Jeremy Clarkson is putting three memorable cars from The Grand Tour up for auction, including the Lancia Montecarlo Spider he drove in his final episode.
The former Top Gear and The Grand Tour host will sell the cars through Iconic Auctioneers as part of The Iconic Sale at the NEC Classic Motor Show in Birmingham, England, on November 14 and 15. All three are being offered without a reserve, meaning they’ll go to the highest bidder—aka Clarkson’s biggest fan with the deepest pockets.
Clarkson says he rarely gets the chance to drive or enjoy the cars anymore, which is probably true. Still, the auction house says the real reason behind the sale will become clear during the upcoming season of Clarkson's Farm.
Lancia Montecarlo Spider: Clarkson's Final Grand Tour
The most significant car of the bunch might be the 1982 Lancia Montecarlo Spider. Clarkson drove it alongside Richard Hammond and James May during The Grand Tour Presents: One for the Road, the Zimbabwe and Botswana special that served as the trio's final adventure together.
It was also the last car Clarkson ever drove on The Grand Tour, which gives it a pretty special place in the show's history.
As you'd expect, the Lancia wasn't completely stock for its trip through Africa. It received Ferrari 308 rear lights, four exhaust outlets, Lancia Delta Integrale wheels, and a modified grille and headlight setup. Clarkson also swapped the original leather seats for cloth ones and fitted a simple Alcantara-covered steering wheel without buttons, all in an effort to avoid potential problems with the Lancia's aging electronics in the extreme heat.
Unlike a lot of cars used for television, Clarkson didn't simply hand this one back after filming wrapped. He bought it and added it to his personal collection. Iconic Auctioneers says the Lancia has since been refurbished and is now in running condition.
Alfa Romeo GTV6: To Scotland And Back
The second car is a 1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 that appeared in the Grand Tour episode "Well Aged Scotch."
Clarkson drove the Alfa around Scotland's North Coast 500 during the 2019 episode. According to the auction listing, it has covered roughly 28,315 miles and has been maintained in-house.
Under the hood is Alfa Romeo's famous 2.5-liter V6, an engine Clarkson loved for its sound and smoothness. And there's a little extra history here, too: Clarkson had previously owned the car and later regretted selling it.
He eventually reacquired it and added it back to his collection. Now, he's letting it go… again.
Lincoln Continental: Yes, It Still Has Nitrous
The third car is Clarkson's enormous 1978 Lincoln Continental Mark V, which appeared in "Lochdown." That's the Grand Tour special where Clarkson, Hammond, and May travel around Scotland in a trio of gigantic American cars.
The Lincoln is powered by a 6.6-liter V8 that was fitted with a nitrous-injection system for the show. The system is still installed, although it reportedly didn't work particularly well during filming because the engine didn't have the other modifications needed to make the most of it.
The interior still has the Cartier clock Clarkson admired during filming, while a set of bagpipes is still sitting in the trunk. Because apparently every enormous American luxury car needs a set of Scottish bagpipes in the back.
How Much Will They Go For?
All three cars will cross the auction block at Iconic Auctioneers' Iconic Sale during the NEC Classic Motor Show in November. There are no reserve prices, so there isn't a minimum amount the cars have to reach for them to sell. Whoever makes the highest bid gets the keys.
For real Grand Tour fans, the Lancia will probably be the biggest draw. Given that it’s the final car Clarkson drove during the show's original trio era, it makes for a pretty unique piece of automotive television history.
