Top Gear star’s cars up for grabs at Bonhams auction

13 August, 2015

The weird and wonderful catalogue of amazing vehicles up for sale at the Bonhams auction house in London has gained 13 more cars for their upcoming Goodwood Revival sale being held on September 12. All 13 of the additions are owned by newly announced Top Gear host Chris Evans.

Evans is a well-known collector of Ferraris, so it’s no surprise that six of the Italian marque’s finest headline the list. Included in that six is this rare right-hand–drive 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy, which is estimated to sell for between £2.6–2.9 million, or NZ$6.1–6.8 million. Powered by a 3.3-litre 60-degree V12 engine, the GTB/6C produces 300bhp. The ‘C’ suffix at the end of the Ferrari’s name indicates that this is the ‘Competizione’ edition, while the six alludes to this car’s six-carburettor engine set-up. As a result, this car rings more out of that 300bhp than most other GTBs, not only because of those additions, but also because of its aluminium-alloy bodywork.

Another Ferrari to make the list is Evans’ 1971 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider, which is estimated to sell for between £2.3–2.6 million, or NZ$5.4–6.1 million. Painted black with red leather, it has recently been restored to a concours standard. Under the bonnet, the Daytona packs an all-alloy, four-cam V12 engine, good for an impressive 352bhp at 7500rpm. It also features an all-independent wishbone and coil-spring suspension set-up, which actually debuted on the aforementioned 275GTB above. While the GT variant of the Daytona was the fastest production car in the world when it was launched in 1968 at the Paris Auto Salon, it and its convertible equivalent are more known for their capabilities as cars for comfortable cruising.  

Outside of the six prancing horses Evans is letting go, he’s also selling a replica of the famously nutty car from the 1968 film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Drowning in a mixture of wood and chrome, and sitting atop its bright-red wire wheels, the brilliant replica is estimated to sell for between £250,000–350,000, or NZ$590,000–826,000. Amazingly, this replica was constructed from scratch, taking its original owner just under 10 years to make — eventually completed in 2008. The car was produced with assistance from James Bond film designer, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang assistant art director, Peter Lamont. Among its features are its distinctive yellow-and-orange wings, though I don’t think those are functional.

But perhaps the most curious inclusion on Evans’ list is this bright-orange 1983 Fiat 126 Abarth Replica Sports Saloon. Dwarfed by almost everything else on sale, the Abarth is estimated to sell for the princely sum of £10,000–15,000, or NZ$24,000–35,000. Supposedly, this humble Fiat simply caught Evans’ attention in 2011 because of how its violent hues matched his ginger hair. Out of the whole list, this cute little guy is probably the one I’d take home.

Check out the full gallery of Evans’ cars up for sale below. Do you have a favourite? Vote for it in our poll below!

Motorman: When the top trio took to the road

What sort of cars did Chris Amon, Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme drive when they weren’t on the race track? Motorman knows
Most top racing drivers do care about safety levels of road-going cars for everyday motorists and their all-round abilities behind the wheel. Jackie Stewart for one denied finding everyday driving boring. He took pride in giving his passengers the smoothest possible ride, and encouraged all drivers to actively engage in the task. They also make interesting choices for their transport away from competitive motoring.
Thirty years ago I spent a day with Chris Amon driving on lower North Island roads and I can remember those informative few hours as vividly as if they were yesterday. In 1983 Chris accepted a challenge from Toyota New Zealand to improve its locally assembled cars in a relationship that extended well beyond the end of New Zealand-built Toyota vehicles in 1997.

The Ayrburn Classic announces dates for 2026

Save the date: Friday 20 – Sunday 22 February 2026
That’s right. The Ayrburn Classic returns next February for what promises to be another world-class celebration, scheduled slightly earlier on the calendar to bask in Central Otago’s long golden evenings and late-summer glow. This festival will once again transform Ayrburn into a playground for car enthusiasts, food lovers, and seekers of high-end hospitality alike.
The 2025 edition set an incredibly high benchmark, and is fast becoming one of the leading reasons to visit Queenstown – amongst New Zealanders and international travellers alike. With over 250 classic and contemporary luxury vehicles on display – collectively worth more than $250 million – the festival was a visual and visceral feast for attendees.
Standouts included an $8 million LaFerrari, the latest Aston Martin Vanquish, and a fleet of dream machines from Rolls-Royce, Bentley, McLaren, and more. The event’s unique blend of elegance and accessibility attracted both seasoned collectors and casual admirers aplenty.