An incredible private collection of some of the most desirable and valuable classic cars will be sold at auction next month and is expected to raise over £26million in combined winning bids.
The stash of 14 stunning motors has been hidden from the public eye by the owner in Sweden and never been put on display or shown at events.
The line-up of 12 Ferraris and a pair of Mercedes-Benzes are all hugely collectible models dating back 68 years, most of which have incredibly low mileage and been kept in outstanding condition to preserve their value.
The Aurora Collection has been described as ‘one of the finest single-owner collections in Europe’ and all 14 cars will be sold without reserve on 20 May.
Haul of historic cars: This private collection of 14 high-value Ferraris and Mercedes-Benzes are all going under the hammer at an auction in Italy next month. Should they sell for their highest estimates, the combined figure from their sale will be over £26MILLION. The motors all belong to a single private collector who has stashed them away from the public eye for decades
This wonderful stockpile of cars will go under the hammer at the RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba sale held on the beautiful shores of Lake Como, Italy next month.
A spokesperson for the auction house told This is Money that the cars are being made available to collectors by the vendor who has owned most of these cars for a particularly long time and is becoming a veteran themselves.
They have decided that now is the best time for them to move on, especially with classic car values continuing to soar despite difficult wider economic conditions in the last few years.
Of the 12 ‘significant’ Ferraris from the Aurora Collection is this 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta by Scaglietti. It is estimated to fetch between £6.6million and £7.5million
The 250 GT SWB Berlinetta is widely regarded as the most beautiful sports GT cars ever created. The car from the Aurora Collection is number 62 of 165 built and was the last SWB (short wheelbase) produced in the 1960 body style and even made a cameo appearance in the first Disney Herbie film, The Love Bug, from 1968
As you can see from this interior shot, the car has been wonderfully preserved and looks like it has barely been sat in. This is the condition of all 14 cars from the Swedish collector’s stash of motors being sold by RM Sotheby’s in just over a month
Of the 12 ‘significant’ Ferraris being made available to the highest bidder, a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta by Scaglietti is the one expected to sell for the biggest fee.
This is a model regarded by many as one of the most beautiful sports GT cars ever created.
The car from the Aurora Collection is number 62 of 165 built and was the last SWB (short wheelbase) produced in the 1960 body style and even made a cameo appearance in the first Disney Herbie film, The Love Bug, from 1968.
‘The model is unquestionably one of the most significant GT racers of all time and is coveted by collectors and enthusiasts throughout the world,’ says RM Sotheby’s, having placed an estimate of between €7.5m to €8.5m (£6.6m to £7.5m) on its roof.
Also expected to sell for a stellar sum is this 1956 Ferrari 500 TR Spider by Scaglietti. The estimate is in the region of £3.4million to £4million
The fifties racing classic boasts an extensive competition history, including a class win and fourth place in the 1957 Helsinki Grand Prix. It is one of only 17 built by the iconic Maranello car firm, making it a hugely collectible machine
Another astounding Ferrari that’s of huge provenance is a 1956 Ferrari 500 TR Spider by Scaglietti.
Boasting extensive race history in period, including a class win and fourth place in the 1957 Helsinki Grand Prix, this is example number three of only 17 built by the iconic Maranello car firm.
This example has been stashed away from public viewing for over a decade, though before then it had been campaigned at various historic events in the 1980s, including the 1982 Mille Miglia Storica and the 1984 Targa Florio Storica, and has appeared in a number of Grand Prix de Monaco Historique races, as well as rounds of the Shell Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge.
The incredible four-wheeled masterpiece has resided in the consignor’s collection since 2011 and is estimated to go for a winning bid between €4m and €4.5m (£3.4m and £4m).
Anders Bilidt, RM Sotheby’s car specialist for the Scandinavia region, said: ‘This is arguably one of the finest single-owner collections in Europe to come to the public market and reaffirms RM Sotheby’s reputation as the pre-eminent auction house for selling high-value single-owner collections.
‘Boasting a selection of Ferraris and two Mercedes-Benzes, the pure quality of the individual cars is what makes The Aurora Collection so special.’
Another Ferrari from the huge collection that’s predicted to fetch seven figures is this 1973 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider by Scaglietti. This model has been described by experts as ‘the ultimate 1970s open-top Ferrari’ and should go for around £2.2million to £2.6million at the auction
The car is just one of 122 factory-built Daytona Spiders. It was bought new by the vendor who has clocked just 3,862 miles in the last 50 years. That makes this a very desirable vehicle for any Ferrari collector
Another seven-figure model in the haul of Ferraris is a 1973 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider by Scaglietti – described by experts as ‘an incredibly special example of the ultimate 1970s open-top Ferrari’.
