Ant Anstead to present TV series lifting the lid on most expensive cars

Ant Anstead is to present a new TV series that goes behind the scenes of the world’s largest auction house for the most expensive and rare cars.

The World’s Most Expensive Cars will air on Channel 4 in late spring, showing presenter and car restoration expert Anstead travelling around the world with experts from RM Sotheby’s in an attempt to find the most unique models and then persuade their owners to sell them at Sotheby’s auction houses in Monaco, London and New York.

Anstead, who only two days ago was announced as Edd China’s replacement on Discovery Channel’s Wheeler Dealers, said: “The World’s Most Expensive Cars is an absolutely brilliant show. I’ve been travelling around the world dealing with some of the world’s best cars, meeting some of the craziest people and going to the best locations.

“It was a real car fan’s dream to be involved in this job.”

Ten 60-minute episodes will air throughout the year, as cars with both famous and racing provenance pass under the hammer.

In episode one, a Jaguar D Type is sold for $19.8 million (£15.81 million), breaking the world record for the highest price paid for a classic UK racing car.

“This car won Le Mans in 1955,” said Antstead. “I got to sit in that car, touch it smell it less than one hour before it sold for a shade under 20 million in California.

“This show isn’t like any other, it’s not trying to be Top Gear or Fifth Gear – it’s more about the cream of the crop, the best of the best cars and it’s about the personalities of the people who are involved in buying them, finding them and restoring them.

“This truly is champagne and glamour.”

The most expensive model of the whole series is a 1956 Fangio Ferrari 290 MM, which made $25.5 million (£20.37 million).