LONDON.- Several exciting new consignments have been made to
RM Sothebys upcoming Cliveden House auction on 8 July, with one of the standout listings being a 1996 Ferrari F355 GTS (Est: £180,000 - £220,000) that was owned from new by television star Jeremy Clarkson. Purchased new by the Top Gear presenter in 1996 after the star declared the F355 The best car in the world, the Ferrari featured regularly on British television screens throughout the late nineties as well as making appearances in Top Gear magazine and The Sunday Times.
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The Ferrari was ordered new via the official Maranello Sales dealership at Tower Gate showroom in Egham, configured in targa-top GTS specification and finished in Rosso Corsa over Crema leather with sports seats. It would go on to star in The Sunday Times as Clarkson re-took and failed his driving license, and by the year 2000 the car had covered 6,000 miles. It ultimately left the broadcasters collection via a prize giveaway in newspaper.
The notable ownership theme continues with a stunning 1961 Lotus Elite Series 2 (Est: £70,000 - £100,000 GPB) that was exported to Japan and owned from new by Soichiro Honda, the visionary founder of the Honda Motor Corporation. Its fascinating early history included being driven by racing legend Tetsu Ikuzawa; getting rolled at Suzuka by founder of Mugen, Hirotoshi Honda; and inspiring the design of one of Hondas first ever road cars, the S600, before eventually being donated to the Honda International Technical School. Beautifully restored by Bushells Restorations between 2018-2021, the Elite presents in Hondas Grand Prix White in a nod to its famous past and is offered entirely without reserve.
Topping the billing of new consignments is a rare right-hand-drive 1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta Lusso by Scaglietti (Est: £950,000 - £1,150,000 GBP) that is being offered from 33 years of continuous family ownership. Without a doubt one of the most beautiful Ferraris ever made, this special UK-delivery car had a fascinating early history with racer and hillclimber, Phil Scragg, and to this day still wears the personalised registration PS 1216. Though now finished in red, it left Maranello wearing a rare shade of blue, making its original specification totally unique among UK-market Lussos.
The Lusso is joined by another right-hand-drive UK-delivered sixties Ferrari, this time a 1969 Ferrari 365 GTC by Pininfarina (Est: £520,000 - £580,000 GBP). One of just 22 of its type, the car boasts a matching-numbers engine and Ferrari Classiche certification, as well as a rare original combination of Oro Nashrullah over Nerashould you wish to change its current Verde Scuro over Beige.
Equally glamourous is a 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster (Est: £700,000 - £900,000 GBP). Originally silver, the tastefully restored Roadster now boasts attractive Konigs Blau paintwork and comes complete with a hardtop, making it perfect for touring and events. The chassis, body, differential, and steering box are all matching-numbers, while the engine benefits from a complete rebuild by Chris Shenton in 2019. It is offered after residing in the same familys collection for 20 years.
Leading the pre-war offering is a spectacular 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza Recreation (Est: £600,000 - £800,000 GBP). Built by the renowned Jim Stokes Workshops, the evocative creation is a faithful replica of one of the most sought-after collector cars on the planet and offers its next custodian a driving experience reserved only for a very few. It is joined by a truly special 1912 Rolls-Royce 40/50 HP Silver Ghost Cabriolet by Barker (Est: £470,000 - £570,000 GBP) which is offered from 25 years of ownership, having previously been owned, restored, and rallied by marque expert Mark Tidy.
A brace of remarkable competition cars has also been added to the lineup, headed by a spectacular 2007 Creation CA07 LMP1 (Est: £550,000 - £750,000 GBP). One of only two examples ever built, the 5.5-litre V-10-powered Creation is a two-times 24 Hours of Le Mans finisher and is eligible for both Masters Endurance Legends and the brand-new WEC support race championship. In contrast, those who prefer their competition cars a bit older could be tempted by a 1969 Chevron B16 (Est: £150,000 - £190,000 GBP) that was raced in period by Brian Redman and Vic Elford.
A spectacular offering of British automobiles has been further bolstered by the addition of a 1953 Bentley R-Type Continental Sports Saloon by H.J. Mulliner (Est: £420,000 - £480,000 GBP) that has been with its current custodian since 1975. Also of good British stock is a 1962 Aston Martin DB4 Series IV (Est: £220,000 - £250,000 GBP) that boasts a desirable Special Series engine, a 1970 Aston Martin DBS (Est: £125,000 - £175,000 GBP) restored to On Her Majestys Secret Service specification, and an outrageous 556-horsepower 2017 Land Rover Range Rover Custom by Chieftain (Est: £80,000 - £120,000 GBP).
The Cliveden House auction has something to suit every taste and budget, with several true British icons boasting tempting sub-£100,000 pre-sale estimates. Among them is a the oldest surviving military Land Rover, an immaculately restored 1948 Land Rover Series I (Est: £50,000 - £75,000); a 1971 Jensen Interceptor II (Est: £40,000 - £60,000 GBP) that covered just 4,000 miles between 1979 and 2025; a charming 1961 Bentley S2 Continental 'Flying Spur' Saloon by H.J. Mulliner (Est: £70,000 - £90,000 GBP); and a rakish 1951 Jaguar XK 120 (Est: £40,000 - £60,000 GBP) fitted with aero screens and used regularly in historic events.