Discerning buyers have snapped up top notch celebrity cars at a UK auction – but one very famous person’s car remains elusive.

The British establishment, Classic Car Auctions, was supposed to hold its auction over the weekend of March 28-29, but due to the coronavirus crisis that was changed from a one-day live auction to 16 days of virtual bidding with 10 lots per day.

Included in the auction was a car owned by Rowan Atkinson aka Mr Bean ­- a 1993 Mercedes-Benz 500E was offered for no reserve and sold for $56,793.

Classic Car Auction’s manager, Gary Dunne, said the Mercedes was “a superb example and possibly one of the best looking in Nautic Blue with a leather interior”.

“This is Rowan’s personal car … it was new to Japan and arrived in the UK in late 2015 complete with a full book pack, Japanese history and up to date UK history. It has also benefited from the woodwork and seats being refurbished.”

Atkinson said of his car: “I’ve never seen another in blue. I have owned four different 500Es over the years and this colour scheme is, to me, by far the most attractive.”

Jamiroquai frontman, and well-known car fanatic, Jay Kay had a very special car up for auction. The 1972 BMW 1602 was the car he learned to drive in, and drove 30,000miles (48,000km) while touring and writing songs for the British band.

“We believe a lot of his first album was created in this car. He then sold it to a band member and 10 years ago he bought it back,” said Dunne.

“He intended to restore the car and has garaged it at home in anticipation of doing so. However, he hasn’t got around to doing it and is now offering this great 1602 at no reserve, to someone who can [restore it].”

The 1972 BMW sold for $33,920.

Another Kay car in the auction was a 1976 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow that featured in a Jamiroquai music video. It was estimated to sell for between $54,000-64,000 and in the end was sold for $63,394.

But one sought after car owned by a famous person was pulled from the 16-day auction.

The late Princess Diana’s 1994 Audi 80 convertible was originally going to be up for sale at the two-day live Classic Car Auctions but plans were changed when no bidders could attend in person.

Classic Car Auctions told AutoMuse that “the car was withdrawn due to the crisis and is to be re-entered when we have the next physical sale”.

The 1994 2.4-litre convertible was used by Princes Diana to transport the little princes, William and Harry.

The green Audi was a gift from Dovercourt Audi of St. John’s Wood, north London. Diana owned it for only a brief period, using it from March to July in 1994, returning it with 4000miles (6450km) on the odometer.

It was then sold to political commentator Ian Campbell-Dale before going into private collections.

It has failed to sell at two previous auctions and at the Classic Car event it had an estimated price of between NZ$70,000-80,000 – half the original asking price at the previous auctions.