August 2015 - Monterey previews
22 July, 2015
RM Sotheby’s Monterey sale has been extended to three days this year, with the addition of ‘The Pinnacle Portfolio’, which opens proceedings on 13 August. The Pinnacle Portfolio is described by RM Sotheby’s as the most significant and valuable private automobile collection ever presented at auction and comprises of 25 post-war sports cars, headed by a 1964 Ferrari 250 LM. Chassis 6105, the 23rd 250 LM built, was shown at the 1964 Earl’s Court Motor Show shortly before it was purchased by Ron Fry, who campaigned the car in the UK.
The other big hitters from the collection include; a 1998 McLaren F1 “Road Going LM”, one of just two examples upgraded by McLaren Special Operations to feature an LM-spec engine and the ‘Extra High Downforce Package’; a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider, chassis 1307 GT being the 23rd of just 50 long wheelbase examples; and a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione, one of approximately 45 alloy-bodied versions built in 1960 and prepared as a North American Race Team (N.A.R.T.) car.
Over the three day event RM Sotheby’s will offer 150 cars in total with no less than 44 lots carrying a pre-sale estimate exceeding $1 million. Other notable entries include a 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione ‘Tour de France’ and a 1953 Jaguar C-Type Works Lightweight. The Ferrari has the honour of being the actual car that instituted the ‘Tour de France’ nomenclature following its overall victory at that race in 1956. The fifth of only seven Scaglietti-bodied first-series competition berlinettas, chassis 0557GT was sold new to the legendary Marquis Alfonso de Portago, who, joined by his close friend Ed Nelson, entered the car in the 1956 Tour de France Auto.
The Jaguar C-Type on offer also has an enviable racing pedigree. The second of three factory lightweight C-Types built, chassis XKC 052 was driven by Peter Whitehead and Ian Stewart to a fourth place overall finish at the 1953 Le Mans 24 Hours race. Sold to the renowned Ecurie Ecosse team in late 1953, the C-Type was heavily campaigned throughout the following season, achieving eight victories and numerous additional podium finishes.
Ferraris lead the way at Gooding and Company’s two-day Pebble Beach sale, with a 1961 250 GT SWB California Spider, one of 37 covered-headlight SWB examples (estimate $16,000,000 – 18,000,000) and a 1962 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Speciale (estimate $14,000,000 – 16,000,000).
The Speciale was built for and personally owned by Nuccio Bertone to showcase his company at the Geneva and Torino Auto Shows in 1962. Its design was inspired by the “sharknose” Ferrari 156 F1, the championship winning Grand Prix car of the period. The interior was finished in burgundy leather with a dashboard matching the exterior colour – Blu Notte Metallizzato. Chassis 3269 GT will be offered for the first time at public auction, having been the jewel in the Lorenzo Zambrano collection for over 30 years.
Gooding and Company have also consigned 13 cars from the Peter Klutt Collection, all of which will go under the hammer with no reserve. Star attraction is a 10,000-mile 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 which had been in single-family ownership for more than 40 years
Other notable entries include a Porsche 956, one of ten works cars built, with a pre-sale estimate of $7,000,000 – 9,000,000. The racing career of 956-003 started at the 1982 24 Hours of Le Mans with a second place finish in the hands of Jochen Mass and Vern Schuppan. The car went on to win the next four races in which it was entered, driven by Jacky Ickx, Jochen Mass and Derek Bell, among others. '956-003' returned to Le Mans in 1983 as one of three cars entered by the Porsche factory team. Vern Schuppan paired with Al Holbert and Hurley Haywood crossed the line in first place, a mere 63 seconds ahead of the Bell and Ickx 956 after 24 hours of racing.
Headlining Bonhams’ Quail Lodge auction, to be held on 14 August, will be an award winning 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Competizione Alloy Berlinetta with period race history (estimate $9,000,000 – 12,000,000). One of only seven examples produced using a LWB chassis, the cars were created during the transitional period when Ferrari was evolving from the 250 GT Tour de France to the 250 GT SWB.
A 1971 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider, one of just 25 European spec Daytona Spiders built, is offered with a pre-sale estimate of $2,500,000 – 3,000,000. Other notable Ferraris include a 1985 288 GTO (estimate $2,500,000 – 3,000,000), a 1951 212 Inter Cabriolet (estimate $2,400,000 – 2,800,000) and a 1990 F40 ($1,200,000 – 1,400,000).
Elsewhere, a 1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic, one of only 15 examples produced, is also set to go under the hammer. This matching numbers Supersonic, was sold new to American custom car builder and racer Lou Fageol and has been in the same ownership for over four decades.