It is one of just 122 factory-built Daytona Spiders and was bought new by the vendor.
‘This example is remarkable for having been acquired new by the consignor and its very sparing use in the 50 years since,’ says the auction house.
Today, the car’s odometer reads a meagre 3,862 miles, making its availability an almost unrepeatable opportunity.
The car was certified by Ferrari Classiche in November 2011 and is estimated to sell for between €2.5m and €3m (£2.2m and £2.6m).
Another classic Ferrari from the collection that will command a winning bid in excess of seven figures is this 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 by Scaglietti. RM Sotheby’s predicts it will go for a figure of between £2.4million and £2.8million
The stunning Ferrari coupe was acquired by the vendor in 2011, so is one of the latest cars to be added to their incredible garage that’s been stashed away in hiding in Sweden
A winning bid in a similar ballpark is being predicted for a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 by Scaglietti from the collection.
It was delivered new to Rome, Italy but went on to spend much of the first part of its life in San Jose, USA.
Acquired by the current owner in 2011, the ‘Four-Cam’ was certified by Ferrari Classiche in September 2014 and is confirmed to retain its original chassis, engine, and transaxle.
RM Sotheby’s says a buyer will likely need to splash out some €2.7m to €3.2m (£2.4m to £2.8m) to secure its keys next month.
The second Ferrari 275 offered from the private collection is this 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS by Pininfarina – a stunning sixties drop-top with achingly good looks and this is a much-cherished example
The 275 GTS is arguably one of the prettiest open-top Ferraris ever made. The sale estimate for this beauty is between £1.1million and £1.5million
To complete the ultimate 275 pairing, the collection features a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTS by Pininfarina, which today retains its original chassis, engine, and transaxle.
Arguably one of the prettiest open-top Ferraris ever made, the Ferrari Classiche-certified car is estimated at €1.3m to €1.7m (£1.1m to £1.5m).
Another stylish open-top Fezza being sold at the auction is a1961 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II by Pininfarina
This 1971 model is one of only 200 built – the one seen here is example 145. The guide price set on this lovely open-top Ferrari is a hefty £880,000 to £1.2million
Another stylish open-top Fezza being sold at the auction is a1961 Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Series II by Pininfarina.
Again, this beautiful example has all the desirability of matching-numbers body, chassis, and engine and is number 145 of the mere 200 that were built.
The car was awarded Ferrari Classiche certification in February 2013 and has a guide price of €1m to €1.4m (£880,000 to £1.2m).
Not all the Ferraris from the Aurora Collection being sold on 20 May are classics. This 2019 Monza SP1 is a surefire collector’s item, though, with just 499 examples built of this stunning roofless – and windowless – hypercar
The four-year-old Ferrari has just 15.5 miles (25km) on the clock from new. The vendor would have paid around £1.4million for it new in 2019, but the estimate today is between £2.2million and £2.6million, such is its rarity. It is also the first one to ever go to public auction
While the majority of the prancing horse models available from the collection date back to the fifties, sixties and seventies, there are some Ferraris in the stash that are considered modern classics – some of which are just four years old.
This particular car is a 2019 Ferrari Monza SP1 – a limited-production open-top model with no roof of windscreen from the brand’s ‘Icona’ series, which is inspired by heritage Ferrari racing cars.
It has just 15.5 miles (25km) on the clock and is the first of the 499 examples built to be made available at private auction.
The Monza SP1 is described in its auction lot as ‘arguably the finest example available to the market’ with the carbon fibre-clad hypercar featuring a 6.5-litre V12 engine that produces 799horsepower and is widely regarded as the ultimate in driver-focused performance machine sold to the public.
The price estimate on this future classic is a whopping €2.5m to €3m (£2.2m to £2.6m) – that’s not a bad profit on a car that was €1.58m (£1.4m) new just four years ago.
Another modern-era Ferrari supercar being sold by the Swedish collector is a Ferrari SA Aperta – a special-edition model produced in 2011 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Pininfarina. And only 80 were made
The collector’s car has close-to-delivery mileage, showing only 130 miles on the odometer. It should sell for between £880,000 and £1.2million in May
Another modern-era Ferrari supercar being sold by the Swedish collector is a Ferrari SA Aperta – a special-edition model produced in 2011 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Pininfarina.
