Here are TG's top picks from the incredible Rudi Klein junkyard auction

When you think of junk metal, you think crushed cans of Irn Bru, warped construction beams and perhaps an old alloy wheel or two. That sort of thing. What you don’t expect to associate the term with is perhaps the most incredible privately-owned collection of classic cars ever assembled - otherwise known as the Rudi Klein Collection.

Essentially a selection of rarified vehicles in Cat S (to the power of four) condition, Klein never made his collection viewable to the public and as a result set into motion one of the car world’s great rumour mills. But now that it's coming up for auction with RM Sotheby's, we know exactly what he pulled together, and the list is… rather special indeed. The full lot list is finally in, so here are TG's top picks...

Estimate: £3.45m - £4.55m

One of just 29 Alloy Gullwings ever built and the only one ever delivered with black paint. Other than the change to a silver exterior, this is pretty much original. Still housing the same body panels, interior, engine, gearbox and many other bits that it did when it left the factory 68 years ago, this 300 SL hasn’t left Klein’s ‘yard’ in close to 50 years. And it shows, this is now the only unrestored alloy-bodied Gullwing left on earth. First owned by legendary Ferrari importer Luigi Chinetti, it should fetch a pretty penny.

Estimate: £380,000 - £550,000

Or, for around a tenth of the price of the SL, there’s this Miura P400. The details are intriguing and include a proper layer of 'barn find' grime that you'll pay extra for. There's also extra wide panel gaps a matching numbers V12 engine. Result. It’ll require some work, but just imagine how satisfying it'd be to see this - number 159 of just 275 - completely restored and on the road. Worth noting that it's not the only Miura up for grabs either. There are two more in a similar condition...

Estimate: £2,800 - £7,500

This Audi Treser Largo saloon is turning 50 next year, so why not give it a birthday to remember? The Largo was an Audi 100/200 customised by Walter Treser's tuning firm with an extended wheelbase and a 250bhp-ish five-cylinder engine. Proper 1980s cool.

Estimate: £n/a (probably many, many millions of pounds)

The one-off Mercedes built specifically for Rudolf Caracciola - you know, that chap who became the first non-Italian to win the Mille Miglia and clock a 268.9mph top speed run on the Autobahn… in 1938. This long lost 500 K is likely one of the single most desired classic cars in existence as a result, so expect the auction price to induce a fair amount of sweating.

Estimate: £23,000 - £30,500

No really, there is a Ferrari 330 GTC in there somewhere. You’ll just need to put all the pieces back together (fun Friday date night idea?), polish the exterior panelling (not a fun Friday date night idea) and shop for many mechanical and electrical components to get it to… well, look like a Ferrari 330 GTC. A snip at £20k, surely?

Estimate: £550,000 - £750,000

The only original Grifo convertible ever built, and what a gorgeous piece of styling it is. You can thank Bertone and a very young Giorgetto Giugiaro for that, with the car being created as a surprise to Iso management. Many, many wants with this one.

Estimate: £265,000 - £420,000

You will not believe how many Porsche 356s are set to cross the block during this auction. This 356 Roadster is the penultimate ‘twin grille’ produced by Belgian coachbuilder D'leteren and has seen less than 600 miles of tarmac in its life. Not a bad way to spend half a million dollars... and then probably another half a million restoring it.

Estimate: £3,800 - £7,500

Fancy a bigger project? Why not pick up this lightly-used 356 Cabriolet, originally finished in Ruby Red with a black leather interior.

Estimate: £23,000 - £30,500

These remains are from a 1978 V8 Vantage. According to the lot list, this was one of just 11 ‘Molded Fliptail’ versions sent across the pond with an integrated rear spoiler. It still features its original 5.3-litre V8 engine too, although it may need a little bit of work to get it running.

Estimate: £23,000 - £30,500

Or, for the same price as the Aston, you could nab yourself a Series 1 Maserati Sebring. The interior has… some character to it. We can only imagine what manner of things took place in those rear seats; a fistfight between a man, a crocodile and a honey badger would probably cause less damage.

Estimate: £15,000 - £23,000

Let’s double up on the Maserati contingent with this Bora, which is one of only 275 examples to house the 4.9-litre Tipo V8 and five-speed ZF manual gearbox. Given that 330bhp-ish engine has covered less than 55 miles per year since its creation, a quick stop at the jet wash and a fluids top-up should be all the fix it needs (says the wishful and deluded writer).

Estimate: £45,000 - £60,000

For every game-changing piece of Pininfarina design, there’s been an oddity to sit alongside it. Displayed at the 1971 Turin Motor Show as a special edition of the now-defunct NSU's ro80 model, the one-off, rotary-powered 2 Porte + 2 was one of the last cars that Klein added to his collection. He purchased it in 1995 and it has lived in a German museum pretty much ever since. Actually looks like reasonable value at that estimate, doesn't it?

Estimate: £7,500 - £11,500

Perhaps the greatest challenge in restoring this 600 saloon won't be in the purchasing or the actual restoration, but where to store the darn thing. It’s comparable in length to most cruise ships, so you’d better clear some space in the garage before bidding on the 'Tunis Beige Metallic' behemoth.

Estimate: £15,000 - £23,000

This isn't the only Volkswagen Type 2 that'll be sold in this auction, but it is the only one that's carrying the front clip and chassis section from a Miura P400 on its back. And yes, the bits of Lambo are included in this lot. The whole thing would make a pretty sensational garden ornament, which means no further work would be required either. Win. Big win.

Estimate: £n/a (offered without reserve)

Ah yes, the unmistakable wedge shape of a Lotus Esprit... well, kinda. From the small amount of bodywork that's left, it looks as though this was once a special World Championship Commemorative Edition in full JPS black 'n' gold livery. RM Sotheby's now says that it would be an "interesting piece of Lotus-themed garage art". Right.