Late Ferrari fan Kelly Manolas’ prized Bennelong apartment tops price guide by $1.7 million

During his lifetime, car enthusiast Kelly Manolas bought John Lawes’ Bentley and sold his 1957 Maserati to the lead singer of Dire Straits. Dying, his unit exceeded price expectations and he sold for $1.7 million.

TRG founder Gavin Rubinstein had a $5.5 million guide. 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment A double car park in Bennelong, nicknamed ‘Toaster’.

But this afternoon, after a week on the market and a month before its scheduled auction, he and his co-agent Etienne West of Morton sold it for a whopping $7.2 million.

“Some people were interested,” said Rubinstein.

“It was the right buyer at the right time and a unique apartment.”

The sale caps off a great week for Rubinstein, who sold another two properties for over $8 million in 24 hours.

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35/1 Macquarie St, Sydney has an iconic view.

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The apartment is located in Bennelong and has long been called ‘Toaster’.

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Manolas purchased a third-floor pad with glorious harbor and iconic views in 2005 for $3.4 million. Home of the Point Piper Trophy the following year he sold Mandalay for $20 million. [in 2015 it sold for $40m]He and his wife Patricia bought it in 1978 for $440,000.

“He moved there from Mandalay and loved it,” said Rubinstein.

Manolas died last October at the age of 84, and was 81 and wheelchair bound when he spent $600,000 on two new Ferraris.

On his shopping list is one of only a few new Ferrari 812 Superfasts in the country to accompany his long-owned 1965 275 GTB/4 Coupe (one of only two in the country). bottom.

Although he was unable to drive, he told Unique Cars magazine at the time: “I loved the styling of this car.”

He bought the apartment for $3.4 million in 2005, shortly after selling Mandalay, home of the Point Piper Trophy, for $20 million.

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Ferrari in the garage of “The Toaster” three years ago. Photo: Unique Cars Magazine.

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Despite Manolas being ill and sometimes in need of oxygen, a nurse took him downstairs to his apartment garage where he sat and looked at his car.

He has owned and restored a range of exotic vehicles for over 40 years, including a rare 1937 Mercedes 540K Speciale Roadster, one of only 25 Bentleys built in 1937. . In 1956 he won Martin in his Aston and his 1931 Le Mans in his 1931 Alfa Romeo.

Another notable purchase was a 1957 Maserati in 1984, which he sold to Dire Straits lead singer Mark Knopfler.

Manolas owned nine pharmacies in the Northern Territory before moving to Sydney in 1976 and becoming a property developer. It was two years later that he wisely purchased Mandalay.

In 1954, an 80-meter frontage, non-waterfront mansion was built for General Motors dealer Bill Stack. It was he Manolas who commissioned the 1994 redesign to the noted architect Michael Suttor, with Michael Love in charge of the interior.