January 2022 - US auction previews
6 January, 2022
January once again heralds the start of the big-ticket US sales, with Scottsdale hosting Barrett-Jackson’s multi-day auction, and single-day sales taking place on 27 January at RM Sotheby’s and Bonhams. RM claims the bragging rights for the most expensive car on offer, its 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Alloy Gullwing estimated to fetch $7,000,000 – 9,000,000. One of only 29 factory-built examples of the competition-bred lightweight Gullwing, it features a matching-numbers NSL engine and was owned by the president of the Gullwing Group, Hyatt Cheek, for 32 years until it was purchased by the consignor in 2014. The alloy coupe joins a roster that includes a steel bodied Gullwing at $1,450,000 – 1,650,000 and a late-model Roadster with disc brakes and the desirable alloy engine block at $2,200,000 – 2,500,000.
A 40150-mile 1971 Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona Spider that was once owned by film director Sydney Pollack heads the Ferraris in the catalogue at $2,400,000 – 2,800,000; while a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB is one of four Ferraris entered from The Dr. Terry Maxon Collection. The 275 won a Preservation Class award at the 2015 Arizona Concours and is offered from a 36-year period of ownership by the consignor’s estate at $1,500,000 – 2,000,000.
RM’s sale will also see the nine-car Tenenbaum Collection crossing the block, where highlights include three Porsche halo cars; a 14000-km 1987 959 Komfort (estimate $1,200,000 – 1,500,000), a 1400-mile 2015 918 Spyder finished in Liquid Metal Chrome Blue, a $53,000 option (estimate $1,200,000 – 1,400,000) and a 2005 Carrera GT, US-delivered with under 5500 miles on the clock (estimate $1,000,000 – 1,300,000).
[ RM Sotheby’s Arizona Sale – auction catalogue here ]
A 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300 S Roadster which spent the last two decades off the road in storage in New Jersey has been consigned to Bonhams’ Scottsdale sale, listed at $375,000 – 475,000. One of only 141 Roadsters produced, it was imported into the US from Venezuela in the 1970s, remaining in the Tri State area for 49 years.
Notable British machinery includes the Holy Grail of E-Types, an external bonnet-latch 1961 Series I 3.8 Roadster with just 1550-miles covered since a nut-and-bolt restoration (estimate $380,000 – 480,000); a 1958 AC Ace, recently the subject of a $400,000 restoration at renowned marque expert Kevin Kay Restorations (estimate $325,000 – 375,000); and a 1962 Aston Martin DB4, delivered new to California (estimate $300,000 – 350,000).
[ Bonhams Scottsdale Sale – auction catalogue here ]
Burt Reynolds’ 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am SE is one of the stars at Barrett-Jackson’s seven-day no-reserve Scottsdale auction that gets underway on 24 January. Gifted to Reynolds after its "Smokey and the Bandit” promotional duties had ended, it remained with the actor until purchased by the consignor in 2014. Elsewhere, significant Shelby’s in the line-up include a 1962 Cobra originally owned by Lance Reventlow, a 1965 Cobra 427 Super Snake that is one of only three continuation cars authorised by Shelby and a 1965 GT350 known as ‘257’ – a multiple concours winner.
Mecum kick starts its auction year with the traditional season opener in Kissimmee, where 3500 lots will go under the hammer during an 11-day marathon from 6 January. A 2020 McLaren Speedtail tops the supercars, guided to achieve $3,500,000 – 4,000,000. Offered from The Michael Fux Collection and finished in exclusive Volcano Yellow, it’s number 100 of 106 built and has only covered 194 miles.
[ Mecum Kissimmee Sale – auction catalogue highlights here ]
Classic car auction price estimates for: Mercedes-Benz | Ferrari | Porsche | Jaguar | AC | Aston Martin | Pontiac | Shelby | McLaren
From leading auction houses: RM Sotheby’s | Bonhams | Barrett-Jackson | Mecum
Read through the rest of our classic car previews for more information about our auction collections. Check out our online resource for upcoming classic car auction events and classic car auction results around the world.