March 2016 - Amelia Island highlights
20 April, 2016
Bonhams Amelia Island auction generated a sale total approaching $27.5 million from the 95 cars on offer. Their star performer was a 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Sports Tourer with one-off coachwork by Vanden Plas, which sold to a private American collector for $9,735,000 (estimate $11,000,000 – 13,000,000), setting a new auction record for the model.
Other sale highlights included a 1937 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet A fetching $2,970,000 and a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4, owned by the late Wade Carter for nearly 45 years, made $2,750,000 (estimate $2,700,000 – 3,200,000).
Elsewhere, a 1935 Riley MPH with period competition history set a new world record for the marque when it realised $880,000, against a pre-sale estimate of $600,000 – 750,000. One of only 16 examples produced, the car was previously owned for nearly 50 years by Bob Lutz. It was subsequently displayed by the current vendor at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, where it received a class award.
Bragging rights for the top priced car at this year’s Amelia Island sales went to Gooding and Company with a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder, one of only 37 covered-headlight SWB examples produced. Spirited bidding saw chassis 2871 GT achieve $17,160,000 (estimate $15,000,000 – 17,000,000), a new single lot record at Amelia Island; contributing in no small part to Gooding posting total sales of $60.1 million from the auction, with a sale rate of 87%.
Highlights among the 18 cars consigned from Jerry Seinfeld’s collection included; a 10,500-mile 1955 Porsche 550 Spyder that sold for $5,335,000 (estimate $5,000,000 – 6,000,000); an unraced 1973 Porsche 917/30 Can-Am Spyder which made $3,000,000 (estimate $5,000,000 – 7,000,000); a 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 IROC RSR that blitzed its estimate, going for $2,310,000 (estimate $1,200,000 – 1,500,000); and a 1959 718 RSK, raced in period by Roger Penske and Lake Underwood, that fetched $2,860,000 (estimate $3,800,000 – 4,200,000).
Other notable sales included; a 1966 Ford GT40 Mk I selling for $3,300,000 (estimate $3,200,000 – 3,600,000); a 1995 Ferrari F50 making $2,310,000 (estimate $2,400,000 – 2,800,000); and a 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra at $1,320,000 (estimate $950,000 – 1,100,000).
RM Sotheby’s 18th Amelia Island auction achieved a sale total of $38.6 million and a sale rate of 89%. With the 1957 Ferrari 250 GT TdF failing to sell, top honours on the day went to a 1962 Ferrari 400 Superamerica LWB, far exceeding pre-sale expectations of $2,700,000 – 3,300,000, changing hands for $4,400,000 - a new world auction record for the model.
Ferraris occupied the top three spots with a 1984 288 GTO selling for $2,585,000 (estimate $2,300,000 – 2,600,000) and a 1968 330 GTS fetching $2,000,000 (estimate $2,300,000 – 2,600,000).
A restored 1954 Bentley R-Type Continental, which received a Best in Class award at Amelia Island in 2010, soared past its estimate of $1,200,000 – 1,400,000 to record a sale at $1,815,000. Other strong results included; a multi-award winning 1932 Packard Twin Six Coupe Roadster at $1,210,000 (estimate $650,000 – 800,000); a 1960 AC Ace-Bristol made $495,000 (estimate $350,000 – 400,000); a 1935 Auburn Eight Supercharged Speedster realised $715,000 (estimate $450,000 – 550,000); and a 1964 Peel P50 made a whopping $101,000 over its low estimate, selling for $176,000.