August 2017 - Monterey previews
28 July, 2017
Competition cars dominate the headline entries among the big-three auction houses at this year’s Monterey sales.
A 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 is the star of the show at RM Sotheby’s two-day sale which gets underway at the Portola Hotel & Spa on 18 August. Chassis DBR1/1 – the first of just five examples produced – debuted at the 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans at the hands of Tony Brooks and Reg Parnell, and achieved numerous podiums including a race win for Stirling Moss and Jack Fairman at the 1959 Nürburgring 1000km. As one of the most iconic cars in Aston Martin’s racing history, chassis no. 1 is expected to fetch in excess of $20,000,000.
Other significant examples of the marque on offer include the 1959 Aston Martin DB4GT prototype – Design Project 199 – with a pre-sale estimate of $6,000,000 – 8,000,000; a 1935 Aston Martin Ulster with an extensive competition history which included Le Mans, RAC Tourist Trophy, and Mille Miglia (estimate $2,500,000 – 3,000,000); and a 1989 Aston Martin AMR1 Group C, raced in period by Brian Redman and David Leslie (estimate $475,000 – 675,000).
RM’s have also secured a single-owner collection of 13 road-going Ferraris which includes a Platinum Award-winning 1961 250 GT SWB (estimate $8,500,000 – 10,000,000); a 1967 275 GTB/4 (estimate $2,750,000 – 3,250,000); a 1969 Dino 206 GT, one of only 153 built (estimate $650,000 – 750,000); and a 911-km 1984 512 BBi (estimate $375,000 – 450,000).
Elsewhere, other highlights include a 1950 Ferrari 166 MM/212 Export "Uovo", with one-off coachwork by Fontana (estimate $5,000,000 – 7,000,000); a 1970 Porsche 908/03 which placed 2nd overall with Hans Herrmann and Richard Attwood at the 1970 Nürburgring 1000km (estimate $3,500,000 – 4,500,000); a recently restored 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy (estimate $2,900,000 – 3,400,000); and a 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra, in single-family ownership from new and showing less than 15,500 original miles (estimate $1,200,000 – 1,400,000).
Bonhams returns to Quail Lodge to host its sale on 18 August where one of the star attractions is a 1963 Jaguar E-Type Lightweight. ‘5114 WK’ was campaigned by the Cunningham Team in 1963 with a brief career which included the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Road America 500 and Bridgehampton 500. As an original example with a documented history from new, Bonhams will no doubt be hoping to achieve in excess of the $7,370,000 the ex-Bob Jane Lightweight fetched at its Scottsdale sale in January.
Other big-ticket entries include a 1956 Maserati 300S, driven in period by Juan Manuel Fangio (estimate $6,000,000 – 7,000,000); a Platinum Award-winning 1963 Ferrari 400 Superamerica Coupe Aerodinamico; the ex-Miami Motor Show 1972 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider, showing 17,674 miles (estimate $2,700,000 - $3,000,000); and a 1958 Ferrari 250 GT 'Tour De France' Alloy with significant period race history.
Another ‘blue-chip’ car on offer is a single-owner 9,600-mile 1995 McLaren F1 – the first of its type to be imported to the United States. Rocketing prices and loyal owners coupled with a production run of just 64 road cars mean F1s rarely come up for auction – the last F1 to go under the hammer made $13,750,000 at RM’s 2015 Monterey sale.
If Monterey week is ‘all about the numbers’ Gooding and Company’s catalogue makes impressive reading, with 29 lots having million dollar-plus estimates.
Sharing the honours for the top-billing is an ex-Jo Siffert 1970 Porsche 917K with a pre-sale estimate of $13,000,000 - $16,000,000. Chassis ‘024 started life as a test and development car, with Brian Redman setting the fastest time at the 1970 Le Mans tests. Siffert purchased the car soon after, leasing it to Steve McQueen’s Solar Productions for use in the film Le Mans.
A 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C – one of only 12 built – with numerous class and overall wins is estimated at $12,000,000 – 16,000,000; while a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet is $5,000,000 – 7,000,000; and 1956 Maserati A6G/54 carries a guide of $4,000,000 – 5,000,000.
Other notable highlights include a 1974 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 TT 12, driven by Derek Bell and Henri Pescarolo to wins at Spa, Zeltweg and Watkins Glen (estimate $2,400,000 – 2,800,000); a 1928 Mercedes-Benz S-Type 26/180 Sports Tourer, believed to be the only known example with Glässer coachwork (estimate $5,000,000 – 6,000,000); and a one-off 1965 Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Shooting Brake, designed by Luigi Chinetti Jr. and converted by Vignale (estimate $700,000 – 900,000).
Classic car auction price estimates for: Aston Martin | Ferrari | Porsche | Shelby | Jaguar | Maserati | McLaren | Alfa Romeo
From leading auction houses: RM Sotheby’s | Bonhams | Gooding & Company
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