Chris Evans' car collection to sell for £9m at auction
The 2015 Goodwood Revival Bonhams auction is set to start the bidding on 13 of DJ Chris Evans' stunning classic cars
One of Britain's most famous car collectors, Chris Evans, is to sell off 13 of his highly sought-after motors in the Bonhams Goodwood Revival sale in September.
Evans is best known for his collection of classic Ferraris, and several of his most desirable and expensive Italian supercars will be available for bids at the auction.
• Most expensive cars ever sold at auction
A stunning 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB is the most expensive car of the lot, with a staggering estimation of £2.6-2.9million. There's also a 1971 Ferrari Daytona Spider and a 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L Lusso, both of which are expected to fetch more than £1.5million.
Some of Evans' other interesting cars in the auction include a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Replica, a Daimler Dart police car and a 1983 Fiat 126 'Abarth' – the most affordable car there, expected to reach £10,000-£15,000.
Sholto Gilbertson, Bonhams director of motor cars, said: “Chris Evans is offering 13 incredible motor cars at Bonhams sale, a stable which includes six outstanding Ferraris.
“Chris has been a long-standing client of Bonhams, so we’re delighted to offer his incredible motor cars at Bonhams Goodwood Revival Sale. In refreshing his collection, others will have the opportunity to enjoy Chris’ fantastic cars – after all, you never ‘own’ a classic car, you enjoy it, look after it, and pass it on for others to appreciate.”
The Bonhams auction takes place on 12th September 2015 at the Goodwood Revival.
The cars
1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C AlloyE
Estimate: £2,600,000-2,900,000
The Ferrari 275 GTB features a 3.3-litre V12 engine under its long bonnet that produces 300bhp. This rare right-hand-drive car was originally bought in 'Rosso Chiaro'; but when Evans purchased it in 2014, he had it repainted in a striking pale green livery – based on a famous Ferrari 250 GTO race car from the sixties. With an estimated value of well over £2.5million, this car is set to leave its new owner with a much lighter wallet.
1971 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spyder
Estimate: £2,300,000-2,600,000
Another of Evans' iconic, front-engined V12 Ferraris is this stunning Daytona Spyder. The open-top version of the already rare Ferrari Daytona is the most collectible of all – and this one's being described as 'arguably the finest on the open market'. With just 3,946 miles on the clock, it's easy to see why.
1963 Ferrari 250 GT/L Lusso
Estimate: £1,400,000-1,800,000
The Ferrari 250 GT is surely one of the most beautiful cars ever made. It features Pininfarina styling with a long bonnet housing a 240bhp 3.0-litre V12 engine. This Lusso version was built for cruising, with a 150mph top speed, a fully trimmed interior and softer suspension for a more comfortable ride.
1965 Ferrari 275 GTS Spyder
Estimate: £1,300,000-1,600,000
Ferrari only built 200 examples of the 275 GTS Spyder, making it a rare beast – and, of course, that means values are sky-high. This particular car was bought at the 2013 Goodwood Revival auction by Evans, and has had an engine rebuild and even a respray since then; it was painted yellow previously.
1963 Ferrari 250 SWB Replica
Estimate: £500,000-600,000
This car was originally a Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2, but was converted to SWB specification in 2010. With an estimated value of close to £500,000, it's a bargain, as a real SWB could potentially set you back around £8million.
1949 Jaguar XK120 ‘Alloy’ Roadster
Estimate: £325,000-375,000
It's not just Ferraris in the line-up of cars at the Goodwood Revival auction – this stunning 1949 Jaguar XK120 is also making an appearance. It's one of just 240 alloy-bodied XK120s built, and has made its way over here from the USA. The Jag is in stunning condition, and even comes with its original tool kit.
1967/1988 Jaguar XKSS Lynx
Estimate: £325,000-375,000
This is a recreation of the legendary Jaguar XKSS built by Lynx in 1988. The fact that it's expected to fetch over £300,000 in September is testament to the quality of the replica. Unlike the real XKSS, it's powered by a 3.8-litre straight six, and was bought at last year's Revival auction by Evans.
1936 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Replica
Estimate: £250,000-350,000
If you've ever watched the classic 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, then you'll recognise this car – although it's not the one used in the film. This is a replica, but it has been seen out and about, especially at Evans' popular CarFest events.
1970 Mercedes 280SL Pagoda
Estimate: £100,000-130,000
Described as 'the ultimate Pagoda', this Mercedes 280SL is clearly in fantastic condition; yet it's not completely original. It's got a modern radio installed, plus remote central locking and an alarm. That just makes it even better to use on a daily basis, though. It was bought last year by Evans and used at one of the CarFest events.
1989 Ferrari 328 GTS
Estimate: £100,000-130,000
This Ferrari 328 GTS was originally owned by Nigel Mansell in 1989, as he was driving for Ferrari in that year's Formula One season – so it certainly has heritage. With around 15,000 miles on the clock, it's set to be a solid investment with a comparatively low estimate (for this auction) of £100,000-130,000.
1958 Jaguar XK150 3.4 Fixed Head Coupé
Estimate: £55,000-65,000
The Jaguar XK150 was produced between 1957 and 1961, replacing the XK140 in the brand's range. It preceded the iconic Jaguar E-Type and was a very advanced car for its era, with a very powerful 250bhp 3.4-litre engine under the bonnet.
1964 Daimler Dart SP250 Police Car
Estimate: £50,000-60,000
The Daimler Dart's looks have always split opinion, with its fishy nose attracting a lot of attention. The Darts were famously used by the police to be able to catch criminals doing high speeds on the new motorways being built all around the country in the sixties, and this is one of them.
1983 Fiat 126 'Abarth'
Estimate: £10,000-15,000
This little Fiat 126 was originally a standard model owned by an elderly lady, but in 2011 it was bought and rebuilt into a much more hairy-chested, Abarth-style car, with a racy engine in the back. Apparently, Evans bought the car because the bright paintwork matches his hair…
If you had the cash, which of Chris Evans' cars would you bid on? Let us know in the comments section below...
