An extremely large classic car collection goes under the hammer early in December. The collection once owned by Louis Coetzer will be auctioned off by High Street Auctions on December 5, 2020. In a first for a local car auction, virtual tours of every vehicle will be available online, from exterior walk-arounds to interior and engine bay tours.

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Open secret

The avid collector’s fleet was well-known to local car enthusiasts. It has featured in many print and web stories, as well as in online videos and on television. Coetzer, who passed away earlier this year in a car accident, amassed this treasure trove of collectibles over decades. The 350-car collection was housed in Bloemfontein of 140 of which will be sold via auction in a few weeks. It is reported that Coetzer owned the world’s largest private collection of Mercedes-Benz.

Check out this 240-car collection that went up for sale in the US.

“Collectors from across the world are showing interest in the catalogue which includes some of the most sought-after Benz designs of the past 70 years, as well as a vast number of American muscle cars and other assorted collector classics,” says High Street Auctions director Joff van Reenen.

On the block

Among the cars that will be auctioned include a 1964 Mercedes-Benz Coupe 220SE, a 1967 Mercedes-Benz 230S Fintail stationwagon, believed to be the only model of this kind in South Africa, several muscle cars, a number of early Chevrolet Impalas and Belairs, a 1962 Pontiac Parisienne Convertible and a 1979 Chevrolet Corvette. There are also several less glamourous vehicles on offer such as a Peugeot 404 pick-up, a few Fords from the 1970s and ’80s as well as many Chev saloons that were local favourites.