Iconic Auctioneers, previously known as Silverstone Auctions, recently hosted “The Classic Sale” At Silverstone Festival 2023. The auction marked the beginning of a new chapter
Recently, the Bridge Classic Cars team headed out from our Suffolk HQ to visit our friends from Knowledge Visual Technology to try out their new
Iconic Auctioneers, previously known as Silverstone Auctions, recently hosted “The Classic Sale” At Silverstone Festival 2023. The auction marked the beginning of a new chapter for the freshly rebranded auction experts and turned out to be a fantastic launch, as four new auction world records were set, an exclusive ‘Lord of the Manor of Silverstone’ title was acquired, and an impressive total sale value of £7 million was achieved!
The first world record of the auction came in the form of the 1998 Subaru Impreza STi 22B – Chassis #000/400 – Ex-Colin McRae. This iconic vehicle was delivered to the late Colin McRae MBE in November 1998 as one of just three 22B prototypes ever built. The other two prototypes were delivered to David Lapworth and Colin’s co-driver, Nicky Gist.
In a TV interview, Colin once said that the 22B is one of his favourite cars but “it gets you into bother”. If even the legend that was Colin McRae got into “bother” while driving the car, it gives you an idea of just how capable this machine truly is.
With its final sale price of £480,000, another world record now belongs to Iconic Auctioneers and serves as a testament to McRae’s legacy in the world of rallying.
As expected, there was lots of interest in these two Ford Capris. Recognised for their cultural significance and starring roles in the cult TV show ‘The Professionals,’ they sold at the equivalent sale price of £93,375 each which beat the auction world record for road-going Capris, which was set by Iconic Auctioneers (then Silverstone Auctions) in 2019 when one sold for £68,625.
With the pair selling as a single lot for £186,750, Arwel Richards of Iconic Auctioneers said “Ford Capris are among the hottest modern-classic cars for collectors right now and when you add in the fact that these two Capris featured in the much-loved cult TV show we knew we were onto a winner with them.”
Andy Rouse’s ‘missing’ 1989 BTCC RS500 was sold accompanied by a Letter of Authenticity from Andy himself, offering rock-solid provenance from the car’s original builder and driver. As you can imagine, bidding was highly competitive and the final sale price of £370,500 set a new auction world record.
An exceptional 1981 Ford XR3, boasting an incredibly low mileage of 992 miles and coming from one owner from new, sold for the record-breaking sale price of £33,750. In stunning condition due to it being in storage since 1984, it was recommissioned with new fuel and water pipes, and a new exhaust prior to going to auction.
The McRae Collection featured three vehicles from the personal collection of the late Colin McRae. With winning bids from three different countries (Ireland, America, and the UK) these rally legends will be spread across the globe.
The 1992 Subaru Legacy RS ‘Group A’ sold for the staggering sale price of £414,500, while the 2005 Ford Escort MkII McRae, sold for £157,500, and the 1977 Chrysler Sunbeam Ti Group A Rally Car achieved £90,000.
Nick Whale, Chairman of Iconic Auctioneers, said: “We feel truly privileged to have been entrusted by the McRae family with the sale of three of Colin’s favourite cars. Despite the passage of time, Colin is still one of the biggest names in the world of rallying. These cars play a significant role in the history of rallying and so we are not surprised by the level of interest they generated around the world and the prices they achieved.”
The ancient title ‘Lord of the Manor of Silverstone’ was sold for £111,375. The winning bidder not only earned the right to be officially recognised as “Lord” on official documents but also gained the privilege of exercising unique rights associated with the title such as being able to ‘hold court’, appoint a Bailiff and ale taster!
Iconic Auctioneers will return to the Silverstone Festival in 2024 for their 14th year as the exclusive auction partner. In the meantime though, the team are inviting entries for their next sale at the NEC Classic Motor Show from the 10th to 12th of November.
Recently, the Bridge Classic Cars team headed out from our Suffolk HQ to visit our friends from Knowledge Visual Technology to try out their new Sim!
The AXSIM which Knowledge Visual Technology has is a state-of-the-art FIA-approved simulator to help train racing drivers to the highest level and also used for entertainment and events. Its F1-style tub moves underneath the driver and copies the minute movements a racing car will go through on track and feeds all the sensory information back to the driver.
Craig, Molly and Freddie all took turns in the Sim trying out the set-up on the formidable Silverstone circuit. One of the fastest and most iconic tracks not only in the UK but in the world. A fast, flowing but in places highly technical complex which tests even the most skilled drivers.
We had an absolute blast going down to see Knowledge Visual Technology! Can’t wait to have another go.
Check out the video of our time getting to grips with a real F1 simulator!
