Classic Barn Finds At Auction

Hampson Auctions has an incredible list of cars up for sale at its Oulton Park Gold Cup sale, taking place on the 28th of July 2024 at the Oulton Park circuit. Highlights include two literal barn finds: a 1970 Jaguar E-type 4.2-litre 2+2 and, the car it lived with, undisturbed since the mid-1980s, a 1975 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. The auction also features a restored 1956 Bristol Drophead Coupe, a rare right-hand-drive Ferrari 308 GTB ‘Vetroresina,’ and a 1978 Maserati Merak SS.

Managing Director Zach Hamilton said getting the cars out of the barn was good fun. The Jaguar E-type Series 2, purchased by the vendor’s late husband for his 21st birthday in the mid-1970s, has been untouched in the barn since 1986 after a theft attempt outside Woolworths. The 1975 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow, another of the vendor’s husband’s cars, joined it a few years later. Both cars, requiring full restorations, are offered with no reserve.

In contrast, the 1956 Bristol 405 Drophead Coupe has recently undergone a full bare-metal restoration, with the vendor suggesting it could be a show-winner. It has coachwork by Abbotts of Farnham and the original toolkit is included too. Estimated sale price: £160,000-£180,000.

The 1978 Maserati Merak SS was originally delivered to an American owner and later displayed in a museum from 2001 to 2017. Its exceptionally low mileage of 29,000 is credible, though not warranted. This left-hand-drive vehicle, imported to the UK in 2020, retains its period-correct interior, including a 1970s Blaupunkt cassette player, and has recently received new black wool carpets, costing a four-figure sum. It is estimated to sell for £55,000-£65,000.

Among several Ferraris in the auction is a 1976 Ferrari 308 GTB ‘Vetroresina,’ one of only 154 right-hand-drive models, estimated at £90,000-£110,000. The sale also includes a 1991 Ferrari Testarossa (£80,000-£100,000) and a 1975 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4, maintained for the past two decades by its engineer owner specialising in classic and rally cars, offered at no reserve.

Other no-reserve lots include a well-preserved 1973 BMW 2002 Tii in Seventies-style BMW Motorsport livery, a charming 1933 Austin 10/4 Saloon, a charismatic 1991 Nissan Figaro, and a 1954 Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn, complete with the cherished ‘PGH 2’ registration number.

McLaren P1 Lego

The British supercar manufacturer, McLaren Automotive, in partnership with the LEGO Group, has created something many collectors will be looking to get their hands on: the LEGO® Technic™ McLaren P1™. This collaboration is all about paying tribute to one of the most innovative hypercars of all time.

The McLaren P1™ set new standards in hypercar performance and is widely considered to be the most capable, most technologically advanced, and most dynamically superior supercar of its era. Taking advantage of McLaren’s motorsport engineering, the P1™ featured huge advancements in weight reduction, packaging, high-speed performance, powertrain, and aerodynamics.

Designed to be ‘the best driver’s car in the world on both road and track,’ the McLaren P1™’s design and technical specifications made it the perfect candidate for the LEGO Technic team to recreate in 1:8 scale.

Part of the LEGO Technic Ultimate Car Concept Series, this new 1:8 scale model has 3,893 elements, each featuring a unique serial number that unlocks exclusive behind-the-scenes content. The model boasts a 7-speed gearbox with two shifter drums, suspension, a V8 piston engine, an adjustable rear wing, and dihedral doors with an advanced mechanism. This is not your typical LEGO set, creating this model mirrors the skill, technical capabilities, and quality of building the real P1.

The LEGO Technic design team worked closely with McLaren Automotive to incorporate as much cutting-edge functionality as possible. The goal was to create a model that stands as a tribute to the real P1™ and showcases McLaren’s well-known engineering excellence.

Tobias Sühlmann Chief Design Officer, McLaren Automotive said “It’s amazing to see so many of the elements from the original P1 brought to life by the LEGO team for the LEGO Technic McLaren P1™. I hope this collaboration inspires the next generation of designers and engineers to push the boundaries of automotive innovation.”

Kasper Rene Hansen, Designer, LEGO Group said “From the exterior with aerodynamic shapes to the interior and V8 piston engine – the real McLaren P1™ is an incredible car. We wanted to capture these details in the best way possible with our LEGO Technic model and we did not want to compromise in any way

“Therefore, we worked on multiple variations of the car to test different designs. We also faced a huge challenge with the iconic butterfly doors because they needed a new mechanism to stay open. It was a great experience to recreate the McLaren P1™ and I’m hoping all supercar enthusiasts out there are ready to explore the details and intricacies of the real McLaren P1™ in LEGO Technic form.”  

The LEGO Technic McLaren P1 set will be available at www.LEGO.com/McLaren and LEGO Stores from 1st August 2024 priced at £389.99. If you buy the set between the 1st and 7th of August 2024, LEGO Insiders will receive the LEGO Technic McLaren P1 Logo as a gift with purchase.

Bentley Unveils Fourth-Generation Continental GT Speed at Goodwood Festival of Speed

Bentley introduced the fourth-generation Continental GT Speed on the first day of this year’s Festival of Speed. The car is being presented twice, once in the hillclimb and the second in an innovative ‘underwater’ display.

The Continental GT Speed, available in both coupe and convertible models, is the most powerful road-going Bentley ever. Equipped with an all-new Ultra Performance Hybrid powertrain, it delivers 782 PS and 1,000 Nm of torque, surpassing the previous W12 engine. Despite its enhanced performance, the new powertrain achieves a reduction in CO2 emissions to just 29 g/km.

Complementing its powerful engine, the GT Speed features a sophisticated new chassis system. This includes two-chamber air springs, dual-valve dampers, Bentley Dynamic Ride (48V active anti-roll control), eLSD, and torque vectoring. These advancements result in exceptional body control and the most comfortable ride in a Continental GT to date, with a 49:51 rear-biased weight distribution for the first time.

The exterior design marks the most significant revision to the Continental GT’s appearance in 20 years, embracing a new design direction for Bentley. Notably, it is the first mainstream Bentley since the 1950s to feature single headlamps.

Inside, this new model introduces advanced wellness seat technology, air ionisation, three-dimensional leather textures, modern quilting, and technical finishes such as dark chrome.

In addition to the two Continental GT Speed models on the Hill Climb, a third example is uniquely displayed near the Kinrara Enclosure, celebrating the unofficial ‘Underwater Speed Record’—the fastest a car has ever travelled through a tunnel, reaching 208 mph (335 km/h).

The ‘FOShtank’ display is a bespoke adaptation of Bentley’s glass ‘Toy Box’ units from their Dream Factory campus in Crewe. This version includes a custom-built fish tank, a tongue-in-cheek nod to the underwater theme.