A number of project cars featured at Silverstone Auctions’ NEC Restoration Show sale on 27 March, but it was the younger cars that really galvanised the room, with the top seller – a Porsche 911 GT2 RS – just five years old.
The 2010 car was one of just 500 examples ever built and sold for £236,250 – more than £30,000 above its pre-sale upper estimate. It was thought to have been bought by an American enthusiast.
It was another German car that grabbed the second highest sale of the day, this time a BMW Z8 from 2001. The Munich legend got away for a whopping £50,000 above its lower estimate at £123,750.
A 2003 Porsche 911 GT2 continued the Teutonic theme. The 996 model offered similar performance to the younger car, but was a comparative bargain at £86,625 – £10,000 above its upper estimate.
Despite our becoming accustomed to seeing Ferraris topping auction results tables, a 1994 348 Spider and 1998 355 Spider could be found further down the listings. The first sold for £65,250, while the second achieved £72,000.
Though beaten to the headlines by younger metal, older cars also performed well at the sale: a 1971 Aston Martin DBSV8 fetched £79,875 – nearly £25,000 above its lower estimate – while a 1980 Aston Martin V8 sold for £87,750.
Those looking for a project were drawn to a 1960 Austin-Healey 3000 BT7. It achieved £19,125, in part due to having only one owner since 1966.
A very original Rolls-Royce Corniche with coachwork by Mulliner Park Ward sold for £23,625.
“It was a great delight to return to the Restoration Show this weekend and host our second auction at the event,” said Silverstone Auctions managing director Nick Whale. “This year’s sale offered a fantastic selection of cars for buyers looking for a ‘turn key’ car, as well as a project, and clearly the catalogue appealed.”
