January 2016 - Scottsdale highlights
23 February, 2016
The Scottsdale Auctions are usually responsible for creating the year’s first auction records and 2016 was no exception. Among the three main auction houses, Bonhams started off proceedings with their sale on 28 January, reporting an 84% sale rate for the 112 lots on offer, with a sale total in excess of $18 million. New world records were created along the way for its star attraction, a 2015 McLaren P1, which sold for $2,090,000 (estimate $1,900,000 – 2,200,000) and a 1973 BMW 3.0 CSL “Batmobile” achieved $341,000 (estimate $275,000 – 350,000).
A late production 1962 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster, with an alloy block and disc brakes, realised $1,485,000 (estimate $1,500,000 – 1,800,000) whilst a 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona, which had covered less than 9,000 miles from new, was the leading Ferrari sale at a mid-estimate $1,155,000.
Other notable highlights included a 1928 Mercedes-Benz 630K La Baule Transformable selling for $973,500 (estimate $1,000,000 – 1,000,000), and a 1935 Hispano-Suiza K6 Cabriolet found a new home at $869,000.
RM Sotheby’s claimed the bragging rights for the highest price paid during Scottsdale week with their star car, a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Special Roadster (estimate $10,000,000 – 13,000,000), which sold for $9,900,000 to set new record as the most valuable car sold in Scottsdale history. RM Sotheby’s auction generated $62.8 million, with 17 cars achieving million-dollar-plus sales and a sale rate of 85% from their 149-lot inventory.
Other top sales included a 1929 Duesenberg Model J Disappearing Top Torpedo Convertible Coupe, one of just six original examples built, which sold for $3,000,000 (estimate $3,000,000 – 3,500,000), and a 1965 Shelby 427 Competition Cobra, one of just 23 examples produced, made $2,255,000 (estimate $2,500,000 – 3,000,000).
New auction records were set with a 1952 Cunningham C3 Coupe, the only Vignale-bodied C3 actively raced in period, taking an above-estimate $1,210,000, and a 1939 Jaguar SS 100 2 ½ -Litre Roadster, achieving $1,402,500 (estimate $1,500,000 – 2,100,000). Proving that not all Scottsdale entries were six and seven figure cars; a show-quality 1974 Citroën 2CV from the Craig McCaw Collection sold for $49,500, blitzing its pre-sale estimate of $20,000 – 30,000.
Gooding & Company’s two-day Scottsdale sale realised more than $43 million, with an 86% sale rate from the 113 lots going across the block. Top sale was a 1950 Ferrari 166 MM/195 S Berlinetta Le Mans, with period race history and one of just six Touring Berlinettas built, which fetched $6,490,000 (estimate $5,750,000 – 6,500,000).
A 1967 Ferrari 330 GTC Speciale, one of only four examples built, made $3,410,000 (estimate $3,400,000 – 4,000,000), setting a new world record for the model. Elsewhere, Ferraris from the Tony Shooshani collection achieved strong results; a 2003 Enzo sold for $2,860,000 (estimate $2,400,000 – 2,800,000); a 1995 F50 made $2,400,000 (estimate $2,500,000 – 2,900,000); and a 1990 F40 took $1,534,500 (estimate $1,300,000 – 1,600,000). Other highlights included a 1929 Duesenberg Model J Dual Cowl Phaeton which fetched $2,420,000 (estimate $1,800,000 – 2,400,000) and a 1931 Bugatti Type 49 Grand Sport set a new world auction record for the model when it sold for $962,500 (estimate $550,000 – 750,000).