Silverstone Auctions Classic Sale Highlights

Silverstone Auctions ended the year on a high note, achieving an 80 percent sales rate and total sales of £5.8 million (~ $7.25 million) at the 2016 Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show Sale, at the NEC, Birmingham. The auction, held on the 12th and 13th of November, had something for everyone, but in particular for those with a taste for 1980s sports cars. Here are three that stood out:

1989 Porsche 911 (930) Turbo “Flachbau” [Lot No.: 624]

Chassis Number: WPOJB0937KS050347

Engine: 3.3-liter flat-six / 325-hp

Selling price: $264,359

1989 Porsche 911 (930) Turbo “Flachbau”

Porsche never foresaw the rabid following that would surround the original Porsche 911 Turbo (“930”) — and all other subsequent turbocharged 911 models — when they began producing the 930 in 1975. The 930 was built primarily to fulfill homologation requirements to compete in the FIA Group 4 and 5 racing classes — the fact that it could also be purchased for road use was just a byproduct of the homologation process.

Built from 1975 all the way through 1989, the 930 used turbocharging technology derived from the 917/30 CAN-AM racecar, fitted to the 3.0-liter flat-six of the Carrera RS 3.0, good for 256-hp (displacement would increase beginning in 1978 to 3.3-liters). No wonder every middle-aged man with a pulse would begin to dream of one day owning a Porsche Turbo.

Under Porsche’s “Sonderwunschprogramm” (special order program), customers could order their 930s as a “Flachbau” (literally translated to mean “Low Build” ), equipping a “slantnose” a.k.a. “flatnose” front end, resembling the Porsche 935 race car which dominated in the late 70s and early 80s. This option could be ordered between 1981 and 1989.

This particular Guards Red 1989 Porsche 930 Turbo SE G50, which sold for £211,500 (~$264,359), has it all: the more powerful 3.3-liter engine with the 325-hp performance kit, the upgraded five-speed G50 gearbox, dual-exit exhaust system, heated seats, factory option short-shifter and CD player with amplifier.

Growing up, I never really cared for the slantnose look, but now that I’ve taken a quick crash course in Porsche’s 1970s/1980s racing success, I have a newfound appreciation for the Flachbau.

1987 Ferrari Testarossa Koenig Competition Evolution II [Lot No.: 636]

Chassis Number: ZFFAA17B000076967

Engine: 4.9-liter flat-12 / 800-hp

Selling price: $133,585

1987 Ferrari Testarossa Koenig Competition Evolution II

Willy König, racing driver and founder of German tuning house Koenig Specials, and Enzo Ferrari enjoyed a strange working relationship. When König won the German Hillclimbing Championship in 1962 at the wheel of a Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta, Enzo was so pleased that he invited Herr König to Maranello for a special event in honor of his victory.

Enzo might have regretted his cordiality years later when König began modifying Ferraris with wild widebody kits and turbocharging systems. Mr. Ferrari was very particular about his creations, and to customize them in what he felt to be a tasteless way was known to be a blasphemy of the highest order.

But certain Ferrari owners sided with König, claiming they too wanted more performance (and probably more attention) from their prancing horses than the factory offered. König was certainly no hack, as we can see in his rather successful racing career, and started his company Koenig Specials in 1974 by modifying a Ferrari 365 GT4 BB.

When the Testarossa arrived in 1984, König went to work, developing an outlandish widebody kit to accommodate the 11-inch wide aftermarket rear wheels and sport exhaust system. Known as the Koenig Competition Evolution, the “Competition Evolution” tag, if I’m not mistaken, refers to the body kit style, as there were two different kits available for the Testarossa. The “II” is likely to refer to a second round of body modifications commissioned by its second owner to more closely match the styling of the Testarossa’s successor, the Ferrari 512M.

A twin-turbo system producing up to 1,000-hp was available for the Testarossa, although this particular example is said to have 800-hp, naturally-aspirated. Lot no. 624 was successful sold for £106,875 (~$133,585), which is down from the £119,200 (~$148,991) it sold for two years ago at Artcurial in Monaco.

1981 Lamborghini Countach LP400 S [Lot No.: 626]

Chassis Number: 1121298

Engine: 4.0-liter V12 / 353-hp or 375-hp

Selling price: Unsold

1981 Lamborghini Countach LP400 S

The LP400 S, introduced in 1978, was the first major update to the Countach, four years after the original LP400’s debut.  The “S” was actually less powerful than the LP400, down to around 350-hp from 375-hp, although some “S” examples are said to have the full 375-hp engine. Both were 4.0-liter V12s.

Much of the LP400 S’s exterior modifications were to accommodate the new, extremely wide Pirelli P7 tires, 345mm width in the rear, mounted on massive 15-inch by 12-inch “telephone-dial” rear wheels. The suspension of the Countach had to be redesigned to work with the new tires, as did the body. Wheel arches or “flares” were added at each corner to house the wheels, further accentuating the Countach’s low, wide look.

An optional rear wing was also offered partway into the the LP400 S’s life cycle, which added stability but decreased top speed. It became so popular with customers that Lamborghini began offering it for the LP400 as well. 

This white on red 1981 Countach LP400 S is 1 of only 105 series II (series I and series III have slight differences) ever produced, and went unsold. The asking price was not listed, but is probably somewhere near or north of $1 million.