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Diaz’s film Ferrari in £20 million car auction
David Williams, Motoring Editor2 Oct 2008
One of the most valuable collections of cars ever seen in Britain is going under the hammer in London — including a £3.5 million Ferrari driven by Cameron Diaz when she starred as one of Charlie's Angels.
The glittering line-up, to be auctioned in Battersea Park on 29 October, could fetch £20 million if all are sold and reach their estimates.
Also on offer at the sale, by Sotheby's of London and US-based RM Auctions, is a silver 1965 Aston Martin DB5 which featured in Robbie Williams's Millennium music video, an homage to James Bond movies.
Complete with original grey leather upholstery and near flawless paintwork, it is estimated to fetch up to £180,000.
The star of the auction, however, is a little red Ferrari, a 1963 250 GT California Spyder SWB, expected to fetch up to £3.5 million. It is similar to one bought last year by Chris Evans for £5.5 million and was driven by Diaz in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle.
The auctioneers are uncertain how much the short wheelbase Ferrari, owned by an unnamed collector, will fetch.
But experts suspect it will sell for less than the one bought by Mr Evans which is considered more valuable because it was once owned by James Coburn, star of films including The Great Escape.
Another car with the all-important Hollywood connection — a dashing pale blue 1955 Ford Thunderbird once the property of John Travolta — is on offer with an estimate of £30,000.
Also expected to attract keen bidding is a very rare 1938 Bugatti Type 57C Atalante. It sat forgotten in a New York garage for 45 years until it was found and sold at auction in June last year.
Now the Bugatti, dubbed “Sleeping Beauty”, is again going under the hammer. Complete with original paintwork, engine and body parts, it is expected to fetch up to £800,000.
A total of 100 rare cars will be parked in Battersea for the auction which is expected to see wealthy collectors jet in from all over the world.
“People are still spending a lot of money on old cars even when there is so much going on in the world,” said Peter Wallman, of RM Auctions.
“This is something still working for us. It is often people who have been in industry for years and who are treating themselves.”
Reader views (1)
"A total of 100 rare cars will be parked in Battersea for the auction"
I hope they've all got parking permits, or else they'll be hauled off to the pound.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland, 02/10/2008 14:03
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