Already made in a limited quantity, this XKSS is one of only sixteen sports-racers to survive a fire at the Jaguar plant in February of 1957. After that, this XKSS led what could be considered a charmed life, first in California, then returning to two noteworthy collectors in the UK, Anthony Bamford and Campbell McLaren.
The American sports car racing scene of the 1950s was a time like no other, when fiercely independent, deep-pocketed men could acquire ex-factory racecars and campaign them with some of history’s most legendary drivers. Admirably pure in its essence, this was a golden era of racing that fielded some of the decade’s most beautifully sculpted and ferociously specified competition machines.
One of the most significant purpose-built Ferrari “big block” sports-racing prototypes from the 1950s, this 1955 Ferrari 410 Sport Spider by Scaglietti is one of just two factory-campaigned 410 Sports equipped with a 24-spark plug 4.9-liter V-12 and is one of a select few Ferrari models with coachwork both designed and built by Sergio Scaglietti.
0598 CM was the Scuderia Ferrari team car driven by Juan Manuel Fangio at the 1956 1000 KM Buenos Aires and later piloted by Carroll Shelby during his landmark 1956 and 1957 seasons when driving for the renowned Southern California-based team principal John Edgar. Shelby won more races as a driver in 0598 CM than any other car in his racing career, with eight wins and ten podium finishes.
There seemed to be no race it could not win as Shelby told a Los Angeles Times reporter, “Nothing can touch this Ferrari if it runs” and decades later he added, “It was the best Ferrari I ever drove.” Also raced in-period by legendary drivers Phil Hill, Eugenio Castellotti, Masten Gregory, Richie Ginther, Joakim Bonnier, Bruce Kessler, Jim Rathmann, and Chuck Daigh, 0598 CM is, without exaggeration, one of the most important and colorful Ferraris to compete in racing during the 1950s. It is among the most successful of all even-numbered sports-racing Ferraris, entering nearly 40 races in-period with 11 victories and 19 total podium finishes from 1956-1958.
As it remains a highly original example retaining the matching-numbers engine, chassis, and body, and fitted with the original fuel tank inscribed by Shelby, “Mr. Ferrari told me that this was the best Ferrari he ever built,” this example offers an unparalleled opportunity to acquire a purpose-built, even chassis-numbered racing sports car of unequaled provenance. Faithfully presented in its period livery and desirably maintained, including the recent engine rebuild by a team of Ferrari experts, this 410 Sport can expect an enthusiastic welcome at the most exclusive vintage racing and exhibition events worldwide and will go to its new owners with the first (1956) and last (1958) trophies won by Shelby driving 0598 CM, along with the original 1957 Nassau racing license plate.
Like the famed men who rode it to such success in-period, the illustrious John Edgar and the inimitable Carroll Shelby, this Scaglietti-built spider is a powerful and nuanced character that cannot be repeated—and will never be forgotten.
As the official sponsor of the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run we thought it was only fitting to send two of our Car Specialists out to experience the 54 mile (87km) journey in a 1904 Cadillac Model F Four-Passenger Tourer. As hundreds of cars set out to celebrate the 125th year of the longest-running motoring event in history, Nick Wiles and Felix Archer take you on an intimate and definitive experience along the way.
This 286 SP claims extreme rarity in the Ferrari lineage as one of just six SP racers originally built and one of only two examples originally equipped with the developmental Maranello eight-cylinder engine. Boasting associations with legendary drivers like Lorenzo Bandini, Harry Heuer, Olivier Gendebien, and Ricardo Rodriguez, chassis 0798 was an integral part of Ferrari’s sports prototype development and racing campaign, and it laid the foundational groundwork for the famed Ferrari P cars. It is also no doubt a cornerstone of the 1964 SCCA D Modified Championship. As such, 0798 has been extensively chronicled and photographed in numerous books and articles, including significant coverage in John Godfrey’s authoritative 1990 volume Ferrari Dino SPs as well as a multi-part feature in Cavallino.
Too often the word ‘iconic’ is applied to a car, but rarely is the term truly justified. In the case of the 1970 Porsche 917K, chassis no. 031/026, the car that contested the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans in the hands of Hailwood and Hobbs, resplendent in full blue and orange Gulf livery, and a car that featured in much of the original racing footage used in Steve McQueen’s Le Mans movie, the word ‘iconic’ doesn’t really even come close to doing it justice.
