Roger Moore’s ‘Persuaders’ Aston Martin DBS sets world record for DBS sold at auction

In its 15th year Bonhams Aston Martin Works sale totals at £8.7 million

Elsewhere 'Barn Find Corner' sells out, and a project car sells at four times its estimate totaling £393,500

In its 15th year, Bonhams annual auction at the Aston Martin Works totaled £8.7 million, selling over one hundred lots of collectable automobilia alongside almost 50 motor cars, the largest number Bonhams have ever had at the Aston Martin sale.

The top lot, a very rare DB6 Mark 2 Volante sold at £757,500. An unsurprisingly popular model from the marque, the Volante sold is one of only 21 examples built.

The famed 1970 Aston Martin DBS which starred in the hit British television series 'The Persuaders!' held pride of place at the front of the auction hall, attracting immense interest from fans of the show and Aston Martin enthusiasts alike, selling at £533,500 and setting a new world record for an Aston Martin DBS sold at auction.

Roger Moore in 'The Persuaders!'

The famed DBS was specially modified specifically for its role in 'The Persuaders!', in which it featured prominently in almost all of the show's 24 episodes. Co-starring Roger Moore and Hollywood legend Tony Curtis, the car was arguably the third 'star' of the hit series, a motoring icon from the 70s.

Meanwhile, lot 216, the factory Vantage prototype 'DP217' 1963 Aston Martin DB5 project exceeded all expectations. Selling for £393,500 – over four times its highest estimate – as the gavel came down the closing bid was met with applause from the room.

James Knight, Bonhams Group Motoring Director, said: "We've had glorious weather, excellent hospitality, and some truly stunning motorcars starring in today's auction.

"The sale has been one of surprise and delight. From selling a DB5 Sports Saloon project at four times its estimate, to setting world records with 'star' car, 'The Persuaders!' Aston Martin DBS.

"As ever, in its 15th year the Aston Martin Works sale has been truly tremendous. After 15 years of running this sale we still continue to enjoy our very special partnership with Aston Martin, working collectively to deliver the right results for the brand and our clients."

Paul Spires, General Sales Manager at Aston Martin Works, said: "The Bonhams auction weekend has once again more than lived up to expectations. The uniquely sociable 'garden party' atmosphere certainly seems to have helped some of the 2,500 or so people who joined us here at Newport Pagnell take the plunge.

"With many exceptional sports cars sold, and bids coming in from right around the world, it's clear that Bonhams' Aston Martin Sale is, more than ever, a key fixture of the classic car world."

Conchita Wurst - Winner of the Eurovision Song Contest

Conchita Wurst of Austria wins the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen.Wurst's onstage neatly-bearded drag queen persona was created by 25-year-old-singer Thomas Neuwirth and attracted widespread praise and predictably homophobic criticism following her win.

For sale: Mercedes-Benz 300SL ‘Gullwing’ Coupe - as driven by Stirling Moss

 

At its inaugural Mercedes-Benz Sale on 12 July at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany, Bonhams is to offer at auction one of the earliest surviving and most significant of all Mercedes-Benz 300SL 'Gullwing' Coupes. 

 

The 'Gullwing' being offered is chassis serial '4500019', whose eventful past includes being the model-launch vehicle displayed by Daimler-Benz at the 1954 Paris Salon de l'Automobile exhibition; the 1955 London Motor Show car displayed at Olympia; and the 1955 'Autocar' magazine road-test car. 

 

Even more significantly, Stirling Moss (Knighted in 2000 for services to Motor Sport) and his factory team navigator – 'Motor Sport' magazine journalist and former World Champion Motorcycle Sidecar racing passenger, Denis Jenkinson – used this car during course reconnaissance preceding their stupendous victory in the 1955 1,000-mile Mille Miglia round-Italy road race – one of the most illustrious and legendary drives in all motor sporting history.

 

World-renowned in period – and much coveted by collectors today – the 3-litre 6-cylinder fuel-injected 300SL 'Gullwing' Coupe was, from 1954-57, the world's fastest production supercar.

 

When Mercedes-Benz set out to add the Sports Car World Championship to its Formula 1 World title successes in 1955, the opening race of the series was the astounding Mille Miglia – one lap of a thousand-mile public road course starting and finishing in the northern city of Brescia.

 

On May 1, 1955, the new Mercedes-Benz team of open-cockpit 300SLR sports-prototype cars simply destroyed their Ferrari and Maserati opposition to dominate the Mille Miglia, scoring an historic 1-2 triumph, with Stirling Moss/Denis Jenkinson winning from reigning Formula 1 World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio. Moss credited much of his extraordinary victory to navigator 'Jenks' who, for the entire 1,000 miles, had been able to warn Stirling "…of corners that could kill us, and of opportunities to stay flat-out and so save time".

 

Their knowledge had been accumulated from painstaking reconnaissance runs around the 1,000-mile course. Mercedes-Benz 300SL 'Gullwing' Coupe '4500019' now to be offered by Bonhams is the car used by Moss/Jenkinson during this reconnaissance period. 

 

On April 1 1955 they drove it out of Brescia – where the Mille Miglia would start a month later – in company with young German team-mate Hans Herrmann in the first of the full-race 300SLR open-cockpit cars.  Jenks's diary for the day records: "Left Brescia 6.30am in 300SL – Herrmann in 300SLR. Averaging 78mph – crash with Army lorry at Forli. All day sorting things out with M-B technicians. Home in 220A" – Mercedes saloon car – "…by 1 am."

 

On Monday April 18 the duo again left Brescia at "7am in SL and drove to Florence, 1500kilometres. Terrific fun helping driving on blind corners…Fangio passed in Verona – Herrmann later in SLRs…".  Next day "…Left 9am and another good drive back to Brescia". On the 20th Moss/Jenkinson got their chance in the open SLR only for its crankshaft to break at Rimini, while "Fangio had broken SL…".

