Bonhams offering up the best of Britain at Goodwood Revival sale

A superb collection of the finest British motor cars from the pre-and post-war eras will add a touch of period luxury to the Bonhams Goodwood Revival Sale. The Stan West Collection of 24 motor cars representing great British marques such as Aston Martin, Bentley, Bristol, Lagonda and Rolls-Royce will be offered on September 18th.

Amassed by the late businessman, known for his nationwide motor factor empire, over a period of 20 years, the Stan West Collection encompasses motor cars produced from the 1920s to the 21^st century, reflecting his enthusiasm for the ‘Best of British’, with the one exception being the 1965 Mercedes-Benz 230SL, which he bought as a gift for his wife.

The collection was kept in a series of bespoke motor houses and was maintained by in-house mechanic. Stan West would display a selection on his driveway for passers-by to enjoy and arrange a yearly car show featuring the collection at his local point-to-point as he wanted to share the joy that his cars brought him.

Leading the selection is a brace of Bentleys. Firstly, a 1955 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback. The pinnacle of R-Types offered the highest levels of refinement and performance, featuring the characteristic aerodynamic lightweight aluminum coachwork of HJ Mulliner. With a top speed of 120mph, the model was described in period as a ‘modern magic carpet’. This example was fully restored between 2005 and 2007 by renowned marque specialist P&A Wood.

Following in its slipstream is a 1926 Bentley 6 1/2-litre ‘Le Mans’ Tourer. One of 242 built on the long ST3 chassis, this ‘Silent Six’ was restored by marque specialist Tony Townshend in the 1970s. It was owned for the next decade by Steve O’Rourke, historic racer and manager of the band Pink Floyd, who commissioned its Vanden Plas style Le Mans replica body, with folding windscreen and lightweight cycle wings. Acquired for the Stan West Collection in 2012, the Bentley has since been maintained by P&A Wood.

1964 Aston Martin DB5. With the imminent cinema release of the new James Bond film No Time to Die, this DB5 affords the opportunity for bidders to bring their 007 dreams to life.

1960 Bristol 406 Zagato. Italian design met British engineering in the late 1950s, when Carrozzeria Zagato was commissioned by Bristol to build a series of lightweight four-seater motor cars based on its 406 saloon. This example was one of only six completed and one of the five that remain.

1923 Rolls-Royce 40/50hp Silver Ghost Pall Mall Tourer. A US-made example of the model dubbed the best car in the world for its coachwork and engineering excellence. This example features rare open-top Pall Mall bodywork and was the subject of six-figure restoration works between 2011 and 2017.

1971 Iso Grifo, estimate. The brainchild of German manufacturer Iso, known more for producing micro ‘bubble’ cars, which employed former Ferrari employee Giotto Bizzarrini to build a ‘Ferrari beater’. The resulting Grifo Coupé, styled by Carrozzeria Bertone, was powered by an American V8 engine, firstly a 5.4-litre Chevrolet, then a Ford 7.0-litre 427ci unit, with which it was faster than a Ferrari Daytona.

This exceptional one owner example has covered just over 20,000 miles from new having been dry stored for nearly 50 years. One of only three right-hand drive 7.0-litre examples, the vendor specified an upgraded 7.4-litre 390bhp Can AM engine. Delivered new to Rhodesia, it was driven back to the UK through Europe and put away in the owner’s garage in 1973 where it has remained since.

The Bonhams Goodwood Revival Sale will take place in its traditional location ‘over the road’ at the West Sussex Motor Circuit on Saturday, September 18 (automobilia from 11.00 and motor cars from 14.00). It will be a fully live sale with bids accepted from clients in the room and will be livestreamed via bonhams.com and goodwood.com.

Pre-sale viewing will take place at Goodwood on Friday 17 September from 9am to 5pm and on Saturday from 9am.

Contact: ukcars@bonhams.com to register to bid. 

Location: Goodwood Motor Circuit, West Sussex
Date: September 18, 2021

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's largest and most renowned auctioneers, offering fine art and antiques, motor cars and jewelry. The main salesrooms are in London, New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, with auctions also held in Knightsbridge, Edinburgh, Paris, San Francisco and Sydney. With a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 22 countries, Bonhams offers advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com.

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