The cheapest and most expensive car from a Dutch barn find

There will be another ‘auction’ of five cars, but the other more than 230 cars from the Palmen collection have now gone under the hammer. Ad Palmen has collected a wide range of cars, as evidenced by the difference between the car that yielded the least and the most expensive. At €225, a 1998 Opel Vectra 1.6 16V was the most financially disappointing car at the auction. Not entirely surprising, because it was one of the least special cars Mr. Palmen owned. In addition, the Vectra is clearly quite exposed to the elements, making it worse than many older cars in the collection. Still, the Vectra managed to make it to three bids, but at €225 the interested parties thought it was enough.

Photo: Classic Car Auctions

Although there are still five cars to be auctioned, the most expensive will undoubtedly remain the 1955 Lancia Aurelia 24B Spider America, which has already been auctioned. It goes to a happy new owner who is no less than €540,000 lighter. A huge amount of money, but less than the expected yield. Classic Car Auctions indicated to expect €675,000 to €875,000. The fact that expectations were high is of course not only due to the graceful appearance of the car. Only 240 copies of the Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider designed by Pininfarina were built and the remaining copies are highly sought after, as it turns out.

Photo: Classic Car Auctions

The total proceeds of the more than 230 auctioned cars amount to more than €10 million. The Aurelia Spider on its own therefore had a share of about 5.5 percent. Other stunners included a 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Convertible ($275,000), a 1964 Lancia Flaminia Sport Zagato Series 2 ($195,000) and a 1968 Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 ($182,500).

If you had the money, would you have bought one Lancia Aurelia 24B Spider America or 2,400 gare Opel Vectra B?