May 2015 - European auction highlights
16 June, 2015
RM Sotheby’s biennial Villa Erba sale on 23 May generated a sale total of €26.7 million and a sale rate of 87%, although three headline cars failed to find new homes, a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider; a 1960 Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione; and a 1950 Ferrari 195 Inter Berlinetta. Top lot at the event was a 1952 Ferrari 212 Export Barchetta which fetched €6,720,000 (estimate €5,500,000 – 7,000,000), smashing the previous auction record for the model. Enthusiastic bidding led to 10 individual million-euro-plus sales recorded during the course of the evening.
The sale also underlined the continuing rise of the ‘modern era’ supercars, heading the group was a 1985 Ferrari 288 GTO which sold for €1,904,000 (estimate €1,600,000 – 2,000,000); a 1991 F40 made €1,008,000 (estimate €700,000 – 900,000); a 1996 F50 achieved €1,232,000 (estimate €1,050,000 – 1,350,000); and a 2002 Enzo taking €1,260,000 (estimate €800,000 – 1,000,000).
Bonhams’ Spa Classic Sale achieved a sale total of €5,497,918, almost double the previous year, whilst the most valuable lot ever sold to an online bidder at Bonhams was the top lot of the sale: The Ex-Jürgen Oppermann/Otto Altenbach/Loris Kessel Obermaier Racing 1990-93 Porsche 962 C, selling for €1,495,000 (estimate €1,450,000 – 1,850,000).
Ferraris achieving strong results included a 1970 365 GTB/4 'Daytona' at €667,000 (estimate €600,000 – 800,000) and a 1976 308 GTB Vetroresina fetching €253,000 (estimate €190,000 – 230,000).
Significant Porsche sales included; a 1988 959 bringing the second highest result of the auction, selling for €700,000 to a telephone bidder from the UK (estimate €700,000 – 900,000); and a 1992 911 Carrera RS sold to a bidder in the room for €224,250 (estimate €185,000 – 235,000).
Proving that values for 70s BMWs remain strong in Germany, Auctionata’s sale on 4 May brought €90,000 for a 1972 BMW 3.0 CSL described as needing 'TLC' (estimate €40,000 – 80,000). Top lot was a tie between a 1957 Mercedes-Benz 220 S Cabriolet and a 1977 Ferrari 308 GTB, both selling for €102,000. Meanwhile a 1969 Porsche 912 smashed its upper estimate of €36,000, finding a new home at €48,000.