In excess of 1,000 visitors to Historics’ 2022 auction opener were treated to a fine and varied selection of 170 classics on offer at Ascot Racecourse, with its customary three viewing days preceding the sale on Saturday, 12th March.

Maintaining its focus on open-to-public auctions, Historics again attracted a full auction hall, with a further 600 registering to bid online in conjunction with its auction partner, Bidpath.
A 51,000 mile 1987 Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth, plucked from a collection and presented in fine order, was an excellent flag-waver for the increasing popularity of modern classics – particularly rare specimens such as this – the car settling with its new owner at a feisty £79,200.
Despite the clamor for modern classics, a brace of Triumph TR5s, a 998cc Mini Cooper, and 1275cc Mini Cooper ‘S’ demonstrated with some aplomb that excellently presented 60’s cars can be immensely valuable propositions…

A decade-long, nut and bolt restoration, with receipts totaling over £40,000, propelled the dark blue 1968 Triumph TR5 to a triumphant £75,000 – close to double its lower estimate.
Not to be outdone, an utterly immaculate 1968 998cc Mini Cooper Mk. I soared to a mighty £47,000 (Est. £28,000-£32,000), hotly pursued by a 1966 Mini Cooper ‘S’ Mk I 1275 that changed hands for £40,000.

Staying with the 60s, the four-pot Porsche 912 may be eclipsed in cult stakes by the 911 but a meticulously-restored and super-elegant, left-hand drive 1968 Porsche 912 showed its class, selling above estimate at £53,000.
Moving on three decades, the final evolution of the Porsche 928 was regally represented by not one but two Porsche 928 GTS models, one of 1992 vintage, the other 1994. Their mileages since new were just 4,400 and 8,200 respectively. That, and the fact that they were both owned new by the Brunei royal family, undoubtedly contributed to their sale prices. Both settled at approximately £47,000.
In contrast to the suave appeal of the 928, a twenty-year-old, 2002 AC Cobra 427 by Dax reeked raw energy. Its rare optional hardtop in no way blunted the fun factor of this wind-in-the hair favorite, whose meticulous presentation was rewarded by an over-estimate sale at over £44,000.
Historics has previously sold two Lotus classics first-owned by Formula 1 ’superswede’, the late Ronnie Peterson, and yet another came to sale here. Again, given to Peterson by Colin Chapman whilst driving for the team, the canary yellow 1974 Lotus Elite 502 was offered without reserve and rose briskly to its sale price at a shade over £20,000.

The pre-war market was well represented by a number of fine classics, of which the most unusual was the curvaceous, art-deco 1934 Nash ‘Advanced 8’ Coupé. Unsurprisingly a multiple concours winner, this extremely rare straight-eight USA tourer, the subject of full restoration, not only came to sale equipped with a dicky seat but a custom boot trunk containing a set of hickory-shaft golf clubs, a picnic set, and a wind-up gramophone. It rewarded its fastidious vendor with a sale price that exceeded its top estimate, at £40,750.
Historics is now consigning for its next open to public auction, again at Ascot Racecourse, on Saturday 21st May.
You can see the full results of this auction as well as the upcoming 2022 auction schedule on the Historics website.