Creative Rides gearing up to auction 160 classics at Montecasino

About 160 super and sports cars, collector off-roaders and classic cars will be on sale at the third annual Creative Rides collector car auction at Montecasino, Johannesburg, on September 7 and 8.

Creative Rides CEO Kevin Derrick said the assembly of cars will be the most impressive in South Africa.

“This year will be no different. The catalogue of reserved and unreserved lots is magnificent and I have no doubt new record sale prices will be reached on many lots,” he said.

Derrick said this year it’s also far more difficult to highlight standout classics on the block  as there are dozens from which to choose.

Among the lots are Mercedes-Benz products including a 1958 220S “Ponton” cabriolet. The limited number range was produced from 1956 until 1959 and only 3,429 examples were made, of which 23 were right-hand drive. The silver model on auction is a part of the rare 23 and boasts a red roof and red leather interior powered by a 2.2l six-cylinder engine developing 119kW.

Another Mercedes-Benz on offer is a silver and black 1938 four-seater 170V cabriolet, believed to be the only one of its type in the country. It is powered by an in-line four-cylinder motor mated to a four-speed manual transmission. 

Adding to the classic Benz line-up is a 2012 Mercedes-Benz Unimog camper. The peerless off-road vehicle comes fitted with every gadget and accessory possible, including roof-mounted solar panels, CCTV, satellite TV, flat screen TV, two winches, extra-long range fuel tanks, double bed and a kitchen with fridge/freezer, stove and shower.

A 1973 Lamborghini Espada kicks off the Italian sports car offerings. A total of 1,227 units of the four-seater classic with a spacious boot were built between 1968 and 1978. Power comes from a V12 engine.

Another Espada cousin looking for a new home is a 2006 Lamborghini Murciélago LP-640 valued at about R3.9m. It is powered by a 6.5l V12 motor paired to the E-gear paddle-shift automated manual transmission. 

Another Italian exotic is the 1973 Maserati Merak. Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Merak, with its dramatic fastback styling, sports a V6 engine with a chain-driven double overhead camshaft. With the recent announcement that Maserati owners Stellantis may retire the brand, the marque may be entering a new level of being cherished.    

Entry to the auction is R250 for adults and free for children under 18. The Montecasino auction will also be a live-streamed through the Creative Rides App.

Bidder registrations and buyer enquiries are coming in from countries as varied as the US, Indonesia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Malawi, the Netherlands, Ireland, Romania, Germany, Australia, Mauritius, Brazil, Hong Kong and the Dominican Republic, according to Creative Rides.