With all the wealth flowing through Monterey Car Week, it’s not surprising that auctions there have a history of setting records. Multi-million-dollar Ferraris new and old, the most expensive Beetle ever sold at auction, the most expensive Bugatti Divo ever sold … I could go on. However, it’s worth looking at the other end of the lot listings, because even in a posh place like this, there are cars you likely won’t have to be minted to be the high bidder on. Welcome to the rundown on this year’s fancy Monterey auction cars with the lowest forecast prices. Ghouls and goblins, it’s time to rev up those credit cards.
First, some ground rules for this Monterey Car Week auction lot round-up: A qualifying car must be legal for use on the road. Old race cars are often surprisingly cheap, to the point where you could pick up an ex-Cup Series road course stock car for the price of a certified pre-owned Camry and immediately become the most feared person at your local track day. Likewise, scaled-down “junior” cars—effectively go-karts with bodies shaped like real cars—are incredibly cool but also relatively inexpensive and difficult to use for normal car purposes. With that in mind, let’s get cracking.
1982 BMW 635CSi “The Observer Coupe”
Where: Bonhams, Laguna Seca, Aug. 13.
Estimated value: $18,000 to $24,000
The E24 BMW 6 Series is an icon of the ’80s. Sure, it wasn’t as sophisticated as a later Mercedes-Benz 300CE, but it had attitude. Big straight-sixes, a glowering shark-like nose, and as much leather as you could really want. However, this one’s a bit different. With the help of the newspaper The Observer, it was turned by MGA Developments into an early panoramic moonroof prototype. Imagine the jaws that dropped seeing a retractable glass roof in 1982.
Unfortunately, this roof doesn’t retract anymore. For the past 33 years or so, the glass panel’s remained fixed in place. Still, if you want a wild example of ’80s European coachbuilding, this seems as solid an example as any. Not only does it have a full-fat Euro-spec M30B34 3.4-liter straight-six producing 215 horsepower, but that engine’s hitched to a proper manual gearbox. The “Observer Coupe” looks the part, too. Beyond its wild roof, the skirts, spoiler, and significant parts of the greenhouse are new. Also, check out those Centra alloys. How ’80s is that?
1973 Citroën GS Birotor
Where: Broad Arrow’s The Quail auction, Aug. 13.
Estimated value: $20,000 to $30,000
If you’re like me, you probably miss when the French made some absolutely mad stuff. Hydropneumatic suspension? Check. A one-spoke steering wheel? Check. A two-rotor engine joint-developed with NSU? Absolutely. This is a Citroën GS Birotor, and it’s awesome. Alright, so it might’ve been as expensive as a DS23 and thirstier, which made it a complete sales failure with just 847 units sold, but doesn’t it just ooze cool out of every pore? We’re talking a smooth 106 horsepower, an even smoother suspension system, and styling that’s aged absolutely perfectly.
Not only is this GS Birotor in fully usable condition, it’s also a genuine museum-quality car. This thing was part of the late, great Mullen collection before that museum closed down. Parts may be unobtanium and you will have to explain this car everywhere you go, but it might just be the most unique thing you can buy for the money if its estimated value of $20,000 to $30,000 is accurate.
1973 Ford F-100 Ranger XLT
Where: Bonhams, Laguna Seca, Aug. 13.
Estimated value: $25,000 to $35,000
A dentside Ford is about as far from a Citroën GS Birotor as you can get while staying in the ’70s, but there’s something deeply handsome about this generation of Ford trucks. All blue jeans and that. It’s America with mud on the tires, ready, willing, and able to take on the task at hand. I remember when a handful of these were still plying their trade as beaters in the Rust Belt. Slow-breathing, uncomplicated, built for a world before cable TV.
This particular dentside is an F-100, but one that’s specced rather well. Not only does it have a 360 cubic-inch FE big-block V8 under the hood, there’s a four-speed manual shifter sprouting from the floor in front of the middle passenger. Ranger trim adds a touch of luxury, and come on, how often do you see these things in black? I’d rock it. You might too.
1968 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Convertible
Where: Bonhams, Laguna Seca, Aug. 13.
Estimated value: $25,000 to $35,000
On second thought, with today’s gas prices, maybe a big-block V8 isn’t the wisest idea. Maybe something smaller but just as cool would offer more smiles per mile. How about this Karmann Ghia convertible? This gorgeous Beetle-based machine gets me every time, even though it isn’t exactly swift. Mechanical parts are common and inexpensive, the styling riffs on a Virgil Exner classic, and it’s just impossible to be mad at this very economical personal coupe. Um, drop-head coupe.
This particular 1968 model makes about 50 horsepower and is finished in its original colors of beige-on-brown. Guess what? The lines are lovely enough that it absolutely works. While the optioned Riviera wheels are worth a mint, the whole car should be rather reasonable for such an icon. Not a bad way of spending $25,000 to $35,000 in Monterey.
1970 Citroën M35
Where: Broad Arrow’s The Quail auction, Aug. 14.
Estimated value: $30,000 to $40,000
And now for something completely different. What happens when you take a fancy, beefed-up Citroën 2CV and change just about everything? Replace the air-cooled twin with a single-rotor engine, design rakish new coachwork, and add hydropneumatic suspension? You get the Citroën M35, a limited-run rolling testbed that was actually tested by select Citroën customers.
