GOING UP! In an uncertain world collectors with cash are going for goodies, says Robert Brookes, chairman of auction house Bonhams.

He was speaking after the 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage Convertible pictured right, one of only nine produced, sold for a remarkable £551,500 – £500,000 plus commission – a new world record, at Bonhams annual Collectors’ Motor Cars and Automobilia auction at Goodwood Festival of Speed.

The sale fetched a magnificent £3,707,687 in total with a 75 per cent lots sold.

Robert told me: “The results are reflective of the entire collectors’ market, whether it be art, jewellery, ceramics or cars like these.

“While markets are uncertain there is lots of cash in the world and these people appreciate the finer things in life.”

Other top prices were paid at Goodwood for a 1937 Bentley 41/4-Litre Drophead Coupe, which featured in the 007 James Bond film Never Say Never Again, starred at the Pebble Beach Concours in 2003, and sold for £221,500, and the ex-Yoshiyuki Hayashi 1958 model/1980s assembled Lister-Jaguar (also known as ‘Knobbly’), which fetched £232,500.

A black 1999 Mercedes-Benz SLK230, bought new by Dannii Minogue, and subsequently passed on to her sister, Kylie – just two careful superstar lady owners from new – attracted much pre-sale publicity.

The estimate of £8,000 to £12,000 had appeared very modest yet it finally sold to a “Lucky, lucky, lucky” buyer for £14,950 who fought off competition from several other interested bidders. Part of the proceeds from the Minogue family’s sale are being donated to a breast cancer charity.

A 1976 Jensen Interceptor Series III Coupe proved hugely popular, selling for an impressive £54,300 against an estimate of £7,000 to £10,000.

Leading lots in the automobilia section of the sale included Sir Malcolm Campbell’s traveller’s wallet, inherited by his son Donald, which made £4,715, and the World Waterspeed commemorative silver trophy presented to Sir Malcolm Campbell by Lord Wakefield in 1937, which fetched £24,250.

Group head of Bonhams motoring department James Knight commented: “There was extraordinary strength of bidding in all areas of the market and we were exceptionally pleased to establish yet another world record Aston Martin price with the sale of the DB5 convertible.”

Bonhams return to Goodwood for the new Vintage festival sale in August, and then the big Revival sale in September.