 2.8-litre Rolls-Royce motor to do so. The only problem was that it also proved costly and complex, and the contract was terminated after just 4000 or so were built.

Not much is known about the provenance of this particular Champ, only that it’s in good condition following a restoration and comes complete with a spade.

1973 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham

Estimate: £12,000 – £15,000

Flying the flag for the USA at the Coys sale is this luxury four-door Caddy – an archetypal ’70s saloon in styling and engine alike, packing a V8 under the hood and plenty of chrome to go with it.

From the grille to tail fins, it’s all about long, flat lines and hard right-angles, and it would certainly make for an imposing presence in the average garage.

More than that, this particular example has prominence to match the profile: it was once owned by the Shah of Iran. 

1977 Alfa Romeo Nuova Giulia Super 1.3

Estimate: £10,000 – £15,000

Built in some 12 varieties over 15 years, the Giulia’s final iteration arrived in 1974 as the Nuova Super, distinguishable by its black plastic grille and flat boot lid.

Zippy, boxy and surprisingly flash inside, it remains a lovely runaround today – and this 1977 example, from the final year of production, is pretty much as good as they come.

Kept in dry storage, it goes to auction in pristine condition, with just 17,000km on the clock. 

1960 Rover P4/100

Estimate: £4000 – £8000

Back to Blighty and the last Rover of our selection is this P4 which, really, feels like the Goldilocks of mid-size luxury classics: not too common, but not too rare; not too staid but not too loud; in ‘good overall condition’ but not pristine. 

All-in-all, this grey-on-grey machine presents a very appealing 100mph package – especially when you consider those red leather seats.

1957 Jaguar MkVIII

Estimate: £15,000 – £21,000

Prefer something with a more distinctive shell? For a ’50s cruiser that’ll get you noticed, try this Jaguar MkVIII – complete with swooping coachwork, glassy cabin and all sorts of curves.

This one is no ordinary example, either: it’s been comprehensively restored, refinished, re-chromed, re-painted and restored. All of which has left it in really rather nice condition.

Original where possible – including the red leather interior – it’s also enjoyed a few tasteful changes, including a replacement 4.2-litre motor fully rebuilt by a Jaguar specialist. 

1979 Land Rover 88

Estimate: £5000 – £8000

Every diverse classic car collection needs a Land Rover, and this one features a late-’70s model in Series 3 guise.

Alright, so it could do with a little love, but it's nonetheless a wonderfully original example of the famous off-roader and heads to Chiswick House complete with correct canvas roof, radiator cover and that all-important spare wheel on the bonnet.

1972 Jensen Interceptor III

Estimate: £23,000 – £25,000

Wrapped in a muscular shell penned by Touring, powered by a meaty Chrysler V8 engine and killed off when the cash ran out in the ’70s, the Interceptor was every bit the British GT – and, with just 6400 or so ever built, it’s becoming increasingly rare on the road.

A 1972 example of the third and final iteration, this particular example appeared on Top Gear way back in 1994 – though its condition today suggests it escaped any hooning.

With 52,000 miles on the clock, a raft of original components on-board – including the 8-track stereo – and a motor that’s said to still run smooth, it’s all you could want for £23-25k. Unless, that is, you fancy buying the whole collection.

Coys’ Chiswick House sale takes place on Saturday 18 May. You can view a full lot list here.