August 2016 - Monterey highlights
27 September, 2016
Gooding and Company, RM Sotheby’s and Bonhams all achieved sales success at this year’s Monterey auctions with their headline cars. Top sale of the week went to RM Sotheby’s 1955 Jaguar D-Type, winner of the 1956 Le Mans 24 Hours, which realised $21,780,000 (estimate $20,000,000 – 25,000,000) – sufficient to claim the honours for the most expensive British car ever sold at auction.
RM’s two-day event also saw a 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider record the second highest sale of the week at $19,800,000 (estimate $20,000,000 – 25,000,000).
Other significant sales included a 1962 Shelby 260 Cobra, the first car produced, at $13,750,000; a 1956 Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Competizione ‘Tour de France’ at $5,720,000 (estimate $7,000,000 – 9,000,000); a 1955 Ferrari 750 Monza at $5,225,000 (estimate $4,000,000 – 5,500,000); a 1966 Ford GT40, one of 31 road-specification Mark I examples, at $2,900,000 (estimate $3,250,000 – 3,750,000); and a 1964 Ferrari 500 Superfast at $2,750,000 (estimate $2,800,000 – 3,400,000).
Overall RM recorded total sales of $117.9 million, with 21 motor cars achieving million-dollar-plus results and an 82% sale rate.
Star attraction at Gooding and Company’s 20-21 August sale was a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT LWB California Spider Competizione which fetched $18,150,000 (estimate $18,000,000 – 20,000,000).
Other notable results among the 30 Ferraris on offer included a 1960 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione at $13,500,000 (estimate $15,000,000 – 18,000,000); a 1950 166 MM at $5,445,000 (estimate $6,000,000 – 8,000,000); a 1967 275 GTB/4 at $3,245,000 (estimate $3,200,000 – 3,600,000); a 1968 330 GTS at $2,502,500 (estimate $2,700,000 – 3,000,000); and a 1985 288 GTO at a mid-estimate $2,420,000.
Elsewhere, a 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza sold for $11,990,000 (estimate $12,000,000 – 15,000,000), while a 1932 Bugatti Type 55 went for $10,400,000 (estimate $10,000,000 – 14,000,000); and the ex-Paul Newman Porsche 935 changed hands at $4,840,000 (estimate $4,500,000 – 5,500,000).
Gooding and Company achieved total sales of more than $129.8 million, with 26 cars making over one million dollars, and a sale rate of 83%.
Top lot at Bonhams’ 19 August Quail Lodge sale was the ex-Earl Howe 1931 Bugatti Type 51 which brought $4,000,000, followed by a 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari at $3,685,000 (estimate $3,600,000 – 4,200,000); a 1904 Mercedes-Simplex 28-32hp Five Seat Rear Entrance Tonneau at $2,805,000 (estimate $2,500,000 – 3,000,000); a 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO at $2,112,000 (estimate $1,800,000 – 2,200,000); and a 2014 McLaren P1 at $2,090,000 (estimate $1,900,000 – 2,100,000).
Above-estimate sales included a 1955 Lancia Aurelia B24S Spider America at $1,402,500 (estimate $1,200,000 – 1,500,000); a 1930 Duesenberg Model J Town Cabriolet at $1,254,000 (estimate $900,000 – 1,200,000); a 1974 Alfa Romeo Montreal at $115,500 (estimate $80,000 – 100,000); and a 1983 Renault 5 Turbo 2 at $132,000 (estimate $70,000 – 90,000).
Bonhams realised total sales of $34.8 million with a sale rate of 88%, and established a number of model world records including those for the Bugatti Type 51 and Mercedes-Simplex.
