Historics Auction: An Exhibition

Back in March, Historics opened its auction doors at Ascot Racecourse for what was to be the last major UK classic car auction before the lockdown caused by the pandemic.

Six months later, on 26th September, the world-famous venue again played host to Historics for its major open-to-public autumn classic car sale, with strict covid-secure measures in place.

The extensive grounds provided the elegant backdrop to a fine and varied consignment of 190 classics spanning nine decades and including classic examples from 47 different brands
Having hosted the event at the iconic Ascot Grandstand since 2017, the event this year was adapted in response to COVID-19 to become an outdoor event. With extensive lawns and hardstanding areas the racecourse was the ideal venue for ensuring the event was compliant with current COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions. 25 staff members were on-hand each day to ensure the event ran smoothly and the NHS Test and Trace application was made available to all attendees.

During the event itself, the racecourse’s unlimited free parking proved invaluable from an accessibility perspective, negating the need for attendees’ reliance on public transport.

The auction itself was a resounding success. Collaborative working between the Historics team and the Events At Ascot team ultimately led to a highly successful event that saw attendance from over 1,800 individuals across a busy and profitable four days. 

149 of a total of 186 consignments were sold, with total sales of £4.6 million achieved. Of this total, 60 winning bids amounting to £1.8m were placed from a series of international bidders joining online from all over the world. Lot 115 - a superb 1993 Alfa Romeo Spider - attracted a flurry of interest, eventually selling for £20,160 after an astonishing 40 bids had been placed.

The highest bid of the day however, came in at a staggering £220,740, as the hammer fell on a magnificent 1967 gold Aston Martin DB6. Another eye-catching sale came courtesy of a meticulously restored 1956 Vauxhall Cresta E, estimated at between £28,000 and £35,000 and sold for a record-breaking £53,760.

Several other cars sold for well over their estimate. Most notably, a 1989 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, a highly desirable model and one of the very last of its type, sold for well over twice its estimate at £70,184, while a stunning 1968 Triumph TR5 fetched an impressive £38,488 against an estimated value of £23,000 - £27,000.

Next Historics Auction at Ascot
9th-12th December 2020
The Historics Car Auction is just one example of the countless different types of events that come alive at Ascot each year. 

The home of Royal Ascot boasts a legacy of excellence built and strengthened over the course of more than three centuries. Service and professionalism come as standard, and our dedicated staff are proud to offer the highest level of hospitality, guidance and support.

Now, more than ever, the health and wellbeing of all visitors to Ascot remains our utmost priority. We offer an abundance of flexible space in which to host a vast array of business and social occasions and, having worked tirelessly to ensure that our facilities are safe to use, our experienced Events At Ascot team is committed to providing an unfailingly safe environment for every event. 
Visitors and event organisers alike can be assured that the racecourse is fully compliant with all the latest guidelines; having carried out a detailed COVID-19 Risk Assessment, we have implemented all necessary processes and protocols so as to ensure the highest standards of cleanliness and facilitate social distancing.

We would be delighted to show you the full opportunity of what’s possible in person and to reassure you that your customers can feel safe, comfortable and confident in their enjoyment of the event experience here at Ascot. Simply contact us to arrange a convenient time for a visit or for more information on Events at Ascot click here.