A terrific Triumph 2500 has smashed auction records. We take a look
On one level it simply takes just two people who want a car to make an auction. That said, often it is dead easy to see why cars smash auction estimates, on another level, we occasionally do look and wonder.
This 1973 2500 is interesting. It presents beautifully, one owner, 34,000miles a good deal of money spent and the icing on the cake was that the one owner was Gordon Birtwistle, who for those that don’t know (we didn’t) was the senior road tester and development engineer at Triumph. Add all that to the scarcity of these models now and it was sure to sell very well. The estimate of £8,000 to £12,000 had factored that in.
Alongside that a number of very good but non-standard modifications had been made such as, non-standard wheels (which we think suited the car well), polybushed suspension and Nissan driveshafts. There’s nothing wrong, in our view, with any of these mods, but they can often put downward pressure on price.
How did it go on the day? Bidding was very lively. The £8,000 – £12,000 estimate was quickly obliterated as the car charged on easily through £15k and up to just over £20k. That left two telephone bidders standing, both gingerly trying to see the other one’s hand. They both edged the price up to £24,000, where one bidder then folder. That price set the auction record and so it should in our view, a lovely car won by a brave bidder. Sold at Manor Park Classics this month.
