European Exotica Up For Sale With CCA This Month

Classic Car Auctions (CCA) has a busy 2019 auction calendar ahead. Activity will get underway by the end of this month, as cars head under the hammer on March 23/24 at the Practical Classics Classic Car and Restoration Show (PCCCARS).

The variety available at the latest sale features numerous Audi Quattros, Grand Tourers – including the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT Veloce from the peak of Italian design, a desirable Mercedes-Benz 250 SL Pagoda and a rarely seen Porsche Carrera 2 Cabriolet.

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For pure Quattro heritage, nothing gets better than the original Ur-Quattro, and there is a 1986 example which looks as good as new in its solid white exterior and all-black interior. It’s not just us crediting those looks, Classic and Sports Car magazine featured the car on its front cover in October 2016.

For the first three decades of the car’s life it had just two owners, and has put 76,500 miles under its wheels on the road. All of the original Whitehouse Audi stickers and dealer plates remain present, and despite being top condition, it’s valued at a bargain price of £30,000 to £35,000 ($39,450 - $46,050, €34.950 - €40,750). Just £5000 short of that is another Quattro donning Tornado Red paint, ready for you to relive your favourite scenes from Ashes to Ashes.

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The Alfa GT is nearly two decades older, but just as valuable in monetary and cultural terms, and has been through five owners since new. Between 2007 and ‘10 it underwent a full restoration, photographic proof of which comes with the sale, and with an additional dab of paint last year it also looks like it’s just rolled out of the factory circa 1967.

However, the graceful Italian car may be swamped by the number of German vehicles on offer at the auction, including the aforementioned 1992 edition Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Cabriolet.

One of a selection of 24 Porsche examples that were sold in the UK as right-hand drive and in wide body form, the Carrera 2 Cabriolet is another to have benefitted from thorough servicing. It trumps the estimate price of the Quattros and Alfa at £42,000 to £47,000 ($55,250 - $61,825, €48,950 - €54,750).

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With Audis and Porsches at the sale, it’s only natural that there will be a Mercedes-Benz presence too, including two ‘Pagodas’. The lead car is a Cherry Red finished left-hand drive 250 SL which was imported to the UK four years ago. Since then it’s been thoroughly restored inside and out, and comes with a marching hard top and unblemished tan soft top roof. If red isn’t your thing, then a silver 230 SL ‘Pagoda’ is also on offer.

CCA auction calendar

March 23/24: PCCCARS, Birmingham NEC

May 25: CCA May Sale, Warwickshire Event Centre (WEC)

August 3: CCA August Sale, WEC

October 5: CCA October Sale, WEC

December 7: CCA December Sale, WEC