Under the Hammer

Ahead of Goodwood SpeedWeek, senior specialist Paul Darvill tells us about rally cars from the Alps-Goodwood collection coming under the hammer on 17th October.

Goodwood Speed Week brings a rare opportunity to bid on an extraordinary single owner collection from Switzerland which comprises eight 'driver's cars' all of which have been extensively campaigned in international events.

What is the attraction of classic rallying as opposed to racing one’s beloved classic automobile on a closed circuit? Perhaps it comes back to history - a well-planned and demanding rally, be it road-centred with regularity controls or combining rugged and testing forest and other off-highway stages, takes drivers back to simpler times, when motorsport was a test of man and machine’s resilience and determination, with few electronic aids.

Since the second horseless carriage hit the road and its driver vied with the first one to be first to a destination, car owners have competed against each other. Early races were conducted on public roads and were the precursors to the rallies we are familiar with today. The roads were mainly unmade and took their toll on the cars; mechanical failures and punctures were frequent - much as in today’s international classic rally scene. 1894 saw the first ‘Horseless Carriage Competition’, from Paris to Rouen which introduced features now familiar to rallyists: individual start times, cars running against the clock rather than head to head; time controls and road books and route notes, but the term rally was likely coined for the grandfather of all such events - the Monte Carlo Rally, which first ran in 1911.

The great long distance ‘raids’ started with the Peking-Paris of 1907 and the New York-Paris of the following year, whose route included Japan and Siberia.

The event that boasts being ‘The Most Beautiful Race in the World’ - the Mille Miglia - debuted in 1927. Running for a thousand miles, from Brescia to Rome and back, it is perhaps the ultimate open road event and entries are accepted according to a complex mathematical formula: cars must have run in period, between 1927 and 1957 and each model has a ‘coefficient’ - a measure of attractiveness to the organisers.

The Alps-Goodwood Collection, to be sold at Goodwood SpeedWeek on 17 October 2020

So, how to buy the right car, that will be welcomed at events and will be durable enough for the kind of spirited driving that will bring one back to the golden ages of rallying? For the Mille Miglia, careful study of the coefficient table will show that Ferrari and Lancia score highest, due to their competing and winning record. For more accessible events, a combination of power, durability and ease of maintenance is favoured. American saloons are popular and have competition provenance; Juan Manuel Fangio won the Argentine National Championship in 1940 and 1941 driving Chevrolets.

The Alps-Goodwood Collection has some fierce contenders from the golden age of touring and rallying. Here, we delve into our top five lots to be offered at Goodwood SpeedWeek.

Lot 278

1931 Invicta 4½-Litre S-Type Low Chassis Sports 'Simplon'

A car combining American levels of flexibility and performance with European quality and roadholding is the 1931 Invicta 4½-Litre S-Type Low Chassis Sports 'Simplon' - Lot 278. ‘Simplon’ has known history from 1931 to date and has been extensively campaigned throughout Europe, participating in some 70 events such as the Mille Miglia (2002, 2003, 2004); Rallye des Alpes (2002-2006); Gran Premio Nuvolari (2003); Rallye Sanremo Rally (2003-2007); Grand Prix Suisse, Bern (2009); Rallye Solitude (2011); and the Gaisberg Hill Climb (2014).‘Simplon’ has lapped Brooklands at more than 108mph and was once owned by Tyrone Power. Its exclusivity and outstanding provenance are reflected in the estimate of £1,000,000 - 1,200,000.

Lot 279

1936 Railton Eight Drophead Coupé

Of a different complexion but related to Invicta is the 1936 Railton Eight Drophead Coupé - Lot 279. Conceived by business partners Reid Railton, and Noel Macklin, founder of Invicta Cars, Railton cars were based on Hudson mechanicals; the car offered uses a modified Hudson Super Eight chassis in its ultimate development, with 124 horsepower from its 4.2-litre sidevalve straight engine. It sports stunning drophead coupé coachwork by Carbodies of Coventry. It is testament to the Railton’s durability that it was a popular choice for sporting motorists in Africa; this particular car was delivered new to Port Elizabeth, and it remained in South Africa until 2016. The Railton would be an excellent car for long-distance rallying, combining strength and style with comfort and great performance at a remarkably attractive cost - it has an estimated sale price of £30,000 - 50,000.

Lot 277

1953 Bentley R-Type Continental Sports Saloon

As with Invicta, Bentley were made to a standard where quality considerations often outweighed production costs and as with the Invicta Low Chassis, Lot 277, the 1953 Bentley R-Type Continental Sports Saloon set a new standard for effortless high speed cruising. Unlike the 'standard steel' R-Type saloon, the Continental was bodied in the traditional manner and first appeared with the model's definitive style of coachwork - the lightweight, aluminium, wind tunnel-developed fastback of coachbuilders H J Mulliner.

Chassis BC 27C, the example being offered by Bonhams, has been extensively prepared for rallying and has been enthusiastically campaigned throughout Europe and beyond, participating in prestigious events such as the Rallye des Alpes; Eifel Classic; Gaisberg; Vosges Classic; and the California Mille. Its most recent outing was at the British Car Meeting (BCM) in Mollis, Switzerland in August 2019. Estimated at £800,000 - 1,000,000.

Lot 276

1926 Bentley 6½/8-Litre 'Le Mans' Tourer

Another Bentley from the Alps Collection, a 1926 ‘Le Mans’ Tourer, 'YP 7937' has had its 6 ½ litre engine enlarged to 8 litres and has taken part in some of the toughest historic motoring events worldwide. These include the Peking to Paris Rally in 2007 (class winner, VSCC Award, Gold Medal); Carrera Sudamericana (2006); Vintage Bentley Tour of South Africa (2001 and 2006); and the New Zealand Vintage Tour (2002). The car is offered with a range of endurance rallying accessories and spares ready for the new owner to embark on their own adventures. Chassis number WB2565 is estimated at £600,000 - 800,000.

Lot 281

1959 Jaguar XK150 3.4-Litre Roadster

Jaguar’s XK series has proved very effective in rallying; with Ian Appleyard’s historic run of successes in an XK120: he won the RAC Rally in 1951 and 1953, the Tulip Rally in 1951 and a Coupe d'Or at the Alpine Rally in 1952. Lot 281 is a competition-prepared XK150 restored by XK Engineering which features reinforced suspension, under-body protection, and a rebuilt gearbox with overdrive. Estimated at £80,000 - 100,000.

Paul Darvill is a Senior Specialist in the Bonhams Motor Cars Department. You can reach him at paul.darvill@bonhams.com