A 1954 Cadillac convertible that served as the royal wedding car for the King and Queen of Belgium is one of the highlights of the Bonhams auction on October 10 in Zoute, Belgium.
Although the Cadillac is not among the higher value offers at the Bonhams auction, the Cadillac gains additional status due to its original ownership of the Belgian royal family and the promotion of the newly married Kings Baudouin and Queen Fabiola from their ceremony in December 1960.
The Cadillac at the wedding of King Baudouin and Queen Fabiola in 1960
The Cadillac Series 62 – actually a 1955 model from 1954 – was often used by the royals as a “state limousine” and took part in many official events over the years, sometimes with a custom-made Plexiglas “bubble top”. The convertible also served as the official parade vehicle of the city of Brussels for around 12 years and appears in historical newsreel footage of various government events.
Bonhams’ estimated pre-auction value for the Cadillac, which has restored its regal looks including the bubble-top, is 70,000 to 90,000 euros (81,860 to 105,000 US dollars).
The 1964 Maserati was a movie car and owned by royalties
Bonhams offers another encounter with royalty with a 1964 Maserati 3.5-liter Mistral Spyder, which was not only owned by the Saudi prince Sultan Bin Saoud, but also before he appeared in the surreal film Juliet of the Spirits by Italian director Federico in 1965 Fellini appeared.
The Maserati’s own story could be the subject of a film. After being owned by the Saudi prince, the sports car ended up in Beirut, Lebanon, where it changed hands several times before it was damaged in the 1975 civil war. The car was rescued and extensively restored in 1988, says Bonhams.
The Maserati is valued at between $ 350,000 and $ 400,000 ($ 409,000 to $ 467,760).
The Bugatti EB110 is expected to be the best-selling auction car
The highest-rated car at the Bonhams auction is a 1994 Bugatti EB110 Super Sport, one of only 30 cars built and valued at EUR 2 to 2.5 million ($ 2.34 to 2.92 million).
Also on the file is a 1989 Ferrari F40 Berlinetta, a one-owner super sports car that was driven just 1,800 kilometers (1,118 miles) from new and is worth between 1 million and 1.5 million euros (1.17 million to 1 , $ 75 million); a rare 1970 Maserati Ghibli 4.7 Spyder valued at € 500,000 to € 700,000 ($ 585,000 to $ 819,000); and a 1954 Lancia B24S Spider America Roadster valued at € 800,000 to € 1 million ($ 936,000 to $ 1.17 million).
The Ferrari F40 has been driven just over 1,000 miles
The Bonhams Zoute auction held on the beach in front of central Albert Square in Knokke-Le-Zoute is one of the events and activities that take place during the Zoute Grand Prix week.
Please visit the Bonhams Zoute auction website for more information.
