Vintage drives up demand
With only 250 Bentley Turbo RT models produced during a two-year production run, the 1998 model up for sale at the Stephan Welz & Co Decorative and Fine Arts Auction in Johannesburg on Tuesday, November 19, is a rare find for car collectors.
Known as the Sport Rolls-Royce, the Turbo RT replaced the Turbo R, becoming the last model of a Bentley luxury sport-turbo lineage stretching back to 1980. The model for sale is number 237 out of a production of 250.
“Considering the number of vehicles now being manufactured, the fact that this car is one of 250 puts the rarity of it in clear perspective,” said Jack Rosewitz, deputy chairman and collectable car specialist with Stephan Welz & Co. The 1998 Bentley Turbo RT is a dark metallic navy blue with a magnolia leather interior. It has an estimated value of R850 000 – R1 100 000.
Another rare car to be auctioned is an MG TF, the most collectable model of the T series which was produced from 1953 to 1955. The car is a true classic in a rare colour – Duke of Edinburgh metallic green – with its original 1 250cc engine, and is estimated at R400 000 – R600 000. Last year, an MG TF was sold at a Stephan Welz & Co auction for R490 000, and Rosewitz says that the current car on offer, which comes from the collection of an enthusiast who owned eight MGs, is very well priced. “The value of collectable cars like these stems from their short production runs of just a couple of years.
“Serious car collecting has never been more popular worldwide, and is now seen as an alternative investment,” adds Rosewitz. “Collectable cars of this calibre are highly sought after in South Africa, where the pool is small, and the returns realised can be incredible.”
In 2007, Stephan Welz & Co sold a 1937 Mercedes 540K for R7.5 million, which at the time was the highest sale price for a car sold on auction in South Africa. The car has since become a museum piece and is housed at the Franschhoek Motor Museum. According to Rosewitz, it currently has a replacement value of R14 million.
A 1973 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow in classic silver is also up for sale, estimated at R250 000 – R350 000. Besides the fact that it is in outstanding condition, it has the unique feature of a built-in altimeter in the glovebox lid, which was not a standard option, as well as a new set of tyres and an original set of tools.
With the same body shape as the Rolls Royce Silver Spirit, the Bentley Turbo R is “a highly spec’ed gentleman’s car,” says Rosewitz. The auction house will be selling a 1993 Bentley Turbo R in dark metallic navy blue with original magnolia leather interior. In excellent condition with a low mileage, it is estimated at R450 000 – R650 000.