The seat backrests hinged above the hipline made it to the SM, a two-rotor version of the Comotor engine made it into the GS Birotor, the hydropneumatic suspension continued to be a Citroën mainstay, and the M35 itself went … nowhere, actually. Most were scrapped after returning to Citroën, making this one an absolute rarity. While an estimated value of $30,000 to $40,000 may sound crazy to the uninitiated, sometimes crazy equals genius.
1958 BMW Isetta 300
Where: Broad Arrow’s The Quail auction, Aug. 13.
Estimated value: $30,000 to $40,000
Stefan Urquelle to the courtesy phone, please. This is a 1958 BMW Isetta 300, possibly the most successful Italian-German product of the mid-20th century. Initially designed by Renzo Rivolta and built under a variety of names on several continents, the Isetta’s the weird bubble car you remember from “Family Matters.” Guess what? The ’90s were a long time ago, and now this 300 cc machine is positively chic. [Ed note: you may also recall the 1957 Isetta in Depeche Mode’s video for “Never Let Me Down Again” – Pete]
Okay, so your knees are still the crumple zones, and attempting interstate travel doesn’t seem like a wise idea, but for ambling about town? It’s absolutely class. People will coo and aww as you pass, like you have a kitten on your shoulder. Plus, wherever you end up, parking shouldn’t be a problem. These things have enjoyed strong values over the past decade-plus, but as far as conversation-starters go, few things on four wheels are better. Even in Monterey.
1958 Fiat 600
Where: Broad Arrow’s The Quail auction, Aug. 13.
Estimated value: $30,000 to $45,000
While the Fiat 500 gets all the credit as the car that put post-war Italy on four wheels, the Fiat 600 came first and was even more successful. A 10-foot-seven-inch long rear-engined marvel, it not only got Italian families into a car, it repeated the same feat in Yugoslavia, Spain, Argentina, and Colombia. It’s the basis for the iconic Multipla, was modified and raced by Abarth, and had a total production run of nearly five million examples.
This 1958 model’s a reasonably early one, built just three years after the Fiat 600 said hello to the world. The mint paintwork is surely a dose of la dolce vita, and the roll-back fabric roof only adds to the appeal. It’s a little more spacious than a 500, a little more usable, and ready to stir nostalgia in passers-by from all over the world. Not bad, seicento, not bad.
2010 Porsche Cayman S
Where: RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction, Aug. 14.
Estimated value: $30,000 to $60,000
Then again, maybe you want to go fast. The 987 Porsche Cayman is pretty much the best entry point into mid-engined magic on the used market, and the 987.2 facelift model eliminated the IMS bearing for reliability and brought in the PDK dual-clutch automatic for easy 2-1 downshifts in extremely tight hairpins or on the autocross course. This 2010 987.2 Cayman S is optioned with two pedals, but it doesn’t exactly look like a Sunday driver.
That’s because this 320-horsepower Cayman S has been fitted with harnesses and a roll bar and a bucket seat and track-spec wheels and tires for cutting fast laps at Thermal Club, a members-only racetrack in California. It may only have 33,951 miles on it, but many of those look to have happened at full tilt. RM Sotheby’s expects this thing to fetch $30,000 to $60,000 in Monterey, and I’d expect it to fall on the conservative side of that, judging by its modifications and prior use. Still, if you’re looking for a track-prepped PDK-equipped 987.2 Cayman S, this seems as good as any.
So, will these be the cheapest cars at Monterey Car Week’s fancy auctions? There’s only one way to find out. With some lots going under the hammer on Thursday, there’s not much waiting to do now.
Top graphic image: Bonhams, Broad Arrow
The GS and Isetta speak to me. The Fiat would, too, but I can still remember being offered one for $100 when I was in high school….
IMO, auctions — especially Car Week auctions — are not the best places to buy cars. There’s always some high-roller with more money than sense willing to pony up to fill a corner of his fancy collection with something cute.
Me? I have no money and no sense. So I’ll get something from the Scratch & Dent shelf and hope I can shine it up.
I’ll take the Birotor, thank you. I would even fancy it with the standard engine. Those GS have disappeared completely.
Price expectations for the Isetta seem a bit high, but the color sure is cute.
Man, I’ve never heard of that Citroen M35, but it sure seems super cool. Gotta be the most interesting car here, for a “cheap” price too. Honestly, seems like the perfect car for a moderately rich guy to mistakenly buy after knocking back a few too many. I just wonder how bad the running costs are.
Either way, it’s infinitely cooler than some ’67 Mustang or whatever some equally rich and drunk guy will mistakenly buy at Meccum for 2x the cost.
Here at Mecum, Wecum.
I went to Mecum in Houston once. I was blown away by the number of middle aged and older, small business owning drunk guys, who constantly complain about taxes, minimum wage being too high, and the cost of gas, that could then just drop $100k+ on some generic 60s muscle car. Why did no one tell me you can make so much money owning the local HVAC company in some tiny ass town?
Those Citroens are beauts.
But I can’t be the only one who doesn’t understand the valuation on that F100?
I can.
It’s something Glen Powell or Charlie Hunnam could roll up to the studio in wearing a white t-shirt and aviators and be considered “cool”
For being so rare, that Citroen M35 is awefully inexpensive. 267 produced between ’69 and ’71.
Yeah, if you want to make “difficulty sourcing parts” into an entire lifestyle!