ONLINE AUCTION WILL PRESENT 200 COLLECTOR CARS
14-15 AUGUST ON RMSOTHEBYS.COM
WATCH SAM HANCOCK MASTERFULLY NAVIGATE THE M1 PROCAR AT THE 2019 SPA HISTORIC RACE
- RM Sotheby’s announces early entries for Online Only: SHIFT / MONTEREY auction, led by spectacular 1980 BMW M1 Procar with in-period IMSA racing history, offered without reserve
- The auction house also releases in-car footage of M1 Procar speeding on the historic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps with Sam Hancock behind the wheel
- Online Only: SHIFT / MONTEREY set to offer approximately 200 exceptional collector cars on rmsothebys.com
- Consignments for the auction are invited through 13 July
- Additional information and updated list of entries available at rmsothebys.com
BLENHEIM, Ontario (18 June 2020) – Following the transition of RM Sotheby’s world-renowned Monterey sale to the company’s proprietary Online Only platform, the auction house is pleased to announce early entries for its Online Only: SHIFT / MONTEREY auction, 14-15 August, which will present approximately 200 motor cars on rmsothebys.com. Leading the highlights is an exceedingly rare 1980 BMW M1 Procar, offered without reserve, boasting period IMSA competition history, and featured in exciting in-car footage of British racing driver Sam Hancock masterfully navigating the historic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on route to a GT2 Class Pole.
Wearing a striking wedge-shaped fiberglass body by renowned designer Giorgio Giuiaro, the BMW M1 was the first car powered by an engine developed by BMW Motorsport—the mighty 3,453 cc M88 inline six-cylinder engine. The M1 instantly became a major player in the automotive community when it debuted as a road-legal racing car at the 1978 Paris Motor Show and shortly after, the M1 Procar race series was developed, fitted with the even more powerful M88/1 engine and producing over 470 bhp.
The M1 Procar offered in RM Sotheby’s SHIFT / MONTEREY auction, chassis no. 1195, is the 36th example of a mere 54 Procars produced and was sold new to American racing driver Joe Crevier, who drove the car alongside Al Unser Jr. in the 1981 Riverside Six Hours. 1195 went on to participate in the IMSA GT Championship for two seasons, claiming numerous podium finishes.
Today, the race-ready Procar comes to auction in outstanding condition, having been comprehensively restored from the ground up. Raced regularly throughout its life, including more recently at the 2010 Le Mans Classic, 1195 was continuously maintained and serviced by expert competition car specialists. In today’s historic racing environment, the M1 Procar is a prized entrant as they are well-regarded for their outstanding trackability, reliability and performance with this particular example being regarded as “on the button” and fully race-prepared. The M1 Procar represents a rare opportunity to obtain one of the most eligible and iconic competition cars available (Est. $600,000 - $800,000, offered without reserve).
“The offering of such a tremendous example of the BMW M1 Procar is a very unique opportunity, and its presentation without reserve makes the offering even more unprecedented,” said Shelby Myers, Car Specialist & Global Head of Private Sales, RM Sotheby’s. “The M1 Procar is considered one of the most spectacular racing cars in the motorsport world, packing a truly impressive amount of power. Chassis no. 1195 checks all the right boxes, having been maintained and competed without financial constraint and is highly eligible for a number of historic racing events. You don’t have to imagine what it would be like to race this car around the famed Le Mans circuit after watching Sam Hancock behind the wheel at Spa—this is the chance to race a fantastic M1 Procar at the Le Mans Classic in 2021.”
Additional early entries are highlighted by exceptional pre and post-war classics, including:
- An elegant 1937 Bugatti Type 57C Ventoux, believed to have been a Bugatti demonstrator at the 1937 Paris Auto Show and professionally restored to concours standards (Est. $700,000 - $850,000);
- The sole surviving 1931 Pierce-Arrow Model 41 Convertible Victoria with coachwork by LeBaron, having achieved Best in Class at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance (Est. $375,000 - $450,000);
- A fresh-to-market 1930 Stutz Model MB Monte Carlo, one of three with Custom Coachwork by Weymann, offered on behalf of The Automobile Driving Museum in California and boasting a gorgeous concours restoration (Est. $300,000 - $375,000);
- A 1959 Facel-Vega HK500, one of only 190 examples produced for 1959 and offered from just four owners since new, having remained under its first owner’s care for 50 years (Est. $175,000 - $225,000);
- A matching-numbers, left-hand-drive 1958 Jaguar XK 150 S 3.4 Roadster, possessing 100 point JCNA status with over 80 concours wins (Est. $150,000 - $200,000).
Early highlights and additional entries will continue to be posted in the coming weeks leading up to the auction. Each car offered in the Online Only auction will be presented with an unprecedented amount of documentation, information and photography alongside condition reports completed by RM Sotheby’s specialists. Whenever available, additional information on each lot, such as history files, production certificates, restoration documentation, service invoices, owner’s manuals, and accompanying parts will be viewable online, once logged in, by clicking the “View Files” button on the individual lot page.
Interested consignors are invited to contact an RM Sotheby’s car specialist to discuss entering their important car in Online Only: SHIFT / MONTEREY. Consignments are invited through 13 July.
Additional information is available at rmsothebys.com.