Bicester Heritage is celebrating the success of a hugely successful Brightwells Auctioneers and Valuers event – the biggest auction to take place at the former RAF Bomber Training Station to date and the third of 2017.

The Oxfordshire site welcomed hundreds of visitors to the events space, Hangar 113, for their chance to bid on the 105 cars which all went under the hammer, with interested parties also getting in on the action from around the world – including in Abu Dhabi and Australia.

A vast range of models meant there was something for everybody at Bicester Heritage – from a 1907 Rover 8 to a 1937 Alvis 4.3 and even a 2001 Mercedes AMG C32 Estate – and 70% of the lot found new homes.

Brightwells oversaw £1.4 million worth of sales on the day, with pre-war cars seeing an especially fruitful return – achieving an impressive 87% sales rate – and British sports cars in the shape of Jaguar E-Types and rare MGs also proving very popular.

As the heartbeat of the historic motoring industry, Bicester Heritage is the perfect site for hosting Brightwells’ auctions and its sterling reputation ensured the right customers came through the gates to sample the action.

Bicester Heritage has hosted three auctions in 2017 since joining forces with Brightwells, all of which have proved hugely successful and accumulated millions of pounds worth of sales, adding another area of interest to this multifaceted automotive destination.

The highest seller of the third and final auction of the year was a 1976 Ferrari 308 GTB Vetroresina, which was one of only 154 fibreglass-bodied cars made in RHD.

It boasted just 51,500 miles on the clock and an excellent service history, so it was little surprise that it was the subject of something of a bidding war – eventually topping out at £134,200.

Elsewhere, one of the finest examples of the Mini Cooper S Mk1 was captured by a collector for £37,400, too, while a beautifully restored and stunning-looking 1961 Jaguar MkII 3.8 Automatic sold for £28,600 – a fraction of its restoration price.

Other rare models going under the hammer included an International High Wheeler – a well-engineered and beautifully restored cross between a horse and cart and early motor car – which sold for £37,400.

Despite its comparatively modern stance, the 2001 Mercedes AMG C32 Estate caught plenty of attention when it took to the stand. The estate holds the UK land speed record for cars of between three and four litres – recorded at Pendine Sands in September this year. It sold above its estimate for £4,500.

Brightwells Consultant, Matthew Parkin, added: “We were delighted with both the entry and the sales result for what is in effect a brand-new venture for Brightwells. Bicester Heritage continues to draw in a new and enthusiastic crowd for us and we are well on the way to establishing our Bicester sales as a regular calendar fixture. Although we remain very good at dealing with sports and classic cars from the 1950s onwards, our experience and perhaps the location at Bicester Heritage has allowed us to build our strengths in the pre-war sector, which is something that we both enjoy and understand very well. As always it is quality that sells best, but we aren’t shy of offering a wide range of vehicles, as long as it is interesting and quirky.”