Johannesburg - South African motoring history is dotted with unique and iconic cars, many of which which were created as homologation specials for motor racing. Think BMW 325iS Evo and Opel Kadett Superboss.
Another increasingly sought after circuit-inspired special is the Alfa Romeo GTV6 3.0, and if you ever had doubts about its status as a collector’s car, consider that a pristine example sold for R1.1 million over the weekend at the Legend & Classics auction that was held at the Creative Rides showroom in Bryanston.
The event, which saw over 100 collectible cars go under the hammer, drew an online global audience of more than 15 000. Bidding for the 1985 Alfa Romeo GTV6 3.0 started at R200 000, but after a bidding war between local and Australian collectors, the car was eventually sold to a South African from Cape Town for R1.1 million.
According to High Street Auctions Director and Lead Auctioneer Joff van Reenen, this GTV is a completely original, low-mileage example that has been “mollycoddled” by its previous owner.
Developed in South Africa as a homologation car for the Group One production racing series in the 1980s, only around 200 of them were ever produced at the Italian car brand’s factory in Brits, and it’s believed that only around 35 remain in existence today.
Powered by a 3.0-litre engine that produced 128kW and 222Nm, the GTV6 3.0 was the most powerful Alfa Romeo production car at the time. Of course, this car is not to be confused with the GTV6 2.5, which is a far more common sight.
“The star lot of the day was without doubt the Alfa GTV 6, which was also the last lot in a packed catalogue of some of the rarest collector cars I’ve ever seen,” Van Reened said after the auction. “The good news is this extremely rare 3L beast that was originally designed for the Group 1 local racing circuit is going to be staying in South Africa.”
Ford Capri Perana and other rare cars sold
The Legend & Classics auctioneers sold 106 collector cars over the weekend, including a 1971 Ford Capri Perana that fetched R780 000. Other high price achievers were a 1960 Chevrolet El Camino, which fetched R915 000, a 1972 Ford Fairmont GT (R900 000) and a 1970 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL (R800 000).
Creative Rides CEO Kevin Derrick said that 80% of the buyers were South African, with the majority residing in Gauteng, and several buyers indicated that their new prized rides would be going into private car museums around the country.
Van Reenen said that the Covid-19 pandemic had fuelled even more interest in classic cars, as it pushed more people online, both locally and abroad.
“Prices never decrease on a collector car,” Van Reenen said. “The collector car market in the US and Europe has exploded, a lot more people are getting into it, and the values just keep climbing”.
South African-built classics, which often had bigger engines than their international counterparts, are increasingly in demand in both Europe and Australia, from muscle cars like the Peranas to once-ordinary sedans like the Ford Cortina XR6.