Fiat 8V Supersonic, Miura and DB5 lead 230-strong single-owner sale

By Marc McLaren

| 16 Jan 2020

Classic & Sports Car – Fiat 8V Supersonic, Miura and DB5 lead 230-strong single-owner sale

A remarkable collection of 230 cars covering virtually every era, style and price tag will be auctioned later this year – and almost all of them will be offered with no reserve.

The single-owner Elkhart Collection will be sold by RM Sotheby’s in May and includes everything from a Fiat 8V Supersonic to a Lamborghini Miura to a Jaguar XJ220.

What’s more, every one of the classics is said to have been “meticulously maintained” and will head to the auction in Indiana in pristine condition.

Clockwise from top: Fiat 8V Supersonic, Miura P400 SV and Iso Grifo GL

Only 18 cars have been revealed so far, but there already plenty of highlights.

The standout is probably the 1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic: one of a mere 7-15 produced (nobody can agree on a final figure), it’s likely to reach well in excess of £1million at the sale.

The Supersonic was based on Fiat’s groundbreaking 8V sports car, but with custom bodywork by Giovanni Savonuzzi at Ghia. It was heavily influenced by Savonuzzi’s aeronautical knowledge and caused a sensation when it debuted at the 1953 Turin Motor Show.

Other sporty Italians in the collection include a 1967 Lamborghini Miura in top-of-the-range P400 SV spec and a muscular 1968 Iso Grifo GL Series I, both resplendent in bright yellow.

(l-r) FMR Tg500 and Vespa 400

The owner, about whom RM Sotheby’s is revealing nothing, clearly had a thing for yellow – these two microcars may have little else in common with the Miura and Iso Grifo, but they do share their bright colour.

The one on the left is a 1960 FMR Tg500, a low-volume model based on the much more widely known Messerschmitt KR200 platform, while on the right there’s a 1961 Vespa 400.

Nor will microcars be the only quirky lots included in the sale: there’ll also be a wooden triple-cockpit boat, an assortment of trucks, trailers, and equipment, and memorabilia such as children’s pedal cars, neon signs, and a variety of collectibles, plus some 30 motorcycles.

(clockwise from top) Toyota 2000GT, Aston DB5 and Citroën DS Décapotable

At the other end of the scale from microcars you’ll find a stunning Toyota 2000GT, while other ’60s classics unveiled in the first batch of cars include an Aston Martin DB5 and a Citroën DS in open-topped Décapotable guise.

If slightly older fare is your thing, meanwhile, you might want to bid on the 1937 Cord 812 Supercharged or the even more antiquated 1903 Clément 12/16 HP Rear-Entrance Tonneau. The latter is a veteran of the London-to-Brighton Run and indeed remains eligible for that event.

Other cars announced so far include a 1963 Jaguar E-type Lightweight Continuation, a 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300S Roadster, a Hampton Green 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz and a low-mileage 1993 Jaguar XJ220.

(l-r) Cord 812 Supercharged and Clément 12/16 HP

“The quality of the cars and the way that the Elkhart Collection has been maintained and looked after is incredible,” says Gord Duff, Global Head of Auctions, RM Sotheby’s.

“The building that they’ve been housed in is much more than a storage facility and has been designed specifically for the care of collector cars. More than ever, it’s true to say that there is quite literally something for anyone in the collector car hobby within this group of cars, from microcars, to classics, ’50s and ’60s sports cars, the modern era, and beyond.

“These cars are all great examples of their kind, meticulously chosen for the collection, and we’re excited to bring them to market almost entirely without reserve for an auction the entire hobby can enjoy.”

The auction takes place in the city of Elkhart, Indiana, on 1-2 May. The full lot list will be published soon, but for now you can browse the initial batch of offerings here.

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