One of a Kind Girl Power the Mercedes Gullwing
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MAGAZINE MOTORING One of a kind Donald Healey’s own Austin Girl power Italy’s most glamorous racing driver The Mercedes Gullwing How the idea was hatched News & forthcoming sales COMING DOWN THE TRACK FOR WINTER SEASON 2015/16 Firing on all cylinders • There are many famous locations associated with the world of motorsport, The Ferrari 275 is one of the most evocative machines ever but few can rival Monte Carlo for glamour. Bonhams’ new Monaco Sale adds to built by the great Italian marque, says Melissa Lawford the blue riband motoring calendar for 2016, with the team also planning returns to The Ferrari 275 GTB, which was designed Amelia Island, Chantilly and the Goodwood and developed under the watch of Enzo GRAND PALAIS Thursday 4 February 2016 Members’ Meeting. Ferrari himself, is considered to be one of the masterpieces of the Italian marque’s golden 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB • This year’s December Sale takes place at age. The sound of the 275’s 12 cylinder, 300 Chassis no. 08973 RAF Hendon museum. Highlights include Estimate: €2,500,000 - 3,500,000 the second and final instalment of the horsepower engine in full flow, is among the Ofered without reserve Gordon Willey Collection, featuring six most thrilling experiences motoring can provide. astonishing Bentleys, led by a 1939 Bentley In February, a stunning long-nosed, matching Enquiries: Philip Kantor +32 (0) 476 879 471 4¼-Litre Drophead Coupé, estimated at numbers 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB will be offered [email protected] £140,000 - 170,000. without reserve at Bonhams’ Grand Palais Sale. • In this issue, Simon de Burton on an Austin-Healey coupé owned by marque founder, Donald Healey; Richard Holt explains how the Mercedes-Benz Gullwing was hatched; and Neil Lyndon examines the life of ‘la Marocchina’ – Italy’s speed queen. Motoring Edition Cover: Photograph by David Barbour. Sculpture by Gerry Judah WINTER SALES DIARY THE BOND STREET SALE Sunday 6 December New Bond Street, London THE DECEMBER SALE Thursday 10 December RAF Museum, Hendon, UK THE DEFENDER 2,000,000 SALE Wednesday 16 December New Bond Street, London THE SCOTTSDALE AUCTION Thursday 28 January Scottsdale, Arizona Cotton on to this THE GRAND PALAIS SALE Thursday 4 February Billy Cotton dreamed of winning the RAC Tourist Trophy. Paris, France Unfortunately history intervened, Andrew Currie explains THE AMELIA ISLAND AUCTION Thursday 10 March Florida, USA With his ‘Wakey! Wakey!’ catch phrase the intention of taking the car to the THE MERCEDES-BENZ SALE and signature tune, Somebody Stole My RAC Tourist Trophy race. Saturday 19 March New Bond Street, London Gal, band leader Billy Cotton was one The most advanced sports car of its of Britain’s most popular radio and day, Cotton’s Frazer Nash-BMW 328 television entertainers of the 1950s. was set to shine, but history had other What most of his audience didn’t know plans – the race was cancelled due to was that this multi-talented man was escalating political tensions in Europe. also an accomplished boxer, footballer, Now, regarded as among the most cricketer, yachtsman, aviator and sophisticated of pre-war automobiles, significantly, a racing driver. Cotton’s Frazer Nash leads the multi- In 1938 Cotton purchased this million-pound sale of the Gordon Willey splendid silver roadster (right) with Collection in London this December. II Bonhams Room with a view Ruth Fletcher gives the lowdown on an historic return to Monte Carlo for Bonhams Every other year in Monaco, during the Grand Doug Nye pioneered the inaugural Les Grandes Prix de Monaco Historique weekend, spectators flock Marques à Monaco sale at the Fairmont. The BONHAMS MONACO SALE Friday 13 May 2016 to the balconies of the Fairmont Hotel to watch event became Europe’s most prestigious and drivers put pedal to the metal on the principality’s exciting motoring auction. Now, 28 years later, The ex-Works, Le Mans, Mille Miglia, Fairmont Hairpin Bend – one of the most famous the original team will reunite for the 2016 Targa Florio, Goodwood 9-Hours 1952 Jaguar C-Type Sports Racing corners in motor racing. In May 2016, (to coincide Bonhams Monaco Sale. Two-Seater, Chassis no. XKC011 with the tenth anniversary of the weekend event) The auction will be limited to just 40 Present family since 1963 and one of spectators will also have cause to turn their spectacular motor cars. “It will be an exclusive the most original examples extant gaze to the hotel’s Salle d’Or ballroom where affair,” promises James Knight, Bonhams Group Estimate: Refer Department Bonhams’ international motoring team will be Motoring Director. “We have already consigned