Icon of South Africa 1987 BMW 333i now bound for New Zealand. Image: Creative Rides.
With no less than 79 vehicles on offer, Creative Rides Classic and Collectibles’ auction in Cape Town this past Saturday (18 March) netted five deals of more than R1 million.
At the forefront, a 1957 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce Lightweight 750E Conrero, of which 200 were reportedly made, took top honours with an eventual selling price of R2.7-million.
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Another iconic Alfa, a 1962 Giulia Sprint SS, racked-up an equally impressive R1.25-million at the hammer’s drop.
As carmag.co.za points out, the former now becomes the property of a Swiss national, reportedly with an already impressive collection of rare and historic cars.
Other notable cars that fetched over R1-million were the 1987 BMW 333i, which sold for R1.25-million, the 2017 BMW M4 GTS, which sold for R1.17-million and the 1987 Ferrari 328 GTS, which sold for R1.1-million.
According to Creative Rides CEO Kevin Derrick, competition was lively throughout the auction, especially with the top-prize grabbing Giulietta Sprint Veloce Lightweight 750E Conrero.
The second bidding war was over the 1987 BMW 333i, which saw scores of bidders scrambling to get in on the action. The bidding was fast and furious, with several bidders throwing in the towel at around R1 million.
However, those who remained fought hard, and the price continued to climb. At R1,18 million, only two bidders were left standing, engaging in an epic online stand-off between South Africa and New Zealand.
The final hammer fell at R1.25-million, with the “killer” bid coming from New Zealand. The BMW 333i will soon be shipped to its elated new owner in that country.
The third bidding war was over a 1994 Nissan 300 ZX Twin Turbo, which was one of the first true Japanese supercars. With only one owner and sold with its original pink slip and full-service history, this lot excited buyers both locally and internationally.
The bidding was fast and furious, with scores of bidders vying for the opportunity to own this remarkable car. In the end, the winning bid of R600 000 came from Japan, a testament to the soaring popularity of 300 ZXs on the global collectables market.
The South African collector car market is drawing increasing international interest, as demonstrated by the recent Creative Rides auction held in Cape Town.
The auction saw bidders from 14 countries, including England, Switzerland, Japan, and Saudi Arabia, joining local South African collectors.
According to Joff van Reenen, Creative Rides Auctions Director and Lead Auctioneer, international buyers are drawn to the South African collector car market because of the interesting and fresh stock, as well as the favourable exchange rate.
Article first appeared on carmag.co.za.
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