It is powered by a GTO-derived 6.0-litre V12 powerplant and is one of only 80 produced.
Fully accompanied by its owner’s manuals, fitted luggage, and toolkit, the car is offered with close-to-delivery mileage, showing only 130 miles (209km) on the odometer.
The car was awarded Ferrari Classiche status while still in the Maranello factory in 2010 and today is valued at between €1m and €1.4m (£880k and £1.2m).
This 2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina is one of only 488 built and has covered only 560 miles in its 22-year lifetime. It should go for £220,000 to £282,000
An earlier 1977 550 Maranello coupe in blue is also up for grabs from the collection with a guide price of £88,000 to £132,000
When you think of iconic supercars of the eighties, the Ferrari Testarossa should always spring to mind. This beautiful example with the rare single side mirror and only 2,125 miles on the clock has an estimate of between £132,000 and £176,000
The twelfth and final Ferrari from the Aurora Collection being sold in May with no reserve is this lovely 2002 360 Spider with a guide price of £66,000 to £110,000
The Ferraris within the collection are rounded off by a 2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina, being one of 448 examples made and offered in Rosso Corsa over a black and red leather interior. With only 560 miles (901km) clocked in its 22-year lifetime, it is estimated to sell for €250k to €320k (£220k to £282k).
Also offered is a 1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello in Blue Pozzi over Cuoio – with an estimate of €100k to €150k (£88k to £132k), a 1986 Ferrari Testarossa that shows just 2,125 miles (3,420km) for between €150k and €200k (£132k and £176k), and finally a 2002 Ferrari 360 Spider with a guide price of €75k to €125k (£66k to £110k).
There are two classic Mercedes-Benzes from the collection that will be sold at the RM Sotheby’s. The most significant of the two is also the oldest car in the vendor’s suite of valuable motors – a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing
The hugely collectible Mercedes is presented in the classic silver arrows colour scheme and is predicted to make between £1million and £1.3million when the hammer drops
The fourteenth and final car from the single-owner collection is this 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SC Roadster. The guide price is between £528,000 and £704,000, once converted from euros to pounds
As for the two Mercedes-Benz classics in the collection, one is unquestionably one of the most sought-after collector cars of any era – the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Gullwing, which is the oldest of the 14 motors available.
The auction will feature a beautiful 1955 example from the Aurora Collection that is presented in classic silver and predicted to make between €1.2m and €1.5m (£1m and £1.3m) when the hammer drops.
Finally, a 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 SC Roadster completed the 14-car haul. Again, it’s another beautifully maintained and stored example of the fuel-injected Mercedes from the mid-1950s. This is why it should make between €600k and €800k (£528k and £704k) at the block.
It means the combined top-end value of the sale is €29,975,000 – a massive £26,195,000.
CARS & MOTORING: ON TEST
- This Q8 is just great: We take Audi’s new Sportback e-tron for a spin
- Enter the Dragon! BYD Atto EV is the Chinese company’s first UK model
- Ferrari’s first four-door family car: New £313,000 Purosangue driven
- Thrills without frills: £31,000 MG5 is one of the cheapest family EVs
- Renault’s Arkana ticks all the boxes for what car-buying Britons want
- Can Peugeot’s chic 408 hybrid crossover be a hit in the UK? We test it
- We drive the Civic Type R – the rebellious bad boy in Honda’s line-up
- Rolls Royce Spectre: What’s it lke to drive the first ELECTRIC Roller?
- Ineos Grenadier driven: Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s £69,000 Defender
- Can you really live with a tiny Citroen Ami? Seven tasks in seven days
- Don’t supersize me! Is the ‘smaller’ Volvo XC60 all the SUV you need?
