
On 23 September at Monte Casino in Johannesburg, Gauteng, Creative Rides will be auctioning off 54 German-made vehicles comprising three Porsches, four Opels, 10 Mercedes-Benzes, 11 VWs, and 26 BMWs, in addition to around 96 other cars which hail from all corners of the globe.
What makes the German autos so special is that they are “the best investments in the world right now” because their values have steadily been on the rise over the past year, more so than any other car category, according to Creative Rides CEO Kevin Derrick.
“This year German classics have posted the strongest quarterly price gains of all market segments measured by Hagerty Price Guide Indices,” said Derrick.
“German car values climbed 3% across the board in the first three months of the year, putting Hagerty’s German Index at a new all-time high.”
A collector’s candy store
Among the rare and vintage European cars coming up for auction are ones that international collectors spend years trying to find.
Examples include a hard-top BMW Z3 M Coupe, also known as the “Clown Shoe” due to its unique shape, of which only 831 right-hand drives were ever built, as well as a 2012 BMW 1M that had a total production run of 6,331 units with only 71 exported to South African soil.
There are also four local legends (out of 508 ever built) on sale in the form of the 325iS, otherwise known as a Gusheshe, which were exclusively made for South Africa.
More BMW-badged auction highlights include:
- 1982 BMW 635 CSi
- 1986 + 1991 BMW 3 Series Pick Up conversions
- 1988 BMW E30 Hartge H23
- 1992 BMW Alpina B10 E34
- 2002 BMW M3 E46 CSL
Apart from the many BMWs, other standout German-made rides that will be crossing the auction blocks next month include a split-windscreen VW Kombi and six variations of the popular Beetle, the latter of which has likewise been gaining popularity with modern-day collectors willing to spend big money on an acquisition.
“A new Beetle auction record of just over R3.9 million was set late last year for Herbie the Love Bug, but it’s certainly not the only one that’s changed hands for millions,” said Derrick.
“In 2016, a 1960 Bug previously owned by comedian Jerry Seinfeld sold for R2.2 million, while an extremely rare 1950 split window fetched R3.2 million two years later.”
Potential buyers looking to spend their cash elsewhere have a lot to choose from.
American classics like a 2008 Ford Mustang GT500 or 1963 Chevrolet Corvette C2 Roadster will go up for sale at no reserve, as well as a 1986 Tiffany Classic Coupe, an original Fiat 500 Abarth, a 1983 Ferrari 308 GTS QV, a 1984 Lamborghini Jalpa, and even a 1973 Ford Capri Perana.
Interested buyers can view the full auction catalogue and register to bid now on the Creative Rides website or via the app, and those who can’t be at the auction in person are allowed to bid online on the day of the event.
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