Le Keeps an eye on C-sort crushes closeout gauge in Monaco

An ex-1953 Le Keeps an eye on 24 Hour and Spa 24 Hours Puma C-sort impacted past its pre-deal assessment of just shy of £4m to offer for £5,709,060 at Bonhams' Les Grandes Marques deal in Monaco.

The ex-Ecurie Francorchamps racer is a standout amongst the most unique Panther C-sorts in presence having remained unrestored and in the same family's proprietorship since 1963. It was purchased by dashing picture taker Fellow Griffiths for £635 in the wake of review the auto with his then-teenaged girl Penny.

And additionally being in astoundingly unique condition the auto brags an amazing race history, having been headed to ninth spot at Le Keeps an eye on while supporting the works Lightweight C-sorts, which completed to start with, second and fourth. Not exactly a month later it kept running at Spa, showing up in the Nürburgring 1000km the next month. It was then sold to Dunlop and utilized as a test donkey for new tires, before being purchased and hustled by Michael Salmon, Gordon Lee and Robin Sturgess.

"I ran with Father to see the C-sort," said Penny Griffiths. "I just thought it was phenomenal! He played it cool and we drove home once more. In any case, later than week he said 'I've been considering the C-sort. It's a horrendous part of cash yet – yes, we'll have it' and I was so energized. It was our first Panther and recollect that it getting back home interestingly. Fellow truly didn't care for the look of the cockpit, grumbling it had obviously been splashed a shabby, unpleasant silver. My mom had prepared as a dressmaker. She said 'Don't stress over that. Dark Rexine. That is the stuff. I'll spread it.' And she did, and that Rexine is still in there today."

The auto's dashing vocation finished when it was purchased by the Griffiths', yet it kept on seeing general use on Puma visits and occasions, including a few "strikes" to the Le Keeps an eye on 24 Hours. Penny reviews one such excursion to the Rallye Georges Durand: "Roger and I set off in the C-sort for around 20 minutes to the following town, where we were all urged to stamp the event with the neighborhood juice. At that point we drove for an additional 20 minutes to another town – where we were offered Calvados. An additional 20 minutes, another town – immense lunch stop with wine… All the time we were being escorted by the Gendarmerie on their cruisers, however no one appeared to turn a hair. It was rustic France in the 1980s, however today every one of us would have been captured – properly. Principles were simply distinctive then."

Click here to see a full exhibition of pictures of the Panther C-sort