August 2017 - Monterey highlights
19 September, 2017
Numerous world records were set at this year’s Monterey sales, among them RM Sotheby’s bagged the ‘highest price for a British car sold at auction’ accolade with its 1956 Aston Martin DBR1 finding a new home at $22,500,000 – the top result during the event.
Other success among the Aston Martins entered included a 1959 DB4GT prototype at $6,765,000 (estimate $6,000,000 – 8,000,000); a 2006 DBR9 smashed its $275,000 – 325,000 estimate, selling for $616,000; a 1935 Ulster which raced in period at Le Mans and the Mille Miglia went for $2,172,500 (estimate $2,500,000 – 3,000,000); and a 1989 AMR1 Group C made $616,000 (estimate $475,000 – 675,000).
As usual Ferraris featured prominently at the top of RM’s results. A concours-winning 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB sold for $8,305,000 – just under its lower estimate; a 1955 Ferrari 121 LM Spider set a world auction record for the model at $5,720,000 (estimate $6,500,000 – 7,500,000) as did a 1954 Ferrari 500/735 Mondial Spider at $3,850,000 (estimate $4,000,000 – 5,500,000); and a 1965 Ferrari 275 GTB/6C Alloy beat its $2,900,000 – 3,400,000 pre-sale estimate, selling for $3,575,000.
Single-owner hypercars changing hands included a 4,000-mile 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari at $3,410,000 (estimate $3,300,000 – 3,800,000); a 640-mile 2014 Pagani Huayra Tempesta at a mid-estimate $2,420,000; and a 1,188-mile 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder set a world record for the model at auction, selling for $1,842,500 (estimate $1,200,000 – 1,600,000).
RM reported total sales of $133 million for the two-day auction and an 88% sell-through.
Bonhams’ cover car, a single-owner 9,600-mile 1995 McLaren F1, topped their results at Quail Lodge on 18 August, making an impressive $15,620,000 – comfortably exceeding the $13,750,000 RM achieved for an F1 at Monterey in 2015.
Sharing the pre-sale limelight was the ex-Team Cunningham 1963 Jaguar E-Type Lightweight, which didn’t fail to disappoint on the day – selling for $8,000,000.
Bonhams top-tier vehicles also featured a pair of Ferrari 275 GTBs; a 1965 Alloy example going for just above its higher estimate at $3,080,000, while a three-owner 1965 four-cam crept above its lower estimate, selling for $2,519,000.
Other strong results included a one-owner 1990 Ferrari F40 with less than 2,100 miles from new at $1,457,500 (estimate $1,000,000 – 1,300,000); a 1958 Dual-Ghia convertible at $401,500 (estimate $300,000 – 375,000); a one-owner 1959 AC Ace-Bristol at $451,000 (estimate $300,000 – 350,000); and a 8,900-km 1985 Lancia Delta S4 at $440,000 (estimate $350,000 – 450,000).
Star performer at Gooding and Company’s two-day sale on 18-19 August was a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB/C with period competition history which brought a mid-estimate $14,520,000 – setting a new world auction record for the model.
The eagerly awaited sale of the ex-Jo Siffert 1970 Porsche 917K saw the car, which appeared in Steve McQueen’s film Le Mans, fetch $14,080,000 (estimate $13,000,000 - $16,000,000), making it the most valuable Porsche to sell at auction.
Other sale highlights included a 1959 Ferrari 250 GT Series I Cabriolet at $4,840,000 (estimate $5,000,000 – 7,000,000); world record prices for a 1956 Maserati A6G/54 at a mid-estimate $4,400,000 and a 1958 BMW 507 Series II at $2,750,000 (estimate $2,000,000 – 2,500,000); and an impressive $440,000 for a 2003 BMW Z8 which has covered just 61 miles from new, blitzing its $225,000 – 275,000 estimate.
Gooding achieved total sales in excess of $91.5 million with an 81% sell-through.
Classic car auction results and prices for: Aston Martin | Ferrari | Pagani | Porsche | McLaren | Jaguar | Dual-Ghia | AC | Lancia | Maserati | BMW
From leading auction houses: RM Sotheby’s | Bonhams | Gooding & Company
Read through the rest of our classic car auction reports for more auction results. Check out our online resource for upcoming classic car auction events and classic car auction results around the world.