Strong auction prices for XY GT, RX-7 SP, Quattro

The strong classic car market shows little sign of slowing, with Shannons recent Melbourne spring auction resulting in a number of vehicles selling for well in excess of their estimates.

Heading the list was a 1970 Ford XY Falcon GT, fitted with desirable factory options such as a long-range fuel tank, wind-back sunroof and four-speed manual.

Presented in original condition, the GT was expected to bring between $80-100,000 but bidding reached $176,000 before the hammer dropped, the buyer a Melbourne local.

Another intriguing 'Australian' car was a 1995 Mazda RX-7 SP. One of just 35 examples built to homologate parts for motorsport, the RX-7 SP continued Mazda's dominance of Australian production car racing, winning the 1995 Eastern Creek 12-Hour.

The brainchild of Mazda Australia motorsport boss Allan Horsley, the SP modifications included a new intercooler, exhaust and ECU, which lifted the twin-turbo 13B rotary's outputs from 176kW/295Nm to 204kW/357Nm.

Other tweaks included a 110-litre carbon fuel cell, larger brakes, 17-inch wheels, 4.3:1 diff ratio, Recaro race seats and lightweight body panels. It's a very special car and it blew past its pre-auction estimate of $45-55K to eventually sell for $88,000.

Another famous competition car is the Audi 'Ur' Quattro, responsible for revolutionising the world of rallying in the early 1980s. It's a rare car in Austraila, partly due to being left-hand drive only, though a number of cars were converted for sale in the UK.

Its desirability was confirmed by its sale price of $37,000 almost doubling its pre-auction estimate of $16-20,000. You can view all the lots from the auction here.