- We pamper some passengers in the new £211k Bentley Bentayga
- New kind of Buzz! VW’s electric MPV still feels like a hippy campervan
- A car for all seasons: A 600-mile round trip in Peugeot’s 3008 GT PHEV
- Feline fun: Funky Cat is the new pure-electric car from China’s Ora
- Skoda’s zero-emission hero: The Enyaq IV vRS is its hot electric SUV
- Toyota’s modern marvel: GR86 sports coupe is here – and it’s brilliant
- Perfect for energy blackouts: Kia’s new Niro EV can power your freezer
- The brand new car with 7 seats for £16,645! Dacia Jogger tested
- Retro bus: We put VW’s new ID Buzz van though its paces on UK roads
- Want a family electric car that won’t cost the earth? £24k MG4 EV test
- The new 11th generation of the Honda Civic hits the market
- French fancy: Sleek Peugeot 308 SW estate attracts admiring glances
- Vauxhall reaches for the stars with the latest Astra: We’ve driven it
- Cool ride: We test the new Citroen C5X on the hottest day of the year
- Choices, choices – there’s three types of Kia Niro – we test the PHEV
- Pininfarina’s £2m Battista accelerates quicker than a fighter jet
- Grand Juke of torque: Nissan’s new British-built hybrid compact SUV
- A supercar with ultra-green credentials: Hybrid McLaren Artura test
- Subaru’s cautious comeback: We test the new all-wheel drive Outback
- Sporty Cupra Born offers a taste of Spain. We drive the electric hatch
- Driving the fastest luxury SUV on the planet: Aston Martin DBX 707
- Royal Range Rover hits the road: We test the new £100k luxury SUV
- We go to the Arctic Circle to test the £400k Rolls-Royce Spectre EV
- BMW goes snap-happy: 2 Series Active Tourer has onboard selfie camera
- It might be red but Ferrari’s 296 GTB is a definitely a green supercar
- Test of a pre-production VW ID Buzz ahead of electric camper’s debut
- Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s off-roader DRIVEN: We test the new Ineos Grenadier
- Dacia Duster cuts a dash: We drive the new no-frills family SUV
- Is the Vauxhall Corsa really better than a Ford Fiesta? We test one
- In the week Kia tops UK sales charts, we try its all-new Sportage SUV
- Genesis will rock you! New GV70 Shooting Brake hits the right notes
- Absolutely fabia-lous: Skoda’s 4th-gen hatchback demonstrates staying…
- Is this the most high-tech car on the road? Mercedes’ £100k EQS driven
- Kia’s EV6 coupe-like crossover is creating an electrical storm at £41k
- Audi RS3 Sportback is a veritable muscle car that exudes performance
- Honda’s bold statement with new family oriented hybrid compact HR-V
- Peugeot’s new pride: Plug-in hybrid 308 will make you green with envy
- Back in black! We try Rolls-Royce’s heavy-metal Black Badge Ghost
- Ford’s electric battle hotting up with Tesla: Mustang Mach-E GT driven
- Another reason Y Tesla is a hit: Model Y driven ahead of UK arrival
- BMW’s new i4 might be the Cinderella model in its blossoming EV range
- Style, space and pace: Arkana SUV – Renault’s first hybrid – impresses
- Does BMW’s new electric car have the iX factor? We tests the £70k SUV
- Toyota Yaris Cross is a beefed-up version of its award-winning Yaris
- Is the Tesla Model 3 the future? RAY MASSEY says it is not perfect
- Futuristic Hyundai Ioniq 5 – the new zero-emission family car – driven
- Is VW’s £23k Golf Life too budget or all the car you could ever want?
- Funky, French and frugal: We test drive Citroen’s new C3 Aircross SUV
- Even by electric car standards, the new Audi Q4 e-tron feels different
- Does Aston Martin’s new model lead the pack? F1 Vantage pace car
- Should you Qash in on Nissan’s SUV? We test the new UK-built Qashqai
- RAY MASSEY ‘Is the Genesis GV80 a Korean copycat Bootleg Bentley?’
- The Highlander challenge: Toyota’s new hybrid seven-seat SUV tested
- Skoda’s hot estate goes hybrid: The £40k electrified Octavia vRS iV
- Kia Sorento switches gear and moves upmarket – is it still good value?
- Toyota’s new £50k Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car has a 400-mile range
- Is VW’s electric family SUV worthy of the crown World Car Of The Year?
- A century before Tesla: We have a go in a replica of World’s first EV
- Dacia’s hard bargain: First drive of Sandero, UK’s most affordable car
- Does Audi’s Q5 Sportback have substance or is the SUV too impractical?
- Jack of all trades: Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo is an £80k estate EV
- Vauxhall’s full of beans: First drive of the new Mokka crossover
- V8 or W12? Which Bentley Flying Spur should you buy (in your dreams)?
- Is Ford’s Mustang Mach-E worthy of the fabled muscle-car name?
Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.
More Stories
Etsy accused of ‘destroying’ sellers by withholding money
Key consumer protection powers come into force
BAT not about to quit London stock market, insists new chief