The excitement of Monterey is well behind us in the US, with most market watchers already looking toward January’s auctions and winding down for the year. For yours truly, the season is far from over! For example, RM Sotheby’s has their big auction in Hershey in October and London in November. The Bonhams Goodwood Revival Sale starts in less than a week, and that sale is the subject of today’s post. I’ll be sharing my Top 10 Cars to Watch at Goodwood in this week’s Market Monday.

We covered the history of Goodwood Estate and the hugely popular Festival of Speed in our market post from July, but there are two major events at Goodwood and the second kicks off in just 4 days. Goodwood Revival is the only historic motor racing meeting where the entire event is set in a period theme, down to the cars and the fashion. 

The event itself features incredible vintage race cars battling it out on the circuit, thousands of spectators decked out in several decade’s worth of fashion, a vintage aircraft flying exhibition,  and notable drivers and celebrities. Naturally, this spectacle also invites lots of beautiful cars and an auction from Bonhams Cars.

Bonhams has pulled together a rather lovely collection of cars spanning the decades, including quite a few youngtimer cars and modern classics befitting the theme. Coming off a fairly successful Monterey sale (in terms of STR vs. $ volume), it will be interesting to see if Bonhams can pull off another win, especially in this market.

I’ve selected 10 cars worth watching—either because they have a good chance of selling due to generational interests, or the inverse likelihood of reinforcing the decline of some genres. In a future Market Monday, we’ll grade my predictions.

While the venue is undoubtedly a good fit for this car, its result may answer the question “Is WWII militaria still a popular hobby?” My predilection for police and civil vehicles is well known, which is why I’d absolutely have this car in my garage and proudly drive it in parades. That said, I question whether this will reach its guided estimate of $26-30,000USD. I say no. But it will sell regardless, at no reserve.

I’ve been surprised by some sales of replica pre-war race cars, so will this hot Riley be another hit? I love Rileys, as they feature interesting engineering and are a bargain relative to their contemporary marques. This is not an original competition Riley, and it’s asking pretty big money for a Riley at $120-170,000 USD. I fear a no-sale here.

This beautiful Abarth-bodied Simca appears to be the same car that was unsold on Collecting Cars with an undisclosed bid-to price. These cars are much smaller than they appear in photographs, making them ‘fit’ for buyers of a slighter stature. The guided price is nose bleed territory, so I fear this will also be a no-sale as it was back in July.

I consider this to be one of the most beautiful coupes of the 50s and it just happens to have been built by one of the most innovative car companies ever. And my God look at the color! While the guide is reasonable at $110-160,000 USD, this one is set up for vintage racing which limits its appeal a bit. However, if you’re looking for a Mille Miglia eligible car, this could fit the bill. I think it sells, but just barely.

Rounding out our older generation cars is this pretty nice Pre-A 356. A former US car and left-hand drive, it could be an interesting car to bring back to the states if it were priced right. Unfortunately, Pre-As aren’t selling big in 2024. I smell a no-sale here based on the guided price.

While it’s not a real Carrera RS, the car is billed as having all the performance of a real one at a guided price appropriate for a C2 964. There are some cosmetic issues, such as some scary oxidation on the cooling fan and housing, a wavy lower grill, and the need for a good detailing. This lot will be a great test of whether analysts are right that the 90s are the new 60s. I think if it sells it will be at the low end of the estimate as even Porsches are starting to dip.

Perhaps a car that proves the rule, 930 Turbo Slant Nose Porsches are selling well. Coupes in particular do well, and the low mileage on this example bodes well for it. Given it’s a right-hand drive car in a RHD country, the result could be good! I think this one sells within its guide of $210-260,000 USD.

80s and 90s Mercedes Benz cars are becoming more and more popular. If this were a run-of-the-mill W116, I’d have paid no attention, but with its AMG body kit and wheels, it avoids the grandpa-spec look so common to older Mercedes. The guide is reasonable at $26-39,000 USD and is offered at no reserve. As a result, it’s more a question of how high the bids will be versus whether it will sell. My guess is this will hammer between the mid and high end of its estimate if previous results are any indication.

Another 80s icon, especially across the pond where rally racing is ultra-popular, is the Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth. This car, with its low production number, low miles and good condition in nice colors should generate spirited bidding. At a guide of $130-200,000 USD I think this car finds a buyer at Goodwood.

The street version of the homologation Audi Sport Quattro is one of my personal poster cars and I’d much rather have one of these in the garage than any Lamborghini or Ferrari. As they only made 214 in total, these cars do not hit the market much, making valuation somewhat difficult. This particular car has higher mileage relative to other sales, making its guide of $650-780,000 USD optimistic, in my view. I predict a no-sale on this beauty, sadly.

As with any market, they can be unpredictable and while individual sales for a particular make and model of vehicle may differ from sale to sale, the overall market appears to be headed more toward a true correction than simply a flattening for many vehicles.

What is less clear is whether this decline is across the board or more nuanced. My tracking does suggest that cars from the 60s are hurting. Certain price points seem to be underperforming as well—perhaps due to economic versus generational pressures—as noted in this Monterey prediction recap from Hagerty’s analysts. It will be interesting to see if these trends continue at Bonhams Goodwood Revival Sale and beyond.

Have a great week everyone!

Wolf and Mare provides car finding, appraisals, and auction services for buyers and sellers of collector European cars. If you’re interested in acquiring an overseas car, give us a call or drop a line!