Film producer Anant Singh’s 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda LHD just set the record for the most expensive classic car ever sold at auction in South Africa.
The sleek two-door went under the hammer at Creative Rides’ annual Montecasino Auction last week and saw fervent bidding from local and international collectors alike, with the deep-pocketed victor putting down a whopping R3.5 million to seal the deal.
The Concours-condition car underwent a full “nuts and bolts” restoration before rolling across the blocks and was sold with both a hard and soft-top roof, which certainly helped mint it as the country’s most valuable vehicle sold at auction.
Four other classics also cracked the R2-million mark at the event, three of them setting new South African classic car auction price records in their respective categories.
This included another Concours-condition 1957 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL convertible that went for a cool R2.8 million, securing the South African auction price record for the specific model.
The buyer of a 1958 Mercedes-Benz 220 S Ponton cabriolet in shiny silver with plush red leather interior got the nod at R2.65 million, another local record for its kind.
The fourth Merc, a 1968 250 SL Pagoda in silver with an elegant blue interior, was sold with both hard and soft tops for R2.5 million.
The last lot to breach the R2-million barrier contained a 1963 Porsche 356 B Cabriolet whose bidder put down R2.275 million, once again the highest for this model on book in South Africa.
This example was one of only 47 ever assembled by Lindsay Motors in Johannesburg – only 12 of them cabriolets – with Lindsay Motors being the only company outside of Germany licenced to build these distinctive cars during that era.
1958 Mercedes Benz 220 S Ponton
Auction highlights
The Montecasino Auction was the scene of many big-ticket sales, with Mercedes-Benz coming out on top as the most desirable brand.
Six Mercedes-Benz cars were sold at the event raking in a combined R11.18 million.
“It’s no surprise that six cars in the auction’s star lots were Mercedes-Benz. German cars are precision engineered, they are superbly designed and they retain or significantly increase in value over the years,” said Kevin Derrick, Creative Rides CEO.
“What this auction shows is that Mercs are investment cars. Treat them well, be a great custodian, and they’re likely to earn profit when you decide to sell.”
The number of bidders and spirited action at the auction also showed that the South African classic and collector car industry is alive and well.
“It’s getting bigger by the year, and I’d like to thank everyone who supported this year’s auction; for their love of cars, their passion for collecting and for keeping so many of these rare and wonderful vehicles here in South Africa,” said Derrick.
1972 Ford Fairmont GT
The standout lots of the weekend comprised:
- 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280 SL Pagoda LHD – R3.5 million
- 1957 Mercedes-Benz 190 SL convertible – R2.8 million
- 1958 Mercedes-Benz 220 S Ponton cabriolet – R2.65 million
- 1968 Mercedes-Benz 250 SL Pagoda – R2.5 million
- 1963 Porsche 356 B Cabriolet – R2.275 million
- 2012 McLaren MP4-12C – R1.45 million
- 1970 Mercedes-Benz 300SEL W10 – R1.225 million
- 1972 Ford Fairmont GT – R1.175 million
- 1974 Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 – R1.1 million
- 1938 Mercedes-Benz 170 Cabriolet – R995,000
- 1975 VW Kombi Splitty – R820,000
- 1969 Holden Monaro GTS – R750,000
- 1942 Harley-Davidson 10/12 with sidecar – R500,000
- 1977 VW Beetle SP – R245,000
Creative Rides Director and Lead Auctioneer Joff van Reenen says tens of thousands of people watched the auction stream online on social media and the Creative Rides app.
“It’s the biggest audience we’ve had yet; the numbers are staggering,” he said.
The top-bidding countries were South Africa followed by the United States, the United Kingdom, mainland Europe, Australia, Canada, China, and Brazil.
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