H&H sold 29 out of 63 lots offered at its second return to Race Retro on March 13, and although the 46% sale rate was mildly low, all the top sales were of important cars at good money. High sale was a Lagonda LG45 Tourer that had been one of two Works entries on the 1936 Monte Carlo Rally. It sold for £167,200, around half as much again as had been expected pre-sale. Rally cars set the pace here and two really proper Escorts brought notable results.

The ex-Haynes of Maidstone RS1800 Mk2 Irish Tarmac Championship winner, restored to its original 1975 specification, set a new £99,000 world record for an Escort rally car at auction, and the 1971 Mk1 was a sister car to the 2007 East African Safari Classic winner that fetched £89,500 in 2008. Now with a 1.8 rather than 2-litre engine, it sold to France for £77,000 against an estimate of £55-65,000.

A Healey Elliott with great period racing history fetched £44,000, at the top end of what the seller expected, and a Porsche 911 turbo hit a strong £20,265. H&H’s next sale is at the Pavilion Gardens, Buxton, on 21 April.