March 2020 - Amelia Island previews
17 February, 2020
Bonhams, Gooding & Company and RM Sotheby's have all announced their catalogues ahead of this year’s annual Amelia Island sales, with Gooding & Company’s 1958 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider the star of the show (estimate $9,000,000 – 11,000,000). Chassis 0937 GT – one of only 38 examples produced with the ultra-desirable covered headlights – picked up a class award at the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours and a Platinum Award at the 2008 Cavallino Classic following a two year restoration by Tillack & Co, and comes with the coveted Ferrari Classiche certification.
Modern supercars are well represented with a one-of-20 2017 Lamborghini Centenario Roadster LP 770-4 showing 665 miles from new at $2,000,000 – 2,500,000; a barely used 88-mile 2019 McLaren Senna carries a guide of $1,000,000 – 1,200,000; while buyers searching for a RUF CTR3 will find Gooding’s 4,600-mile example listed at $800,000 – 1,000,000 has the optional 754hp engine upgrade.
The sale also features the first production Porsche 934, unveiled to the press at the model’s launch, before being delivered to Jürgen Kannacher’s team in time for the 1976 season (estimate $1,250,000 – 1,600,000). Chassis 0151 claimed numerous podiums in its inaugural year, after which it was sold to Kremer Racing where its success continued, notably achieving a third in class at the 1979 Le Mans 24 Hours. More recently the car received a nut-and-bolt restoration by RennSport Racing, returning the 934 to its original Indischrot livery.
[ Gooding & Company – Amelia Island Auction catalogue here ]
Bonhams will be looking for a repeat of the success it achieved in Paris last month when another example of Bugatti’s legendary Type 55 Super Sport goes under the hammer on 5 March. Chassis 55220, with elegant Jean Bugatti bodywork, was originally delivered to Victor Rothschild, subsequently passing through a succession of UK custodians before it joined the Edmonds collection in 1985 – where it has remained ever since (estimate $6,500,000 – 9,500,000).
Other top-tier entries include a 1907 Renault Type AI 35/45HP Vanderbilt Racer, one of just four known to exist in the US; a 1952 Jaguar C-Type which raced at the 1953 Daytona Speed Week (estimate $6,500,000 – 7,500,000); and a Platinum Award-winning 1967 Ferrari 330 GTS (estimate $1,800,000 – 2,200,000).
With the Ford Mustang driven by Steve McQueen in Bullitt recently fetching a world record $3,740,000, there will be much anticipation in the room as lot 119, a tangerine-orange dune buggy, approaches the block. Built by the east coast company Con-Ferr to McQueen’s spec using a Meyers Manx body, the buggy was driven by the screen icon in The Thomas Crown Affair and comes to Bonhams’ sale fresh from a ground up restoration with an estimate of $400,000 – 600,000.
[ Bonhams – Amelia Island Auction catalogue here ]
RM Sotheby’s 145-car line-up will be spread across two days from 6-7 March, headed by a 2003 Ferrari Enzo with less than 1,700 miles on the clock which is guided at $2,750,000 – 3,000,000.
Highlights among the pre-war machinery on offer includes a 1938 Bugatti Type 57 Cabriolet, the only example built by D’Ieteren with Aravis-inspired three-seater bodywork (estimate $1,500,000 – 2,000,000); a 1930 Duesenberg Model J Convertible Coupe by Murphy from the Keith Crain Collection (estimate $1,400,000 – 1,800,000); and a one-off 1932 Duesenberg Model J Stationary Victoria by Rollston (estimate $1,200,000 – 1,400,000).
A Jaguar XJS that was developed and campaigned to great effect by Bob Tullius and his Group 44 team in the Trans-Am Championship is listed at $200,000 – 300,000. Tullius bagged the drivers’ crown in the Quaker State-liveried Jag in 1977, its debut season, repeating the feat in ’78 together with the manufacturers’ title.
[ RM Sotheby’s – Amelia Island Auction catalogue here ]
Classic car auction price estimates for: Ferrari | Lamborghini | McLaren | RUF | Porsche | Bugatti | Renault | Jaguar | Con-Ferr | Meyers | Duesenberg
From leading auction houses: Gooding & Company | Bonhams | RM Sotheby’s
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