Shannons 2019 Autumn Classic auction preview

A number of classic and pre-war beauties are set to cross the auction floor at this month’s 2019 Shannons Melbourne Autumn Classic Auction, but amongst the more opulent and dignified cars we have picked out a few that are certainly going to set pulses racing.

From a rare Elfin clubman-style sports car to a Jaguar D-Type replica, these lots are guaranteed investments when it comes to both fun and finance. The auction is set to take place next monday, April 29th 2019, at 7pm, with viewings to be held on this Saturday and Sunday at Shannons' Melbourne auction showroom in Heatherton.

2007 Elfin MS8 Clubman Supercharged ($60,000-$70,000)

Do you need 378rwkW in a car weighing in at barely more than one tonne? Of course you don’t. But it exists in the form of this modieifed Elfin.

With a supercharged 5.7-litre LS V8 putting that power to the rears, you can be sure this Aussie built sports car will live up to what was written on the mechanics report supplied to Shannons.

“Driveability and performance test scary good.”

This one’s build number 16 of 26, and has covered fewer than 10,000km.

Jaguar D-Type Replica by Tempero ($180,000-$200,000)

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Completed after a 15-year build in 1998, this replica of a 1950s D-Type is built with road use in mind, and as such runs with a 3.8-litre inline six from a Jaguar Mk10, and a 4-speed manual from a ’65 S-Type.

Its builder, an enthusiast and scientist in New Zealand, even included a construction manual with diagrams, descriptions, and notes.

Now part of a deceased estate, The D-Type replica is expected to be the most costly item in the auction… after the Victorian ‘59’ heritage number plate.

1989 Porsche 930 911 Turbo ($140,000-$170,000)

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The next-highest priced car in the auction catalogue is this ’89 911 Turbo, a right-hook example from the UK in Baltic Blue.

Hooked up to a 5-speed manual ‘box, the 3.3-litre turbocharged, air-cooled flat six is still running well according to the mechanic’s report supplied by Shannons. The odometer is only showing 42470 miles.

It’s noted by Shannons to have some apparent inconsistencies with identification numbers, likely dating back to its time in the UK.

1972 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 ($80,000-$100,000)

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Selling with no reserve, this XU-1 is claimed by Shannons to be the first recorded production LJ in this spec.

If its ‘Strike Me Pink’ colour isn’t enough to entice you, its 3.3-litre six might. It’s not the original engine, rather the last engine this car raced with.

Aside from that, it’s last owner had mostly restored the car to production spec and then stored the car for the last 24 years.

1995 BMW E36 M3 ($24,000-30,000)

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With fewer than 120,000km on the clock, this 3.0-litre six-equipped M3 could be a bargain buy if bidding remains ‘civil’.

In Daytona Violet and with a BMW Motorsport cloth trim rather than the regular leather, a few points of difference make this an excellent example of a sometimes-underappreciated generation of 3 Series.

1994 Mercedes-Benz SL600 ($20,000-$30,000)

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With a recent $13,000 rebuild for its 6.0-litre V12 engine, the SL600 up for grabs in this auction could be a safer buy than one which has a ‘survivor’ engine… but the mechanic’s report Shannons has published for this lot notes that the engine appears to go into ‘limp mode’.

A set of AMG wheels give this two-door a little bit of 1980s flavour, though it was first produced in 1989.

This model, from a few years into its run, originally lived in Hong Kong before being imported into Australia. Only 67,087km show on the odo according to that same mechanic report.