Underrated classics up for grabs in Creative Rides auction

American muscle V8s, Italian supercars and the clean lines and superb engineering of German luxury cars have cracked the nod as perennial all-stars of the collector car world.

“We have several sought-after models in our July 10 to 14 online estate collection auction, among them Brookwoods, a BMW Baur Cabriolet, a Karmann Ghia and a couple of rare off-road vehicles,” says Kevin Derrick, CEO of Creative Rides. 

“With the market as high as it is at the moment, many of these classics are also going to be slightly longer-term investments, so it’s a good idea to be looking across a broader field to some of the historically underrated collector cars that are fast rising in value.”

Derrick says one underrated investment classic is the German-made Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Type 14. Karmann Ghias were the sports cars of the Volkswagen brand designed by Carrozzeria Ghia, with hand-built bodywork by German coach builders Karmann.

“Our model on auction was built between 1960 and 1969, with a rear-mounted engine. Karmann Ghias are infinitely collectable, and are valued on the global market at about R450,000,” says Derrick.

“Big cruising-style American 1950s and ’60s station wagons have also been somewhat of a niche market for collectors, with average values on the international market about R545,000. Unless of course they’ve been completely restomodded, in which case their values can reach R2m or more,” he says.

Other cars that have registering on investors’ radars for a while now are American classics such as Cadillac DeVilles and De Sotos. “We’re auctioning a Chrysler De Soto believed to be a 1948 model, which is powered by a flat head 6 cylinder engine. It must have been a great car in its day, and as an investor car expect to have about R100,000 in the kitty to secure one.

“Cadillac DeVille values are even higher. The model in our sale is in good condition and was until recently still being driven by the late Louis Coetzer family. This model expected to fetch from R300,000 upwards.”

There is also a 2015 Land Rover Defender 110 at this month’s auction. It’s among the last of these vehicles and has just more than 9,100km on the odometer. It is expected to fetch upwards of R1.2m.

Derrick says the more than 200-lot online auction includes estate automobilia and memorabilia including grilles, car front ends, spares, barn finds, model ships, aircraft and submarines, a full-sized billiard table, pinball machines, a one-arm bandit slot machine and a Michelin Man. 

The auction will launch on the Creative Rides app at 8am on Wednesday and close on Sunday at 5pm. Successful buyers will be contacted the following day.

Public viewing of the vehicles takes place on Friday and Saturday, from 9am to 4pm on all four days. Location details are available on the Creative Rides app.