Enquiries: James Knight making their own historic return. this stunning ex-Works Jaguar C-Type for the sale, +44 (0) 20 7447 7440 In 1987, Robert Brooks, James Knight and which will attract bidders from around the world.” [email protected] THE BOND STREET SALE Sunday 6 December 2015 1938 Frazer Nash-BMW 328 Roadster Estimate: £550,000 - 650,000 Enquiries: Malcolm Barber +44 (0) 20 7468 8238 [email protected] Bonhams III LOREM IPSUM The ex-Donald Healey 1953 Austin-Healey 100/100S Coupé Chassis no. BN1142615 Estimate: Refer Department XX Bonhams BOND STREET SALE Austin power When it came to choosing a motor car, Donald Healey could take his pick. Simon de Burton gives the story of the racing tycoon’s personal favourite here are few British sports cars more instantly the only Healey that Donald actually owned. He always recognisable than those famously ‘hairy said the 100 was his favourite car because of the purity chested’ roadsters which emerged from the of its design.” partnership between Austin and the Donald Eventually DMH relinquished the car (replacing it with THealey Motor Company in the early 1950s. an Aston Martin DB5 of which he was less enamoured) The Healey 100 was first unveiled at the Earls Court and ‘ONX 113’ was sold to a private owner who retained Motor Show in 1952. Purposeful, low-slung and exquisitely it until 1972, when it passed to noted Healey enthusiast, styled by Gerry Coker, the original cars were based on Arthur Carter, to whom it has belonged ever since. As parts taken from the stodgy and unsuccessful Austin A90 one of only two Austin-Healey 100 coupés to have been Atlantic which had been designed to appeal to American built, it is desirable enough. As DMH’s one-time personal tastes in order to boost sales across the pond. transport, it is irreplaceable. In the lightweight Healey, however, the Atlantic’s 90 “I think what makes this car really desirable is the fact horsepower, four-cylinder engine provided the sort of that it sums-up the true brilliance of Donald Healey,” says sparkling performance that inspired the ‘100’ designation James Knight, an Austin-Healey owner and Group Director – in recognition of the car’s 100mph-plus top speed. of Bonhams Motoring Department. “Many people know One can almost imagine Austin boss Leonard Lord him as a great engineer, but there was so much more saying, “Why didn’t we think of that?” when he first saw the to him than that. He was apprenticed to Sopwith and 100. Which is probably why he negotiated the rights to the served in World War I as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps design with Donald Healey – or ‘DMH’ as he was known – before setting-up his own garage in Cornwall. This is on the day of the 100’s launch, giving rise to the celebrated where he proved himself to be a highly talented rally Austin-Healey marque. driver, winning the 1931 Monte Carlo rally. His career But all those who are familiar with the traditional, really took off when he became development engineer, open-topped Austin-Healeys and then technical director for (which evolved from the “Donald always said that the 100 Triumph. He also went on to four-cylinder BN1 and BN2 enjoy success in circuit and road cars through to the six- was his favourite car because of racing. cylinder 100-6 and finally the the purity of its design” “Justifiably, he remains best 3000 models) will double- known for creating the Austin- take at the sight of the car pictured here. It is one of only Healey sports car range,” says Knight. “But it’s worth two fixed-head concept coupés to have been built when remembering that he achieved so much more than that, DMH was looking to expand the model range a year or so which, to me, makes the chance to own his personal car after its launch. all the more appealing.” And what makes this car even more special is that for ‘ONX 113’ will be included in Bonhams Bond Street almost a decade, it was DMH’s personal transport and thus Sale on December 6, which will also feature the 1959 suitably ‘souped up’ to racing specification with a modified Austin-Healey 3000 works rally car driven by greats such engine, four-wheel disc brakes, overdrive gearbox and as Jack Sears and Pat Moss in events including the Alpine Dunlop 60 aluminium wire wheels. Rally, the RAC Rally and the Liège-Rome-Liège – as well DMH’s grandson, Peter Healey, remembers ‘ONX as DMH’s personal 1930s Rolex ‘Striped Prince’ wrist 113’ from his school days. “We lived next door to Donald watch which has been consigned direct from the in Leamington Spa when I was a youngster,” he recalls. Healey family. “Being the boss, he would arrive home in various different cars – but the coupé was probably the one he Simon de Burton writes about motoring and watches for the Financial Times.