RM Sotheby’s held their second annual Cliveden House auction earlier this week on July 8, 2025. More than 60 cars crossed the block and RM Sotheby’s achieved an 80% sell-through rate. Let’s take a look at a few of the most interesting sales from Cliveden House.
This 1961 Lotus Elite Series 2 is a particularly notable example as it is one of only three early Elites that were exported to Japan. It was once owned by Soichiro Honda, who founded the Honda Motor Company. According to records from the factory, it was delivered to Fuyo Trading Co. on August 23, 1961, making it an important part of both British and Japanese automotive history.
The Lotus Elite Type 14 was introduced in 1957 and was a revolutionary car at the time. It was the world’s first mass-produced fiberglass monocoque chassis, weighing around 1,100 pounds, and offering racing-car-like performance thanks to its engine, brakes, and suspension. With the Series 2 iteration, which began production in 1960, the Elite saw improvements in build quality and dynamics, with enhanced rear suspension and a ZF gearbox.
This particular Elite had a storied – and sometimes dramatic – life in Japan. After it was purchased by Hirotoshi Honda, his son, it was raced at the inaugural Suzuka Circuit, where it famously rolled at Spoon Curve. The car still has scratches on its window frames and repainted panels, which were kept during its restoration as a respectful tribute to its past.
The current UK-based owner acquired the car in 2018 and had it undergo a comprehensive ground-up restoration by Bushell’s Restorations, which was completed in 2021. The car now runs a period-correct Coventry Climax engine, rebuilt to “Super 95” spec by Rawlson Racing, and retains its original ZF four-speed transmission. It is finished in Grand Prix White, a subtle nod to its Japanese heritage, and even keeps a small unpainted panel to show its previous livery changes.
It includes a Lotus Classic Certificate of Vehicle Provenance and is eligible for a variety of historic events such as the Goodwood Revival. With a pre-auction estimate of £70,000 – £100,000, it was well-sold for £73,600.
Sold for £73,600
This 1973 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 “Daytona” Berlinetta, with the chassis number 16773, is one of just 158 right-hand-drive examples that were delivered to the UK. It was originally ordered by Maranello Concessionaires in May 1973 and finished on August 22nd in a factory paint job of Rosso Chiaro over Nero Connolly leather, complete with air conditioning. The car was sold new through HR Owen in London.
The Daytona represents the final chapter in Ferrari’s line of front-engined V12 grand tourers, which began with the 250 GTs of the 1950s. This model features the iconic 4.4L Tipo 251 Colombo V12 engine, mated to a five-speed rear transaxle, delivering 352 horsepower and a top speed of around 174 mph.
This example has been remarkably well preserved, passing through the hands of only four meticulous owners – its current owner since June 1999 being a long-standing trustee of the Ferrari Owners’ Club GB. The car underwent significant mechanical refurbishment in 1998 at Corns & Chiltern-Hunt and a faithful repaint in 2001 by Haslams of Bolton. Regular servicing has been carried out by specialists at R&D Automotive, most recently in September 2024. Thanks to its impeccable history file, which includes original Ferrari order documents, owner’s guides, tool rolls, jack, car cover, and MOT records, the car shows a genuine mileage of 34,714 miles on the odometer.
Offered by RM Sotheby’s at Cliveden House, the pre-auction estimate was £450,000 – £550,000 and this was quite well-bought at £398,750.
Sold for £398,750
The 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, offered by RM Sotheby’s at their Cliveden House sale, is a well-restored and authentic model of one of the most renowned sports cars from the postwar period. As the successor to the famous Gullwing coupe, the 300 SL Roadster made its debut in 1957 with enhanced chassis refinement, improved handling due to an updated rear suspension, and added comfort for open-air driving. This particular example retains its original matching-numbers engine and has been nicely maintained since a thorough restoration was carried out in 1988.
Having initially been delivered in the U.S., this car later moved to the UK, where it underwent a comprehensive restoration by Kent Bain’s Automotive Restorations. More recently, Kienle Automobiltechnik, a leading specialist in 300 SL vehicles, further refined the car. The work involved a full mechanical overhaul, the installation of upgraded front disc brakes, Koni dampers, an electric ignition system, and careful preservation of its original features.
Accompanied by desirable extras such as the factory hardtop, fitted luggage, original manuals, a copy of the data card, and comprehensive service records, this was well-bought at £657,500 following a pre-auction estimate of £700,000 – £900,000.
Sold for £657,500
This 1969 Ferrari 365 GTC, the last of Ferrari’s classic, front‑engined V‑12 grand tourers built by Pininfarina as chassis 12601 with its matching‑numbers 4.4L Colombo V12 and rear‑mounted five‑speed transaxle. Just 150 examples of the 365 GTC were produced, and only 22 left the factory in right‑hand drive; this one was originally finished in the seldom‑seen shade Oro Nashrullah over black leather and now wears Verde Scuro over beige.
Supplied new by Maranello Concessionaires to Yorkshire’s Geoffrey Pilkington in July 1969 (unusually air‑freighted to the U.K.), the Ferrari later spent decades in Australia where it was restored before returning to the UK in 2012. It carries Ferrari Classiche certification and included the Red Book that was awarded in 2019, a Marcel Massini history, original order paperwork, tools, and received a major GTO Engineering service in June 2024.
The pre-auction estimate on this car was £520,000 – £580,000 and it was well-sold at £567,500.
Sold for £567,500