fashion designers old pagoda Mercedes to be shown at this years Lancaster Classic car Show this weekend.

A 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SL ‘Pagoda’ once owned by noted London fashion house proprietor Joan Burstein is one of the stars at this year’s Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show, held this weekend at Birmingham’s NEC.

Joan Burstein CBE, also known as ‘Mrs B’, is well-known in couture circles, opening her shop, Browns, in London’s plush South Molton Street in 1970. Browns later expanded from a small basement to occupy more space as her name – and discovery of designers including Alexander McQueen, Calvin Klein, and Donna Karan – developed.

To celebrate the business opening she ordered the dark blue/red interior Mercedes, taking delivery of it in January 1971.

Maintained by Hampstead-based Otto Schmitt, whose business carried out servicing for main dealer Alan Day, Otto’s son Robert looked after the car for the next 42 years and was promised first refusal if Mrs B decided to sell it.

That promise came true two years ago when Robert Schmitt bought the car when it covered a genuine 80,000 miles from new. It has since had a no-expense spared restoration with the help of Autohaus London, involving bare-metal repaint and a re-trim using correct-specification leather, carpet and hood. Under the bonnet the engine has been sympathetically restored to appear just as it did when new.

Immense care was taken with the final detailing, for example both the rocker cover and the woods were not over polished but sympathetically restored.

“Originality was always considered and respected,” explains Daniel Lachter from Autohaus. “We’ve gathered bills totaling over £62,000 along with a pictorial record of the bare metal repaint, which have been retained to enhance the car’s history. This is a stunning car with an exceptional story. A real classic beauty.”

With ‘Pagoda’ SLs currently one of the hottest tickets in classic circles, this model is certain to receive plenty of attention when its displayed at Birmingham’s NEC, not only from long-term Mercedes-Benz enthusiasts but hobby newcomers too. Robert Schmitt will also be present at the show on Friday 13^th November. 

Rolls Royce will be in force at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Car show at the NEC from the old to the new.

A Bespoke Rolls-Royce Wraith will be the star of the UK’s largest classic motor show, held this weekend at the NEC, Birmingham. The ultimate ‘future classic’, the spectacular Grand Tourer will take centre stage on the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club (RREC) stand, supported by a team of experts from the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood in West Sussex.

The Bespoke Rolls-Royce Wraith, hand-built at the company’s Head Office and Manufacturing Plant – the only place in the world where Rolls-Royces are built – is finished in sparkling two tone Midnight Sapphire and Silver. 

The interior is in Navy Blue and contrasting Arctic leather and Macassar Ebony veneer. The car features a range of Bespoke items, including a Starlight Headliner and an uplit Spirit of Ecstasy, bathed in light. It is also adorned with a suite of highly-advanced technological features including night-vision, parking cameras and Satellite Aided Transmission.

The RREC stand will feature several classic models from the marque. In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Silver Cloud, an early Silver Cloud I will be displayed alongside a unique Silver Cloud III rolling chassis. 

Two Silver Shadows will mark the model’s 50th anniversary, one owned by the Spencer family of Althorp and the second recently featured in James May's ‘Cars of the People’. An exact replica of John Lennon's psychedelic Phantom V is also sure to attract attention.

The Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club (RREC) caters for anyone with an interest in the motor car products of Rolls-Royce. From just 11 people at the inaugural meeting in 1957, membership now stands at around 10,000. Membership is open to owners and non-owners alike and members are drawn from all walks of life and from countries across the world.  For more details see: www.rrec.org.uk.

A rare 1966 Lotus Elan S2 once owned by icon Peter Sellers, will be auctioned on the 14th November.

A rare 1966 Lotus Elan S2 once owned by famous comedian, actor, photographer, singer and all round icon Peter Sellers, will be auctioned at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show on Saturday 14^th November by Silverstone Auctions, estimated at between £45,000 and £50,000.

The car was delivered to Peter Sellers’ Haymarket home on 22^nd June 1966 and driven by him, with wife Britt Ekland in the passenger seat, until 29^th February 1969. 'SAR 57D' then went through two other owners before being purchased by the current vendor. 

The car is offered for sale having been part of an extensive private classic car collection for over a decade. It is in fantastically original condition and has been in dry storage off the road since August 2005. The Elan has covered 65,611 miles from new with the bodywork in good condition and ripe for a light restoration to return it to its former glory. Meanwhile the car is mechanically ‘on the button’, ready to go and be enjoyed by its next owner.

The extensive history file contains the original V5 with Peter Sellers’ signature, as well as MoT Certificates from July 1977 until 2005 and the car will have a new MoT issued before the sale.

Harry Whale, operations manager and classic car consignor of Silverstone Auctions said: “This truly is a unique Lotus Elan with superb ownership provenance, while it maintains a fantastic level of authenticity. First owned by Peter Sellers, who needs no introduction, this Lotus Elan has sat in a private classic car collection for more than a decade and will now be sold for the first time in many years.

“The car is sure to gather a huge amount of attention and we expect that it will appeal to fans of Peter Sellers as well as Lotus enthusiasts alike. This unrepeatable opportunity to purchase such a historically important and interesting car is one not to be missed.”

The Lotus will join nearly 100 other classic cars in an auction at the UK’s biggest and best classic car show on the 14^th and 15^th of November.