Aston Martin Ulster to break world record

16 June, 2014

 

There may be another Aston Martin about to break world records at auction. As seen in yesterday’s articleThe Persuaders! vehicle sold for more than NZD$1 million. However, the upcoming Bonhams Goodwood Festival of Speed Sale may just see another record breaker in the rare Aston Martin Ulster.

The ex-Works Aston Martin Ulster CMC 614 has an incredible racing history  and is one of only 21 production Ulsters ever built. It’s estimated at £1.4 million–1.6 million (approx. NZD$2.8 million–3.2 million) and it is expected to beat the existing world record of £1.3 million set by Bonhams last December for a pre-war Aston Martin at auction.

The Ulster’s racing history dates back nine decades and 100 races. It has raced every year since 1935 — excluding a rest period throughout World War II — and is built for endurance and pace. The two-seater Ulster features a four-cylinder 1496cc engine and is guaranteed to reach speeds of  up to 100mph.

This particular Ulster started its racing career in 1935 at the Mille Miglia. It finished eighth in the 1935 Le Mans 24-hour race and went on to complete the Targa Abruzzo 24-hour sports car event in Italy — finishing third overall and first in class.

As a period entrant in both the Mille Miglia and Le mans races, CMC 614 is not only eligible, but positively welcomed to the great historic motor sport events worldwide. This includes the Mille Retrospective, Le Mans Classic, Goodwood Revival, Monterey Historic, California Mille, and Colorado Grand.

Bonhams Group Head of Motoring James Knight says, “CMC 614 certainly has the potential to exceed the existing Ulster record we established a few months ago. This car has the added benefit of being a Works entry that competed at the very highest international level. It will attract international interest and we are looking forward to an exciting sale.

To finish first, first, you must build a winner

Can-Am royalty
Only three M20s were built, including the car that was destroyed at Road Atlanta. This car was later rebuilt. All three cars were sold at the end of the 1972 season. One of the cars would score another Can-Am victory in 1974, driven by a privateer, but the M20’s day was done. Can-Am racing faded away at the end of that season and was replaced by Formula 5000.
These days the cars are valued in the millions. It was unlikely that I would ever have seen one in the flesh if it hadn’t been that one day my editor asked me if I would mind popping over to Taranaki and having a look at a pretty McLaren M20 that somebody had built in their shed.
That is how I came to be standing by the car owned and built by truck driver Leon Macdonald.

Lunch with … Roly Levis

Lunching was not allowed during Covid 19 Lockdowns so our correspondent recalled a lunch he had with legendary New Zealand racing driver Rollo Athol Levis shortly before he died on 1 October 2013 at the age of 88. Michael Clark caught up with Roly and members of his family over vegetable soup