RM Automobiles of London Auction
Published September 11th, 2008
RM Auctions, in association with Sotheby’s, will shine a spotlight on a host of creative custom cars by leading UK designer, Andy Saunders when the curtain rises on their second annual ‘Automobiles of London’ event at Battersea Park, London UK on October 29th.
Regarded as the UK’s top custom car builder, Saunders has been at the forefront of wild car creations for almost 30 years, having built over 40 individual customs and restored a number of classics. It is, however, his unique, off the wall designs and drivable ‘car sculptures’ that have earned him the most critical acclaim and attracted global media attention. One journalist described Saunders as an ‘automotive alchemist’ for he ‘turned base cars into gold’. In addition to participation in various European Concours d’Elegance events and recently completing a pair of special commissions for Hyundai, most recently, Saunders claimed his third Guinness Book of World Records title, this time for the ‘world’s lowest camper van’. Created onstage in just three days and before an audience of over 34,000 car enthusiasts, the diminutive 1980 VW Camper stands at just 3.3 feet tall.
“The Andy Saunders Collection is best described as rolling works of modern art,” says Max Girardo, Managing Director of RM Auctions’ European Division.
Included in the auction line-up is everything from Saunders’ infamous and ever popular 1983 Citroen 2CV6 “Picasso Citroen”, ¬a multi-coloured and totally asymmetric creation which was built as if designed by Picasso, through to his 1989 Fiat 126 “Flat Out”, a radical sports car standing just under 22 inches tall. An ideal city car, there is also the radically shortened 1961 Mini HaHa, which started out as a little mini and was cut into three pieces and shortened by 2’7”.
Additional Saunders’ designs set for the auction block include: a period perfect, sixties-retro VW Beach Dune Buggy; his 1977 Austin Allegro ‘All-Ego’ which was built for TV; the one-of-a-kind 1970 Lancia Stratos Zero Replica; the 1936 Cord 810 Sportman; and the 1962 Saab 95 Van.
For further information on this event, please contact RM Auctions’ London Office at +44 (0) 207 293 6336 or visit www.rmauctions.com.
