Classy classic cars coming up for sale

Whether it is seeing how iconic brands have changed over the years, spotting a car you admired when you were young or checking out a vehicle you would like to own there are always delights to uncover at auction.

Classic cars are usually classified as those made more than 20 years ago. Here we preview a few that caught our eye in catalogues for upcoming auctions.

Packard

A 1939 Packard sedan with an estimate of £13,000 at Mathewsons on December 12.

Manufactured from 1899 to the late 1950s, Packard cars were US luxury vehicles made by the Packard Motor Car Company of Detroit. This 1939 Packard sedan has been lovingly restored and has an estimate of £13,000 at Mathewsons on December 12.

BMW

This 1987 BMW is estimated at £14,000-£18,000 at Classic Car Auctions on December 12.

In great condition and with that unmistakeable BMW-look, this 1987 model has a cherry red leather interior and 107,000 miles on the clock, low for a car of this age.

It is estimated at £14,000-£18,000 at Classic Car Auctions on December 12.

AJS Nine

This AJS Nine comes from the National Motorcycle Museum and has an estimate of £8000 to £14,000 at Bonhams on December 11-12.

Vehicles that are these days referred to as vintage cars were made from 1919 to 1930. This AJS Nine made by AJ Stevens & Co was first registered on December 31 1930, the final day of the vintage era. This brand was known to be good to drive and won many plaudits from the motoring press at the time.

This model comes from the National Motorcycle Museum and has an estimate of £8000 to £14,000 at Bonhams on December 11-12.

The Bond car

A 1969 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible used during the filming of Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

For high-end classics, check out the Bonhams Bond Street Sale on December 16. And for a Bond Street sale what could be more appropriate than a James Bond car?

This 1969 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible was used during the filming of On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969) starring George Lazenby in his sole outing as 007. Co-starring with Lazenby were Telly Savalas as super-villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld and Diana Rigg as the Contessa Teresa 'Tracy' Di Vicenzo, owner of the Mercury.

The car, fitted with a ski rack which Tracy used for her trendy Kneissl skis, was fully restored earlier this year and is estimated at £100,000 to £150,000 - a price that should leave you stirred rather than shaken.

Mercedes-Benz

A Mercedes-Benz 300d limousine once owned by Sir Freddie Laker

The Mercedes-Benz 300 limousine was nick-named 'Adenauer', after its most famous customer German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer. This particular model, a 1961 Mercedes-Benz 300d, was once owned by English airline entrepreneur Sir Freddie Laker.

It has an estimate of £50,000-£60,000 at Bonhams on December 11.

Aston Martin

An 2002 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage.

The Vantage was the first Aston Martin to use the V12 engine. Not quite a classic car yet (two more years to go for that) this 2002 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage is estimated at £15,000 to £20,000 at McTear's.