Bonhams’ £4.9m 2025 Goodwood Members’ Meeting auction

The gross and sell-through of 73% were respectable enough, in line with previous Members’ Meeting sales, but a significant takeaway from this year’s event was the poor performance of traditional, mainly British, classics.

Compare £155,250 all-in paid for a (non-Kuwait) automatic Aston Martin DB6 Mk2 estimated at £160k to £190k with the £319,700 achieved by the 2002 Lamborghini Diablo (est. £250k to £280k). Many Rolls-Royces and Vintage and Derby Bentleys went home unsold. E-types and XKs suffered.

Part of this is the general move away towards younger, more dynamic models. But for typical Bonhams buyers – comfortably-off provincial types of more mature years, retired professionals and small business owners – the aftershock of US president Trump’s tariff plans on their medium-to-long-term investments has meant they do not feel as wealthy as they did only a few weeks ago.

Expect more of this in months to come, and it’s too early to say if tangible assets such as collectible cars become a safe haven for UK-based sub-£500k collectors.

At a glance:

* Gross, motor cars: £4,884,050 (2024, £5,070,312)
* Percentage sold by number: 73% (2024, 70%)
* Top-selling car: 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC £402,500 gross, £350,000 net (est. £400k to £500k)
* Well sold? Tucked away at the end of the sale was the 1972 Mercedes-Benz 600 Saloon once owned by Hollywood legend Jack Nicholson. It was bought for £126,500 against an estimate of £70k to £90k.
* Well bought? On the less favoured end of the collecting spectrum today, the 1912 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Roi des Belges Style Tourer would have been £400k+ 5-10 years ago. It sold for £195,500 gross last weekend after being on the market for many years. Est. £200k to £300k.

The top-selling Ferrari was delivered new to Italy, so left-hand drive (good), in Maroon with beige. It is now Blu Sera with grey (nice, but not so good for value). It had spent a large part of its life in the US, then Italy and was restored by an undisclosed firm to non-original colours around 10 years ago, subsequently receiving its Ferrari Red Book. At £402,500 ($525k) the result was a little weak for the model but was a reflection on its scrappy history and the fact it wasn’t a more desirable 365.

Other results of note (all prices gross):

* 1990 Renault 5 GT Turbo Hatchback, £26,450. French hot hatch-era pocket rocket comfortably doubled its estimate, even with 70,000 miles and an older restoration.
* 2024 Lamborghini Revuelto (below), £333,500. Costing over £560k new, this finance company repossession was something of a ‘bargain’, though probably more Manchester McDonalds now than Monaco. You’ve got to keep those payments up.

* 1975 Ferrari 365 GT4 BB, £178,250. Ex-Eric Clapton, the car made famous smashed into a banana shape (after only 43 miles) on an album cover. Restored red, coming from the second, now deceased owner and needing doing properly in Italy in correct Argento Auteuil.
* 1988 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante X-Pack, £212,750. A lot of car in lipstick red.
* 1978 Porsche 911 SC 3.0-Litre Coupé, £41,400. Out of storage, requiring recommissioning, from original owner with 90,000 miles from new. Est. £20k to £30k No Reserve. For this model, at this price, you cannot go wrong. Trump that.

Partnership with Goodwood renewed for another five years

In an announcement made at the same event it was revealed that the Bond St firm would continue its association with Goodwood until 2030. Rumours within the trade had put the renewal in doubt, but the strong personal relationship between leading members of the Bonhams Motor Cars Team past and present and Charles March, The Duke of Richmond, got the deal over the line in time for the 2025 season.

 

Significant sales completed at Goodwood over the years include the Mercedes-Benz W196 GP car, the George Daniels collection, the John Surtees collection and Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato ‘2 VEV’.

Bonhams at the Goodwood Members’ Meeting, 13 April 2025 – results (2024)

Gross: £4,884,050 (£5,070,312)
Number of cars not sold: 23 (31)
Number of cars withdrawn: 0 (0)
Total number of cars: 84 (102)
Number sold: 61 (71)
Percentage cars sold by number: 73% (70%)
Percentage by value average low/high estimate: 48% (51%)
Percentage of cars met or sold below low estimate: 61% (55%)
Percentage of cars sold below avge of estimates: 77% (77%)
Percentage of cars sold met/exceeded top estimate: 13% (15%)
Average price of cars sold: £80,066 (£71,413)
Average year of cars offered: 1963 (1965)
Percentage of cars offered at No Reserve: 23% (26%)

Photos by K500