 

Jenks's diary entry for May 1, 1955, is astonishingly succinct.  It simply reads: "Up at 6am for race day. WE WON. Party in evening with Mercedes-Benz.Bed at 1am".  That was, for the team and for its all-British crew, mission accomplished.

 

Mercedes-Benz 300SL 'Gullwing' Coupe '4500019' was subsequently sold by Mercedes-Benz GB to HW Motors Ltd of New Zealand Avenue, Walton-on-Thames (themselves manufacturers of the famous HWM racing cars), then to enthusiast private owner Peter Woozley. He raced the car at club level and set fastest lap in finishing second in the Stanley Sears Trophy race at Snetterton in 1959.  The car is offered today fully restored to original 1954-55 specification and is as exhibited in the world-renowned Pebble Beach Concours, California, in 2011.

 

James Knight, Group Motoring Director at Bonhams, commented, "This is arguably the most historic 300SL Gullwing extant and is the latest consignment to the auction at the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart. We have a few spaces left, and those final entries are invited for what promises to be a very memorable sale".

 

The Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart maps the entire history of the world's oldest car manufacturer with a unique variety of exhibits. A total of 1500 exhibits, including 160 vehicles, can be seen on an area of 16,500 square metres.

 

 

 

Stallion makes himself at home

Images: Carsten Rehder

When Hurricane Xaver hit northern Germany last December, physician Stephanie Arndt decided to give some safe shelter to a 3-year-old Arabian horse, named Nasar, in her own house. As the storm passed, the horse had already made itself at home, now Nasar lives indoors since then.

One World Trade Center to open in 2014

More than a decade after the September 11 attacks to the World Trade Center twin towers in New York, the primary building of the new World Trade Center complex "One World Trade Center" (1WTC) is set to be open in early 2014. The 104-story building at the northwest corner of the 16-acre trade center site is topped by a spire that reaches a symbolic height of 1,776 feet (541 m) in reference to the year of the United States Declaration of Independence.

Oscar-winning actor Maximilian Schell dead at 83

Actor, filmmaker, opera director - Maximilian Schell, the first German-speaking actor ever to receive the Academy Award, died overnight in a hospital in Innsbruck after "a sudden and severe illness," his agent Patricia Baumbauer said Saturday. He was 83.

The Star and AACTA celebrate Australian talent

Baz Luhrmann and creative partner Catherine Martin

Capping off a week of events at The Star celebrating Australian talent and innovation, celebrities of the big and small screen descended on The Star Sydney yesterday, 30 January 2014, for the 3rd Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards Ceremony.

The lobby of The Darling Hotel welcomed guests for a pre-red carpet event, followed by a media frenzied red carpet leading to The Star Event Centre, atop The Star. The globally broadcast awards night for 1,500 guests recognised Jacki Weaver who was presented the AACTA Raymond Longford Award for her service to the Australian industry and Baz Luhrmann for the multitude of opportunities that creating his vision for The Great Gatsby provided Australians.

Other notable attendees included Cate Blanchett, Gracie Otto, Geoffrey Rush, Sam Worthington and Rachel Griffiths.

Illustrating the diversity of event spaces throughout The Star, Sky Terrace - Sydney’s newest rooftop bar hosted guests for the after party, followed by Marquee nightclub where many of the celebrity guests danced the night away.

Jacki Weaver and Geoffrey Rush attended the
AACTA Luncheon (pictured below) on
Tuesday 28 January, and the Awards Ceremony
30 January 2014, both in The Star Event Centre.

The week of events commenced with the AACTAs luncheon on Tuesday, 28 January 2014, with a red carpet arrival for 700 guests at The Star Event Centre, recognising practitioners working across television, documentary, short fiction film, short animation and feature film categories.

Damian Trewella, CEO of the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) commented on the flawless production and staging of last night’s awards.

“Staging an awards night such as ours is both complex and challenging, with our production needing to integrate television broadcast, a live audience and a myriad of presenters, guests and media.

"The outcome of our production must be at a high level as it is a recognition of achievement in film and television.

"Working in partnership with our broadcast team, The Star’s team showcased their professionalism through their creative use of the multitude of event spaces across The Star to suit our many varied needs.

"The staging of the AACTA Awards over the past two years at The Star have set ever higher benchmarks for the industry thanks to the quality of the venue, its incredible technical capability and staff that simply make things happen.”

Cate Blanchett walking the red carpet to
The Star Event Centre for the Awards Ceremony.

Solidifying The Star as a world class event and entertainment precinct, The Star will be the official destination partner and host venue for the AACTAs for another four years, ensuring Australia’s most prestigious screen awards stay in Sydney.

Geoff Parmenter, General Manager Communications and Corporate Affairs, The Star, expresses his delight to support this event for a further four years.

“Sydney is rightfully proud of its status as home to Australia’s vibrant creative industries and many of the country’s leading cultural organisations. You’ll see The Star looking to really highlight and showcase its role in supporting and celebrating all things that are great in Sydney. We are therefore delighted to be supporting the 3rd AACTA Awards as Destination Partner and official host venue for the next four years.”

The Darling Hotel and Astral Towers and Residences provided a luxurious base for guests to stay, ensuring that national and international attendees could be accommodated at the same location as the events right across the week.

To enquire about the multiple event spaces throughout The Star, please contact The Star Sales Team on +61 2 9657 8568 or starsales@echoent.com.au

Visit www.star.com.au

For more information or enquiries, visit www.star.com.au or call 1800 700 700.

The AACTA afterparty took place at Sydney's newest rooftop bar, Sky Terrace at The Star.