RM Sotheby’s is honored to offer this incredibly iconic racing car and ‘Le Mans Legend’ movie star at its flagship Monterey auction on 13-14 August in California. To any automotive or motorsport enthusiast, the Porsche 917 needs no introduction, and it is the car’s early 917K coupe form, that truly ignites the passions of these enthusiasts most strongly.
Commonly regarded as ‘The World’s Greatest Sports Car’, boasting a near-perfect flat-12 cylinder, air-cooled engine that could propel the car to speeds in excess of 230 mph, the Porsche 917 set a standard for design, engineering, and sheer performance that took endurance sports car design to new levels and which proved dominant over three incredible seasons of World Championship racing.
1950 Hudson Commodore Eight Convertible Brougham
Lot Location: Tilburg, Netherlands
Hudson’s step-down cars for 1948 marked a new direction for the company, as it had a partially unitary design, with the floor pan on the bottom of the frame rather than on the top, resulting in one literally stepping down to enter a Hudson. There was an all-new six-cylinder engine, but the legacy straight eight, which had been continually updated since its introduction in the 1930s, was also carried over. Its low center of gravity made for excellent handling, for which step-downs are still revered.
The new cars bowed on December 7, 1947. “You’re face to face with tomorrow,” said the ads, and “this time it’s Hudson.” Both dealers and the public were elated. The roof was low, but there was still plenty of room inside. Sales jumped nearly 50 percent over 1947, and Hudson rose from 13th to 11th place in the market.
Incremental internal improvements were made to the engines for 1949, and for 1950 the grilles and taillights were updated. Genuine leather was used on convertible interiors, and an electro-hydraulic power top and windows were standard.
Perhaps the most incredible thing that could be said about the B.A.T. series is that the fantastical design is actually functional, with all three examples exhibiting drag coefficient figures that would still land them in the top ten most aerodynamic cars on sale today. Their extreme forms are, in fact, functional.
Predictably, the B.A.T. concepts made a huge splash on the international motor show circuit, leading to Scaglione’s two greatest hits in terms of production figures – the NSU Sport Prinz and Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint. Unfortunately, the B.A.T. concepts would also mark an inflection point for Bertone and Scaglione’s working relationship.
Scaglione’s daughter Giovanna describes it, “Bertone was a little bothered when it happened that in a magazine article they wrote about Franco Scaglione and not Bertone… For example, in an article speaking of one of his works [Scaglione’s] name was mentioned three times and the name of Bertone was mentioned only once…” Though Giovanna does not attribute her father’s sudden departure from the firm to this incident alone, it was clear that Scaglione wanted to strike out on his own, so that year, he handed over the title of chief stylist to Giorgetto Giugiaro and left Bertone for good.
Built as a more powerful variant of the 914, only 10 of these pre-production 916s were built. Each of the prototypes wore a fixed steel roof, a double grilled engine lid, seven-inch Fuchs wheels, and flared fenders from the 914-6 GT cars.
Fitted with a 2.4-liter flat-six engine from the 911 S model, the example on offer was originally owned by Louise Piëch, Ferdinand Piëch’s sister. It later went on to be the centerpiece in several prominent collections and is offered today from single ownership since 2008 in concours condition following a comprehensive two-year, bare-metal restoration.
Ride along with Global Head of Auctions, Gord Duff as he drives chassis 5379, the 235th Lusso produced, and the only example ever provided in this Avorio over Rosso color combination. Purchased by the late Dr. Raymond Boniface in 1974, the Lusso would go on to be part of his collection of outstanding Italian cars and subsequently was a regular guest at many FCA and concours events over the next 30 years. Having been driven just 46,770 miles at the time of cataloging, this highly original Lusso is full of character—offering a glimpse into 45 years of keen custodianship, exhibition history, provenance, and everything else that comes with driving a classic, blue-chip Ferrari in America.
Turn your volume all the way up and watch as RM Sotheby’s Car Specialist Barney Ruprecht takes the stunning and rare 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Coupe by Pinin Farina for a cruise on the open road. Combining brisk performance with distinctive styling, the unique chassis no. 1433 GT, the 185th of 353 examples built, sports numerous bespoke details, including chromed door sills and a 410 Superamerica-style air intake on the hood. Fitted with its original numbers-matching engine, 1433 GT is among the finest available, accompanied by the lauded Ferrari Classiche certification and finished in elegant colors of Blu with an Argento roof making it truly one of a kind.
Boomers Daily 