Five Italian GTs coming up in the Bonhams|Cars Bond Street sale

Some take a more elegant approach, and there are a host of suave Latin grand tourers in the catalogue for this month’s Bonhams|Cars Bond Street Sale. Which of these would get you bidding?

1962 Ferrari 250 GTE 2+2 Series II

Estimate: £150,000-£200,000

Ferrari moved in territory occupied by Aston Martin and Maserati in 1960 with the introduction of the 250 GTE with its 2+2 seating wrapped in a coupe body. Styling was by Pininfarina who has been charged with creating a more accommodating 250 without sacrificing appearances. They created extra interior space by moving the engine, gearbox and steering assembly forward and the fuel tank was sent backwards.

This example, chassis number 3465, was ordered new in right-hand-drive via Maranello Concessionaires by Viscount Elveden of the Guinness brewing family and the car was often seen parked at the St. James’s Gate brewery. The history file includes the original bill of sale, which details the Facel Vega that was offered in part-exchange. Correspondence between Viscount Elveden’s office and Maranello Concessionaires up to 1967 is also on file.

The car underwent a bare-shall restoration in the 1980s and there are photographs to show the work. Later maintenance includes an engine rebuild in 2009 and further significant work in 2020 and 2022. This storied and well documented example of the Ferrari 250 GTE is estimated to sell for £150,000 to £200,000.

1972 De Tomaso Mangusta

Estimate: £200,000 to £250,000

OK, we’re venturing more into supercar territory than grand touring here, but we couldn’t resist including this De Tomaso Mangusta. Just look at it! Those Italian lines were emboldened by a mid-mounted Ford V8 engine that was elsewhere employed by the Ford GT40. With the Mangusta, it’s accessed via a distinctive two-piece centre-hinged bonnet. Enough to give the car true supercar performance of the day and cementing De Tomaso’s position as a serious car-maker. The Mangusta was introduced in 1967 and remained in production for five years, during which just 401 examples were built. By comparison, 765 examples of the contemporary Lamborghini Miura were built, itself scarcely mass-produced. 

This 1972 example was built towards the end of the run and its first two owners were from London. By 1975 it had been moved on to its third owner in Yorkshire and subsequently appeared in a few books and other publications. It is now being sold from a deceased estate, its late owner having owned the car since 1996. It changed hands on that occasion for £27,000 (which is £54,700 in today’s money when adjusted for inflation). It’s now likely to take somewhere north of £200,000 to secure it.

1982 Maserati Khamsin

Estimate: £100,000 to £140,000

Sticking with sharply styled Italian wedges, we have this Maserati Khamsin. It was the final model introduced by Maserati when it was under the control of Citroën. The French firm’s famed hydraulics are used for the steering and brakes, as well as being the method for raising the pop-up headlights.

Bertone penned its lines and took on assembly while the 2+2 hatchback body was home to Maserati’s quad-cam 4.9-litre V8 engine. Perhaps surprisingly, the Khamsin coupé was more expensive than its contemporary Bora supercar stablemate.

Its first owner was based in London and it underwent a mechanical restoration in 1994. It has been sparingly used since – in 1987, the recorded mileage was 19,000km and it’s now only around 26,000km. It comes from the same deceased estate as the Mangusta and is estimated to sell for £100,000 to £140,000.

1973 Lamborghini Jarama S

Estimate: £90,000 to £120,000

As far as 1970s Lamborghinis go, the Countach might get all the attention but there are other Raging Bulls available that are both rarer and more affordable. This Jarama S is one of just 150 examples built, and it combines its four-seat practicality with a full count of 12 cylinders up front. The quad-cam V12 makes the car good for 160mph. The Jarama is based around a shortened version of the Espada’s spaceframe chassis.

This left-hand-example is equipped with a manual gearbox and was acquired by its late owner in 1980. Much work was carried out on the car during the subsequent decade, and it also underwent a colour change. The history file contains receipts for all work carried out from 1985 to 2019, and the most recent work was for new tyres and refurbished wheels in 2022. Its most recent MoT was in 2018, while the registration it carries will be sold separately. Its estimate is £90,000 to £120,000.

1975 Alfa Romeo Montreal

Estimate: £60,000 to £80,000

There hasn’t been an Alfa Romeo like the Montreal since it dipped out of production in 1977. The scowled-eyes styling was the work of Marcello Gandini and was backed up by a 2.6-litre four-cam V8 engine derived from that used in the T33 sports prototype. It was later enlarged to 3.0 litres, in which form it was used in Formula 1. In its Montreal trim, it produces 202PS (148kW) and drives through a 5-speed manual gearbox.

The late owner bought the Montreal in 1984, at which point it was being offered fpr £7,750 with 22,000 miles on the clock. Adjusted for inflation, that’s £25,400 in today’s money. Since then, the car has covered around 5,000 miles and is now estimated to sell for £60,000 to £80,000. Over the years, it has received rust removal and repairs in the 1980s and mechanical work as recently as 2023.