Sunny skies and…
What do George Clooney, Jay Leno and Will.I.Am have in common, other than fame and success? The irresistible swag of a 1959 Corvette ... and you can have it too, when an original 1959 Corvette goes on auction in Cape Town, at Stephan Welz & Co on October 1.
The white Corvette is valued at R900 000 to R1 000 000 and according to Anton Welz, director of Stephan Welz & Co, it is unusual to find this kind of car in such good condition in South Africa.
The Chevrolet Corvette was launched in 1953 by mega-automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). At the time, GM was twice the size of America’s second largest corporation, and dominated the automotive world, but had not, as of yet, created a sports car. The idea was to create a concept car that would sell for about the price of a sedan.
“The Corvette was an immediate hit, even though it ended up being much pricier than a sedan,” says Welz. “Seven generations later it’s still considered an American classic, and is widely collectable. The 1959 Corvette is from the model’s first generation, and only 9 670 were manufactured.”
If British roadsters rev your petrolhead, there will also be a 1965 MGB convertible going under the hammer, estimated at R100 000 to R120 000. According to British Motor Heritage Limited, the MGB was the world’s top selling sports car of its era and the top British sports car of all time. At least here in sunny South Africa, you’d be able to drive it with the top down.
Whether you’re in Cape Town or Craighall Park, you can bid online via www.the-saleroom.com, Europe’s leading portal for live art and antiques auctions, which is now operating in South Africa. “It’s so much more than online bidding from the comfort of a laptop or computer; the live audio and video feeds stream the charged auction room atmosphere directly into your home or office,” said Welz.
The Stephan Welz & Co Decorative and Fine Arts Auction will take place on October 1 and 2 at the Great Cellar, Alphen Estate, Alphen Drive, Constantia. Pre-auction viewing open to
the public at no charge, daily from September 25 to 29.
For more information contact 021-794-6461 or e-mail ct@stephanwelzandco.co.za.
