What a refreshing change of pace The Bond Street Sale 2024 – by Bonhams – turned out to be.
After an intense week of travel, hectic motor shows, and fast-paced photoshoots, I was feeling a bit burnt out upon returning to London from Germany. I didn’t need a break from car culture, but I certainly needed one from the chaos that often surrounds it.
I also needed a break from motorway seat time, having recently clocked over 1,400 kilometres on the Autobahn in a Ford Puma hire car. So, when the chance to attend a preview of The Bond Street Sale presented itself, it felt like the perfect antidote.
I’d never been to a car auction before, and I was curious. So why not start at the top of the auction ladder?
Pulling out one of the oldest clichés in the book, the silence was deafening. Bonhams motor vehicle auctions attract a far more exclusive clientele than your average CoPart or backstreet auction house, and, as expected, the atmosphere was distinctly different.
Very few people were browsing the cars in person during my visit – a welcome change in pace from what I had experienced just weeks earlier.
After all, not everyone has a cool two million dollars burning a hole in their pocket for a stunning Koenigsegg CCXR. For those with a more modest budget, a Bugatti Type 35A was available for just under half the Koenigsegg’s estimate.
The upstairs hall was filled with iconic classics from Aston Martin, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Porsche – and a truly spectacular 1910 Mercedes-Benz sedan.
The Mercedes’ detailing was exquisite, and the layout was surprisingly familiar, almost identical to a modern manual car.
Downstairs held the more ‘affordable’ cars, though that’s a relative term. Modern classics were everywhere, including three of my favourite continent-crushing GT cars: a Bentley Brooklands, an Aston Martin DBS, and an Alpina B6 Cabriolet.
While an auction preview might not seem remarkable on the surface, what struck me most was how these motoring treasures were hidden in London’s bustling Mayfair cityscape…
…and I really do mean treasure. After the final hammer drop, the Bugatti Type 35A took the crown as the most expensive sale of the day at US$700,000 followed by a McLaren 720 GT3X at US$510,000.
It’s a shame I left my chequebook at home or else I’d have driven away in the Miami Vice-spec Lamborghini Countach which sold for US$496,000. Small change…
Bonhams is a powerhouse in understated British elegance, and it’s easy to see how it’s earned its global reputation for excellence.
The best part? I was home just 50 minutes after snapping my final photo that morning. What a perfect, convenient dose of car culture.
Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn, mariochristou.world
mariochristou.world
Credit : Source Post
