Australian Volkswagen Kombi sells for record $202,000

A Volkswagen Kombi has sold for a world record $AU202,000 at auction. Photos / Supplied

A rare, Australian delivered 1960 Volkswagen Kombi Samba Bus in stunning, fully restored condition set an Australian and possibly world auction record when it sold for $202,000 at the Shannons Late Summer Classic Auction in Melbourne this week.

The price, paid by a telephone bidder after a relentless battle with several rivals in the Auction room, was substantially more than the otherwise excellent $135,000 paid for one of Australia's most desirable Muscle cars - a 1969 Falcon XW GT in award-winning unrestored condition.

It was also more than double the price paid at the auction for a 1968 Holden HK GTS Monaro 327 Coupe - in unrestored condition - that sold for $96,000.

The VW Kombi's result brought a standing ovation from the large crowd packed into Shannons Cheltenham, Melbourne showroom and capped off a night of top prices paid for many of the 39 Classics on offer, 21 of them presented for sale with 'no reserve', an auction trend championed with growing success by Shannons.

An enthusiast paid $96,000 for this unrestored 1968 Holden HK GTS Monaro 327 Coupe

Based on the National and even International interested it garnered pre-sale, Shannons were already quietly confident that the once-humble VW commercial vehicle - fresh from a five year restoration - could exceed its pre-auction guiding range of $120,000-$140,000.

Once the preserve of hippies looking for cheap, live-in transport, early Kombis have attracted a cult following around the world, with top examples routinely fetching six figure sums at overseas auctions in recent years.

The Volkswagen Type 2 was introduced in 1949 and rapidly established itself as one of the most versatile and popular commercial vehicles ever made.

The first examples were seen in Australia in 1953 and were assembled at VW's Clayton plant in Melbourne from 1954.

The 'step-through' T2 Deluxe Microbus with its period 'Golde' folding roof - widely regarded as the most collectible Kombi of all - was completed on December 13, 1960 and first delivered in Melbourne.

Beautiful in every detail, the Kombi is presented in the delightful two-tone period colours of Paprika and White with contrasting tan upholstery and has subsequently been the recipient of several awards, including President's Choice at the Volkswagen Club of Victoria's 'Day of the Volkswagen' in 2013.

The Kombi's sale near the end of the auction almost took the wind out of the sale, despite excellent results being posted by a number of other lots.

Shannons National Auction Manager. Christophe Boribon said the result, with a vehicle clearance rate of more than 84 per cent, for an overall sale result in excess of $1.35 million, set a very positive tone for Classic vehicle sales in 2015.

"This is a spectacular result for our first auction of the year," he said. "We are now looking forward with anticipation to our first similar Sydney Auction of 2015 next Monday"