Q1 2023 - auction highlights
4 April, 2023
Gooding & Company’s 1962 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider was the most valuable car sold at auction in the first quarter of 2023, fetching $18,045,000 (estimate $18,000,000 – 20,000,000), and raising the bar for the highest price ever achieved at an Amelia Island sale.
Gooding’s auction also established new records, with an unrestored 27,500-mile ‘Chairs and Flares’ 1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS at $967,500, smashing its $600,000 – 700,000 estimate, and a 1997 RUF BTR2 at $720,000 (estimate $900,000 – 1,200,000).
[ Gooding & Company Amelia Island Sale – auction results here ]
RM Sotheby’s celebrated their final visit to Amelia Island in style, posting over $70 million in sales and a 92% sell-through rate, with a one-of-10 2010 Pagani Zonda R 'Revolución Specification’ the top performer, drawing $5,340,000 (estimate $4,800,000 – 6,800,000).
[ RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island Sale – auction results here ]
Broad Arrow Auctions’ inaugural Amelia Island sale set four new world auction records, including a 2015 McLaren P1 with 130 delivery/service miles at $2,425,000 (estimate $1,800,000 – 2,100,000), and a 36,701-km 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300 CE AMG 6.0 Widebody ‘Hammer’ at $885,000 (estimate $750,000 – 850,000).
[ Broad Arrow Auctions Amelia Island Sale – auction results here ]
The Thomas C. Hendricks ‘Lost Jaguars’ Collection that had been hidden away for 20 years all found new homes at Bonhams’ Amelia Island sale. Highlights in the collection, which generated over $1.8 million, were a 1951 XK 120 LT3 Works Lightweight (estimate $400,000 – 600,000), driven to a class win in its debut race by Phil Hill, and a 1959 Lister-Jaguar, unraced since 1973 (estimate $600,000 – 800,000) – each bringing $775,000.
[ Bonhams Amelia Island Sale – auction results here ]
The other big news Stateside were the season-opening Scottsdale sales, Bonhams leading the way with a 1912 Simplex 50hp 5 Passenger Torpedo Tourer at $4,845,000, comfortably exceeding its $2,500,000 – 3,500,000 pre-sale estimate; while a barely-used one-of-12 2006 Maserati MC12 Corse ($3,811,000) and a 1958 BMW 507 Series II ($2,067,500) rounded out their top three.
[ Bonhams Scottsdale Sale – auction results here ]
Italian machinery dominated the standout results at RM Sotheby’s Arizona sale, a 3,186-mile 2014 Ferrari LaFerrari in a unique colour combination achieved $4,075,000 (estimate $4,000,000 – 4,500,000); a matching-numbers 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV made $3,580,000 (estimate $3,000,000 – 3,500,000); and a four-owner 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB/4 garnered $3,360,000 (estimate $3,000,000 – 3,500,000).
[ RM Sotheby’s Arizona Sale – auction results here ]
Europe’s first blue-chip auctions of the year got underway during Rétromobile in February, where RM Sotheby’s one-of-one 2022 Bugatti Chiron Profilée took the honours for the top sale, bringing an incredible €9,792,500 against its guide of €4,200,000 – 5,500,000 – a record for the most valuable new car sold at auction. RM recorded its best Paris sale to date at €50.3 million.
[ RM Sotheby’s Paris Sale – auction results here ]
Artcurial’s ‘official’ Rétromobile sale saw its no reserve 1951 Ferrari 340 America Barchetta with Le Mans history hammered away for €5,706,000 (estimate €5,000,000 – 8,000,000). 75% of the cars on offer changed hands, including a 24,400-km 1992 Ferrari F40 at a mid-estimate €2,216,800 and a ‘garage find’ 1975 Lamborghini Countach LP400, owned by the consignor since 1983, at €953,600 (estimate €800,000 – 1,200,000).
[ Artcurial Rétromobile Sale – auction results here ]
A 1948 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport Coupe – a five-times entrant in the Le Mans 24 Hours – and a 1988 Ferrari F40 headed the results at Bonhams in Paris, each netting €2,185,000. The 12-car Porsche Turbo collection realised €3.3 million, with a 28,180-km 1993 911 Turbo S 'Leichtbau' among the notable sales at €1,035,000 (estimate €1,000,000 – 1,200,000).
[ Bonhams Paris Sale – auction results here ]
In the UK, Silverstone Auctions continued to make headlines with yet another fast Ford writing itself into the history books at Race Retro in February. Having achieved £132,750 last year for an 8,795-mile Sierra RS Cosworth, its 1987 Sierra RS 500 with only 5,192 miles from new had been expected to raise £150,000 – 180,000. In the event, a fierce battle between an online bidder in Dubai and the successful buyer in the room saw the hammer come down at a staggering new world record price of £590,500.
[ Silverstone Auctions Race Retro Sale – auction results here ]
One of the 49 Ford RS200s built to a road-going left-hand drive spec sold at H&H’s Imperial War Museum sale, listed at £180,000 – 220,000 it went for £160,000. Believed to have been fitted with a factory 350bhp kit early in its life, it had covered some 11,800 miles and was owned by the vendor since 2005. Other highlights included Michael Caine’s first car, a 1968 Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupé, selling for £135,000 (estimate £100,000 – 150,000).
[ H&H IWM Duxford Sale – auction results here ]
Classic car auction results and prices for: Ferrari | RUF | Pagani | McLaren | Mercedes-Benz | Jaguar | Lister | Simplex | Maserati | BMW | Lamborghini | Bugatti | Talbot-Lago | Porsche | Ford | Rolls-Royce
From leading auction houses: Gooding & Company | RM Sotheby’s | Broad Arrow Auctions | Bonhams | Artcurial | Silverstone Auctions | H&H Classics
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.