A Maserati by Frua, a BMW by Bertone and a Chrysler by Ghia are three 1950s Italian coachbuilt cars on offer at Bonhams Quail Lodge 2017.
Bonhams announced further interesting cars for its annual Monterey Week Quail Lodge classic car auction in mid-August 2017 in California, USA. Three rare and exquisite automobiles bodied by three famed Torinese coachbuilders: a 1956 Maserati A6G/54 Gran Sport Spider by Frua, a 1957 BMW 503 Cabriolet by Bertone, and a 1953 Chrysler Special by Ghia. The cars on offer are multiple award winners at a variety of concours d’elegance competition worldwide.
Bonhams Quail Lodge 2017 Auction
The 20th Bonhams Quail Lodge Auction will take place on Friday, August 18, 2017, at Quail Lodge in Carmel, California. It is hosted in conjunction with The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering.
In 2016, Bonhams’ top result at Quail Lodge was $4,000,000 for a 1931 Bugatti Type 51 Grand Prix Racing Two Seater but the Quail Lodge auction record was set in 2014 when the 1962/3 Ferrari 250 GTO sold for $38,115,000 as the most-expensive car ever sold at public auction.
1956 Maserati A6G/54 Gran Sport Spider by Frua
First is the legendary 1956 Maserati A6G/54 Gran Sport Spider by Frua. With a hat-tip to Alfieri (the leading force behind the founding Maserati brotherhood) and a reference to the straight 6-cylinder cast-iron (ghisa in Italian) engine block, the A6G was a shining jewel in the A6 line-up, which was considered by many to be one of the finest series of Maserati ever made. In sporty and highly desirable Spider configuration coachbuilt by Frua, this factory prototype example is exceedingly rare – just one of nine, and has been expertly restored under the supervision of Maserati maestro Adolfo Orsi.
Testament to its authenticity and quality of workmanship, this 1956 Maserati A6G/54 Gran Sport Spider by Frua was Class Winner at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and is without a doubt one of the best of its kind extant.
1957 BMW 503 Cabriolet by Bertone
The 1957 BMW 503 Cabriolet by Bertone was, amazingly, owned by just one family from new. One of 13 examples delivered new to the US, this matching-numbers Cabriolet with an all-alloy body coachbuilt by Bertone is also the recipient of an outstanding restoration and has clinched a bevy of awards as confirmation: Best in Show at the Santa Fe Concorso, Class Winner at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, Pinehurst Concours d’Elegance Award, Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance entrant, and more.
1953 Chrysler Special by Ghia
The 1953 Chrysler Special by Ghia is the product of an extraordinary cross-Atlantic collaboration. Involving Virgil Exner from Chrysler and Mario Boano from Ghia, the resulting Special was unveiled at the 1952 Paris Motor Show to grand acclaim.
The Chrysler importer to France decided to commission 18 cars, of which eight are known to survive today. This particular example was delivered new to industrialist Leon Coulibeuf, a gentleman driver who also raced at Le Mans alongside Jean Behra the same year he bought this car. The Special was shown in period at a prominent concours d’elegance by Coulibeuf’s wife and in later years has been shown at the Louis Vuitton Concours d’Elegance, the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, and the Zoute Grand Prix.
More Information on the Monterey Week Classic Car Auctions 2017
- Monterey Week – Updates on all Monterey week 2017 auctions
- Pebble Beach – Updates on Gooding auction announcements, previews and results
- Monterey – Updates on RM Sotheby’s auction announcements, previews and results
- Quail Lodge – Updates on Bonhams auction announcement, previews and results