Cape Town: A rare 1957 Daimler Conquest Drophead Coupé, one of fewer than 120 made, is expected to fetch more than R1 million at an international auction of 30 rare, classic cars and bikes in Cape Town, on Saturday.
Described by vintage car experts as “an extraordinary automotive gem,” the 65 year old classic roadster will headline the auction.
High Street Auctions Cape Town Director and Auctioneer Stef Olivier expects it to “provoke an inter-continental bidding battle.”
British car magazine, Autocar, said the Daimler Conquest Drophead Coupé “was built in limited numbers, a mere 119 between 1953 and 1957” and Olivier said international and local collectors were especially eager to get their hands on this luxury car because they were so rare.
A small car, by Daimler standards, the Conquest was, “designed to cater for the driver who requires a vehicle of high quality and detail finish, coupled with a good performance, but does not want a large or heavy car”, the magazine said.
The auction, which will be live at 179 Albert Road in Woodstock, Cape Town, and virtually live-streamed to bidders across the world on High Street’s website, www.highstreetauctions.com, starts promptly at noon on Saturday, April 23.
Olivier, who will be at the podium, says the auction catalogue contains one of the most spectacular collections of rare automobiles he has encountered.
“That’s not something I say lightly. I’ve auctioned collector cars for years, so I can say with authority that the sale this weekend features some of the most outstanding vehicles I’ve ever seen.”
Car manufacturer Jaguar’s Heritage Trust website confirms the extremely low number of Daimler Conquest Drophead Coupés manufactured, as well as the fact that, for decades, it has remained one of the rarest Daimlers in the world.
The site also notes that when these exclusive sports cars were sold 65 years ago, their price tag of £1,895 was equivalent to 202 weeks average pay in the UK.
Olivier says the specific coupé going under the hammer on Saturday has been authenticated through matching engine and VIN numbers, “something upon which we insisted because in our wildest dreams we never thought we’d see a real 1957 Daimler Conquest Drophead Coupé come up for auction.
“In fact, very few ever left the UK and as far as we know, this is the only one in South Africa.”
He says it’s extremely difficult to estimate the value of the Daimler because research has revealed only two other auctions of 1957 Daimler Conquest Drophead Coupés across the world in the past 10 years.
“We know that luxury goods auctioneer Bonhams sold one in the UK in 2012, and back then the hammer fell at £50 000 (just less than R1m at the current conversion rate).
“Three years later, RM Sotheby’s in the US sold another for $60 500 (about R915 000).
“Now, seven years since collectors around the world last had an opportunity to acquire a 1957 model, it’s difficult to precisely value this vehicle. I think the sky’s the limit.”
Olivier says another stand-out lot in Saturday’s auction is the 1968 Triumph Bond Equipe GT.
At the time, for its UK manufacturer, the Equipe GT’s sleek, sporty design was revolutionary; described by one aficionado as “a Ford Cortina II-meets-Singer Chamois, with a bit of Aston Martin DBS thrown in”.
The major departure for Bond was the addition to the Equipe of Triumph’s compact straight-six-cylinder engine, which offered drivers 160km/h on the floor and a 0-100km/h time of around 12 seconds.
The model’s designer sportiness was also reflected in the launch price tag, which at £1 095 was equivalent to a year’s average gross household income in the UK in 1968, according to the British Department of Labour.
Olivier says the 1968 Triumph Bond Equipe GT going under the hammer this weekend is licensed and has a Certificate of Road Worthiness.
“This siren red sensation is as striking today as it was when it first came to market 54 years ago and best of all, after the auction the new owner will able to get behind the wheel and power his new baby straight off the lot, because it runs like a dream.”
Olivier says among the oldest cars on auction will be a 1928 Austin 16-6 Doctors Coupe, a 1928 Willys Whippet Truck and a 1931 Ford Model-T.
“Another vehicle attracting a lot of bidder interest is the 1970 VW split-window Combi. I think over the years ‘Volksie buses’ have become as much part of South Africa’s cultural DNA as boerewors and as such there’s huge nostalgia among collectors.
“The split-window combis are rare, though, and therefore command much higher prices when they come up for auction.”
Interested parties can either attend the auction in person in Woodstock or via High Street’s social media channels, YouTube and the High Street app.
“I will be accepting bids from the floor, telephonic bids, as well as bids via the app and other pre-arranged digital platforms.
“It’s also essential to pre-register to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime auction. Only registered bidders will be allowed to participate in the sale,” Olivier said.
All registration details as well as the download link for the full auction catalogue can be found at: https://www.highstreetauctions.com/read-more-auctions-high-street-auctions.php?tc=24114d762a9ec4c8acac3dd7ab259bf3&kw=d742e05632c2fce5c9fd337e3ed79a63 or contact High Street Auctions Cape Town on (+27)21 569 0660.